THE HANDMAIDS TALE

Introduction:
Thesis Statement: Margaret Atwood effectively shows the elements of a dystopian society in her
book The Handmaids Tale: citizens live in a dehumanized state, the states were religious
control, and the protagonist feels trapped and struggling to escape.
1st Body Paragraph:
In The Handmaids Tale, in the city of Gilead, citizens live in a dehumanized state. One
way on how people in Gilead oppressed its citizen is the color-coding of the residents. As
what Offred describe, This is what they must think about sometimes, as they stand endlessly
beside this barrier, past which nobody ever comes except the Commanders of the Faithful in their
long black murmurous cars, or their blue Wives and white-veiled daughters on their dutiful way
to Salvagings or Prayvaganzas, or their dumpy green Marthas, or the occasional Birthmobile, or
their red Handmaids, on foot.(p.27). This law signifies the role of each member in the society. It
does not only signify the specific class and power within the society but also it removes their
identity as an individual. There is more than one kind of freedom, said Aunt Lydia. Freedom to
and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom
from. Dont underrate it (Atwood 24).

2nd Body Paragraph:

The Republic of Gilead is under religious control. The greetings of people the people are based
on a Biblical context. For instance, every time Offred and Ofglen are meeting they greet each

other by saying, "Blessed be the fruit." May the Lord open. (p.23). The other way Gilead
oppressed its citizen is the use of Wall. Ofglen and Offred visited the wall where bodies of dead
people were hanged. Offred then remember Aunt Lydias words, Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is
what you are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will
become ordinary.(p.43) In this quote, Aunt Lydia is stating life will become normal in city of
Gilead. People who committed sins were persecuted and displayed to act as an example for
others.

3rd Body Paragraph:

The protagonist feels trapped and struggling to escape. Offred is the protagonist of the
novel, A group of tourists from Japan approached Ofglen and Offred and asks them if they
are happy in their situation right now. Ofglen didnt answer but then Offred say them,
Yes, we are very happy. I murmur. I have to say something. What else can I say? (p.37)
I used to think of my body as an instrument, of pleasure, or a means of transportation, or an
implement for the accomplishment of my will. I could use it to run, push buttons of one sort or
another, make things happen. There were limits, but my body was nevertheless lithe, single,
solid, one with me.(p.91)
"Dear God, I think, I will do anything you like. Now that you've let me off, I'll obliterate myself, if
that is what you really want; I'll empty myself, truly, become a chalice. I'll give up Nick, I'll forget
about the others, I'll stop complaining. I'll accept my lot. I'll sacrifice. I'll repent. I'll abdicate. I'll
renounce." Chapter 45

Dehumanized women
In the city of Gilead in The Handmaids Tale, women are protected from violence but at a horrible
cost- their absolute freedom. Women are no longer raped or abused by strange men but must submit
to the state-sanctioned rape by their commanders. In chapter five Aunt Lydia speaks about freedom:
There is more than one kind of freedom, said Aunt Lydia. Freedom to and freedom from. In the
days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Dont underrate it
(Atwood 24).
The freedom to she is referring to is the freedom to choose. In chapter eleven we can see how
Gilead has taken away Offreds ability to choose. The doctor has given Offred an escape and yet she is
horrified at the thought of such freedom, of being able to make her own decisions: Why am I
frightened? Ive crossed no boundaries, Ive given no trust, taken no risk, all is safe. Its the choice
that terrifies me. A way out, a salvation (Atwood 61). Offred has become accustomed to the prisoner
lifestyle of Gilead. When she bears her chains well they are almost comforting for her and she does
not dare to do otherwise.
The freedom from that Aunt Lydia talks about is freedom from violence. Now we walk along the
same street, in red pairs, and no man shouts obscenities at us, speaks to us, touches us. No one
whistles (Atwood 24). In chapter thirteen Janine testifies about how she was raped and had an
abortion at fourteen, something that would never happen now in Gilead. However, with this freedom
from, another freedom is taken away. In the society of Gilead, women are always the guilty party as is
shown when the women in the group chant that the rape is Janines fault for leading the men on. The
next week Janine admits, It was my own fault. I led them on. I deserve the pain (Atwood 72).
Through a close reading of Aunt Lydias quote in chapter five, we see that in Gilead women are
protected and given freedom from many evils but at the cost of their own free will and choice.
Furthermore women are dehumanized in this society as shown in the quotation: I used to think of
my body as an instrument, of pleasure, or a means of transportation, or an implement

for the accomplishment of my will . . . Now the flesh arranges itself differently. Im a
cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and
more real than I am and glows red within its translucent wrapping (Atwood 73).
Before, Offreds body was an extension of herself but now she is no longer the master
of her own body. Her body is now only the covering of the only thing that matters in
Gilead- her womb. Offred is no longer a woman or even a human being-only a womb.