What do you find interesting about the ways the writer presents rebellion in the novel?
Throughout her novel (The Handmaid’s Tale) Margaret Atwood expresses various forms of
rebellion through different characters and situations. The Handmaid’s Tale in its own context
is not considered a novel when referring to rebellion, but the expression of a satirical dystopia
which is mainly expressed through the beliefs and actions of different characters. It is
therefore often compared to George Orwell’s nineteen eighty-four with the expression of
freedom from and freedom to.
This is primarily expressed through the narrator, Offred who is a Handmaid stuck in what
seems a world with no other reason but to reproduce for the good of mankind. Atwood
develops Offred’s character when ‘the Angels’ are seen guarding the gates and Offred claims
that they ‘still had’ their ‘bodies’ adding that ‘this was’ their ‘fantasy’. In their current situation,
any other sex not regulated by the government was considered adultery and they would
immediately be blamed. This form of rebellion would therefore be life threatening (although
they don’t really have much of a life) and would result in them being sent to the ‘Salvagings’
where all of the ‘Un-women’ belonged.
We also learn of the ‘freedom from, freedom to factor’, which not only chastises the women
but also prevents them from rebellion. This could be argued with the notion that when
something is forbidden and yet carried out it makes it more exciting, bringing life to their dull
regime. Atwood therefore involves minor acts of rebellion to express any hope or nostalgic
memories of ‘the old life, with one incident being where Offred steals the butter from her
bedroom meal as she says she will use ‘the butter late tonight’. We therefore infer from this
that Offred’s intentions are to use the butter as a face cream moisturiser.
We are also made aware that there is one problem with the control of this pro-modernistic
Nazi State, concerning the ideology that although the Handmaids are kept prisoners they
have one form of rebellion that cannot be controlled. Thought. With somewhere to retire to at
the end of the day that cannot really be controlled nor monitored is an obstacle that can’t be
overcome by the regime. Although ‘like other things now, thought must be rationed’ the
handmaids have the ability to remember the ‘traditional values.’ This then leads to the amount
of security in the building for example ‘a window that only partly opens’ (to prevent jumping?)
and ‘shatterproof glass’ inside it and there being ‘no glass in front of the watercolour picture of
blue irises’. All of these factors protecting the notion of rebellion by getting rid of the most vital
organ of the regime, themselves.
Another key character who participates in the ideology of rebellion is the Commander whom
we first meet as someone of great status and respect with a ‘sterile wife’. Also evident
throughout America in the nineteen-seventies is that women would have been blamed as
infertile not the men of high status. As a result, in the novel they are punished (as in Nazi
Germany) and sent to ‘the colonies’. However as the novel develops it becomes more evident
that the Commander’s feelings for Offred are evolving to more than a date rape (meaning a
grating of the fruit) as later on he arranges for her to be picked up and meet him at Jezebel’s.
This visit to an ‘Un-woman area’ could get them both killed slowly for their ‘salvages’.
However, it seems that the danger influences both the parties to meet up. Later after this
‘adulterated sex’, it once again becomes clear that the commander and Offred seem to have
similar feelings, although it is constantly questioned whether ‘he is testing’ her or whether the
handmaid may just be doing this to somehow ‘break across the borders’ back to her
Canadian homeland. In chapter three this rebellious side of the commander is really
confirmed when he says, ‘I want you to kiss me,’ and when she complies, he says ‘not like
that, like you mean it’, showing that he really has feelings for her and does long for someone
to love. The actual name of the club that both parties attend suggests rebellion and evil, as
‘Jezebel’ was the wicked wife of King Anab. Therefore; although the first impressions depicted
by Atwood of the Commander are a solemn elderly man who is doing his bit for the future
generation, the novel later reveals the connections between himself and Offred not being just
avuncular (uncle like) but, participating in an extremely dangerous rebellion involving adultery.
Three other characters also express notions of rebellion, in very similar ways. This is Moira,
Offred’s best friend who works in ‘Jezebel’s’ (because she is not considered ‘fit for
Throughout her novel (The Handmaid’s Tale) Margaret Atwood expresses various forms of
rebellion through different characters and situations. The Handmaid’s Tale in its own context
is not considered a novel when referring to rebellion, but the expression of a satirical dystopia
which is mainly expressed through the beliefs and actions of different characters. It is
therefore often compared to George Orwell’s nineteen eighty-four with the expression of
freedom from and freedom to.
This is primarily expressed through the narrator, Offred who is a Handmaid stuck in what
seems a world with no other reason but to reproduce for the good of mankind. Atwood
develops Offred’s character when ‘the Angels’ are seen guarding the gates and Offred claims
that they ‘still had’ their ‘bodies’ adding that ‘this was’ their ‘fantasy’. In their current situation,
any other sex not regulated by the government was considered adultery and they would
immediately be blamed. This form of rebellion would therefore be life threatening (although
they don’t really have much of a life) and would result in them being sent to the ‘Salvagings’
where all of the ‘Un-women’ belonged.
We also learn of the ‘freedom from, freedom to factor’, which not only chastises the women
but also prevents them from rebellion. This could be argued with the notion that when
something is forbidden and yet carried out it makes it more exciting, bringing life to their dull
regime. Atwood therefore involves minor acts of rebellion to express any hope or nostalgic
memories of ‘the old life, with one incident being where Offred steals the butter from her
bedroom meal as she says she will use ‘the butter late tonight’. We therefore infer from this
that Offred’s intentions are to use the butter as a face cream moisturiser.
We are also made aware that there is one problem with the control of this pro-modernistic
Nazi State, concerning the ideology that although the Handmaids are kept prisoners they
have one form of rebellion that cannot be controlled. Thought. With somewhere to retire to at
the end of the day that cannot really be controlled nor monitored is an obstacle that can’t be
overcome by the regime. Although ‘like other things now, thought must be rationed’ the
handmaids have the ability to remember the ‘traditional values.’ This then leads to the amount
of security in the building for example ‘a window that only partly opens’ (to prevent jumping?)
and ‘shatterproof glass’ inside it and there being ‘no glass in front of the watercolour picture of
blue irises’. All of these factors protecting the notion of rebellion by getting rid of the most vital
organ of the regime, themselves.
Another key character who participates in the ideology of rebellion is the Commander whom
we first meet as someone of great status and respect with a ‘sterile wife’. Also evident
throughout America in the nineteen-seventies is that women would have been blamed as
infertile not the men of high status. As a result, in the novel they are punished (as in Nazi
Germany) and sent to ‘the colonies’. However as the novel develops it becomes more evident
that the Commander’s feelings for Offred are evolving to more than a date rape (meaning a
grating of the fruit) as later on he arranges for her to be picked up and meet him at Jezebel’s.
This visit to an ‘Un-woman area’ could get them both killed slowly for their ‘salvages’.
However, it seems that the danger influences both the parties to meet up. Later after this
‘adulterated sex’, it once again becomes clear that the commander and Offred seem to have
similar feelings, although it is constantly questioned whether ‘he is testing’ her or whether the
handmaid may just be doing this to somehow ‘break across the borders’ back to her
Canadian homeland. In chapter three this rebellious side of the commander is really
confirmed when he says, ‘I want you to kiss me,’ and when she complies, he says ‘not like
that, like you mean it’, showing that he really has feelings for her and does long for someone
to love. The actual name of the club that both parties attend suggests rebellion and evil, as
‘Jezebel’ was the wicked wife of King Anab. Therefore; although the first impressions depicted
by Atwood of the Commander are a solemn elderly man who is doing his bit for the future
generation, the novel later reveals the connections between himself and Offred not being just
avuncular (uncle like) but, participating in an extremely dangerous rebellion involving adultery.
Three other characters also express notions of rebellion, in very similar ways. This is Moira,
Offred’s best friend who works in ‘Jezebel’s’ (because she is not considered ‘fit for
