Elements of Genre Reading Log: The Handmaid’s Tale
What defines political and social protest writing?
Although it could be claimed that all texts are political, what defines the texts here is that they have issues of power and powerlessness at
their core, with political and social protest issues central to each text’s structure. The political and social protest genre covers representations
of both public and private settings.
All set texts foreground oppression and domination and they all look at the cultures we live in and have lived in over time. A crucial word in
the title of this option is ‘Elements’ and students need to consider the specific elements that exist in each of their texts. The elements that
might be explored, depending on each individual text, include those listed in the table below.
How to use the reading log
Each week, spend 10-30 minutes reflecting on the chapters you have studied that week and add 1-3 reflections to the table below (roughly
aim for one reflection per chapter). Don’t over do it trying to fill in every row every week: this is about reflecting and generating some precise
interpretations to carry forward, not about recording everything you think and know about the text.
Element of Genre Chapter Quotation for exemplification Explained link to text
The type of the text itself, 10 “Nothing changes Describing the way that society was slowly
whether it is a postmodern instantaneously: in a gradually formed into a dystopia and how people did not
novel, science fiction, satirical heating birthday bathtub you’d be realise
poetry, historical and political boiled to death before you knew
it”
drama (dystopian, post-modern)
The settings that are created as 2 “I would like to stay here, in the The kitchen is a warm and calm place where
backdrops for political and social kitchen” Offred can talk to the Marthas, but is is also
action and the power struggles hostile as due to their different groups in society
that are played out on them. the Marthas look down on Offred
6 “The Wall” A fear tactic to remind citizens that any past,
Both places (real and imagined)
present or future sins will be punished and the
, and time settings will also be fact that there are still people being put up there
significant here sometime after the creation of Gilead
demonstrates to those hiding that they are still
being hunted down
10 Offred’s old room with Moira Is an important setting that does reoccur as it
coming in represents freedom to Offred. While describing
the event Offred slips into the present tense,
this shows that she wishes to return to this time.
It is also significant because it shows how
different things are now compared to what they
were like and it exaggerates in Offred’s mind her
lack of freedom
11 The doctor’s examining room Is clean and bright like any hospital which does
remind of the time before but also makes Offred
feel exposed and vulnerable as she undresses
behind the screen. Could be the setting for
extreme rebellion and has been as the doctor
admits to having impregnated many other
Handmaid’s
The specific nature of the power 3 “As for my husband, she said, Power struggle between handmaids and wives
struggle, the behaviours of those he’s just that. My husband.” Aunt Lydia claims that she is trying to help the
with power and those without, 10 “I’m doing my best, she said. I’m girls, and it can be interpreted that this show of
those who have their hands on trying to give you the best affection from her could be a crack in her front
chance you can have” that she puts up and that she doesn’t actually
the levers of power
believe in the system
15 “Before Serena Joy can speak The commander is asserting his power and
he steps forward into the room reminding Serena that she is more or less
anyway” powerless and that little shows of power like
making him wait are not acceptable
15 “We can be read to from it, by Controls how much information the females can
him, but we cannot read” know, puts them below the men as its an
additional restriction
16 “What it really means is that she Serena Joy is holding onto whatever power she
is in control” can get her hands on, even literally by gripping
onto Offred.
What defines political and social protest writing?
Although it could be claimed that all texts are political, what defines the texts here is that they have issues of power and powerlessness at
their core, with political and social protest issues central to each text’s structure. The political and social protest genre covers representations
of both public and private settings.
All set texts foreground oppression and domination and they all look at the cultures we live in and have lived in over time. A crucial word in
the title of this option is ‘Elements’ and students need to consider the specific elements that exist in each of their texts. The elements that
might be explored, depending on each individual text, include those listed in the table below.
How to use the reading log
Each week, spend 10-30 minutes reflecting on the chapters you have studied that week and add 1-3 reflections to the table below (roughly
aim for one reflection per chapter). Don’t over do it trying to fill in every row every week: this is about reflecting and generating some precise
interpretations to carry forward, not about recording everything you think and know about the text.
Element of Genre Chapter Quotation for exemplification Explained link to text
The type of the text itself, 10 “Nothing changes Describing the way that society was slowly
whether it is a postmodern instantaneously: in a gradually formed into a dystopia and how people did not
novel, science fiction, satirical heating birthday bathtub you’d be realise
poetry, historical and political boiled to death before you knew
it”
drama (dystopian, post-modern)
The settings that are created as 2 “I would like to stay here, in the The kitchen is a warm and calm place where
backdrops for political and social kitchen” Offred can talk to the Marthas, but is is also
action and the power struggles hostile as due to their different groups in society
that are played out on them. the Marthas look down on Offred
6 “The Wall” A fear tactic to remind citizens that any past,
Both places (real and imagined)
present or future sins will be punished and the
, and time settings will also be fact that there are still people being put up there
significant here sometime after the creation of Gilead
demonstrates to those hiding that they are still
being hunted down
10 Offred’s old room with Moira Is an important setting that does reoccur as it
coming in represents freedom to Offred. While describing
the event Offred slips into the present tense,
this shows that she wishes to return to this time.
It is also significant because it shows how
different things are now compared to what they
were like and it exaggerates in Offred’s mind her
lack of freedom
11 The doctor’s examining room Is clean and bright like any hospital which does
remind of the time before but also makes Offred
feel exposed and vulnerable as she undresses
behind the screen. Could be the setting for
extreme rebellion and has been as the doctor
admits to having impregnated many other
Handmaid’s
The specific nature of the power 3 “As for my husband, she said, Power struggle between handmaids and wives
struggle, the behaviours of those he’s just that. My husband.” Aunt Lydia claims that she is trying to help the
with power and those without, 10 “I’m doing my best, she said. I’m girls, and it can be interpreted that this show of
those who have their hands on trying to give you the best affection from her could be a crack in her front
chance you can have” that she puts up and that she doesn’t actually
the levers of power
believe in the system
15 “Before Serena Joy can speak The commander is asserting his power and
he steps forward into the room reminding Serena that she is more or less
anyway” powerless and that little shows of power like
making him wait are not acceptable
15 “We can be read to from it, by Controls how much information the females can
him, but we cannot read” know, puts them below the men as its an
additional restriction
16 “What it really means is that she Serena Joy is holding onto whatever power she
is in control” can get her hands on, even literally by gripping
onto Offred.
