These quotes are from Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale (chapters 37-40). I read this segment of the book for homework, and when I came into class the following quotes were written on pieces of paper and posted on the whiteboard. I was paired up with a partner and given a quote to analyze, but I enjoyed these pages so much that I wished I could give my opinions on each of the quotes. So, I decided to do so...
"Is there joy in this? There could be, but have they chosen it?" (247).
This quote comes at a point in the story where the women and men are attending an event in the courtyard. The women are all 'dolled up' in extravagant clothing while the men remain in formal suits. The women, I believe, are made to look like objects, and this clear contrast of gender clothing and color signifies an imbalance between the men and the women. I liked this quote because of the last part, 'but have they chosen it'. I feel this segment puts into question not only this courtyard get-together, but also the nature of Gilead. Is it forced? Is the society in which Offred lives truly free? Gilead, like the women in the courtyard, may look pleasant from the outside, but all of this could be a facade, hiding the true inner turmoil of the community. Furthermore, this quote takes into consideration the idea of dressing up and improving one's image for the pleasure of others. Are the women at the party dressing up for themselves, or are they putting on a show for the men? This type of situation makes me think of high school prom, where the girls go through every form of self-improvement imaginable to prepare themselves for the night. Men, for the most part, don a tuxedo, some nice shoes, and spend a few minutes fixing their hair, and it is out the door. Are girls dressing up because they like to see themselves look good, or are they providing the entertainment for men? I believe most women dress this way for prom because it is the social norm, however, I would be interested to know whether this self-makeover originally was for the confidence of women or for the pleasure of men.
"But everyone's human, after all" (248).
I liked this quote because as I have been reading this book, I sometimes have forgotten that the characters are just as human as you and me. The characters all seem to fit into these prescribed roles and abide by the regulations of society; it is nice to get a simple reminder that the characters are in fact human and as such are capable of making mistakes even in their own perfect world.
"Nobody says anything" (252).
This quote is interesting for its simplicity. It says a lot in a few amount of words. This quote comes after Offred suffers a nasty fall in the company of many of the men and the Commander himself. The silence of the men around her is deafening, and they are unwilling to help her as she must pull herself up. Also, this quote plays into the theme of gender imbalance as a woman is not even capable of performing the simple task of walking without the help of a man. She struggles to walk and needs the steady arm of the Commander to aid her in her journey; she is completely dependent on him.
No comments:
Post a Comment