How does Atwood introduce us to the world of the novel in chapters 1- 3 of
The Handmaid’s Tale?
The novel, The Handmaid’s Tale’ is set in the Republic of Gilead, a land where
women have to breed, or face being hung at the wall or sent out to die slowly of
radiation sickness. The world of the novel is set in the future after a nuclear war.
The United States, where the novel is set, does not exist as a union of states
anymore, but still exists as a land mass. The people are governed in a very
sanctimonious way and the society is theocratic, and many of their freedoms and
liberties have been taken away from them. Individuals are ascribed roles in
society, which govern their rules of behaviour and who they are allowed to
associate with. This is primarily done to ensure the continuation of the human
race, and the ideology of the state.
The first chapter tells us of how one handmaid, Offred is sleeping on the floor of
“what had once been a gymnasium”. This tells us that whilst the place she is
sleeping in was once a gymnasium, it is not being used as one now. At this point
in the book we are not told whether this is because the handmaids are sheltering
from a natural disaster or from an air raid. Also we do not know if the gymnasium
is instead being used as a detention centre or a holding area by the government.
The gym is considered by Offred to be quite old because she can remember
photographs of people at different sports games over the years. This is referred
to when she describes the different types of clothing that the girls in the
photographs used to wear. “Felt-skirted…later in mini-skirts, then pants, then
one-earring, spiky green- streaked hair”. This passage clearly describes how the
fashion has changed over the times, and refers to the skirts of the 50’s, the pants
of the 60’s and the punk fashion of the 70’s. This tells us that therefore the gym
had been in existence for quite a long time and that is has only been changed
recently into what it is currently being used for by the government. Therefore we
can generally infer that the government is relatively new, and perhaps there has
been an emergency regime change because of the events of a war or serious
incident.
Later on it is apparent to us that the women are sleeping in fold out camp beds in
the gymnasium, and that they have recently been issued some sheets and
blankets. “Army issue blankets, old ones that still said U.S.” Therefore from this
we can learn that the United States does not exist as a union of states anymore
and perhaps it has broken up because of serious disputes or a war, civil or
otherwise. Also Offred says that the blankets are old because they had U.S. on
them and so it is apparent that the U.S. has been disbanded for a long enough
time, for the blankets to be considered old, suggesting that this new regime is not
newly established, but has been governing and in control for a significant period
of time. However, we do not know what she considers old, because a year can
seem like an age if someone is institutionalised and has no freedom like herself.
The Handmaid’s Tale?
The novel, The Handmaid’s Tale’ is set in the Republic of Gilead, a land where
women have to breed, or face being hung at the wall or sent out to die slowly of
radiation sickness. The world of the novel is set in the future after a nuclear war.
The United States, where the novel is set, does not exist as a union of states
anymore, but still exists as a land mass. The people are governed in a very
sanctimonious way and the society is theocratic, and many of their freedoms and
liberties have been taken away from them. Individuals are ascribed roles in
society, which govern their rules of behaviour and who they are allowed to
associate with. This is primarily done to ensure the continuation of the human
race, and the ideology of the state.
The first chapter tells us of how one handmaid, Offred is sleeping on the floor of
“what had once been a gymnasium”. This tells us that whilst the place she is
sleeping in was once a gymnasium, it is not being used as one now. At this point
in the book we are not told whether this is because the handmaids are sheltering
from a natural disaster or from an air raid. Also we do not know if the gymnasium
is instead being used as a detention centre or a holding area by the government.
The gym is considered by Offred to be quite old because she can remember
photographs of people at different sports games over the years. This is referred
to when she describes the different types of clothing that the girls in the
photographs used to wear. “Felt-skirted…later in mini-skirts, then pants, then
one-earring, spiky green- streaked hair”. This passage clearly describes how the
fashion has changed over the times, and refers to the skirts of the 50’s, the pants
of the 60’s and the punk fashion of the 70’s. This tells us that therefore the gym
had been in existence for quite a long time and that is has only been changed
recently into what it is currently being used for by the government. Therefore we
can generally infer that the government is relatively new, and perhaps there has
been an emergency regime change because of the events of a war or serious
incident.
Later on it is apparent to us that the women are sleeping in fold out camp beds in
the gymnasium, and that they have recently been issued some sheets and
blankets. “Army issue blankets, old ones that still said U.S.” Therefore from this
we can learn that the United States does not exist as a union of states anymore
and perhaps it has broken up because of serious disputes or a war, civil or
otherwise. Also Offred says that the blankets are old because they had U.S. on
them and so it is apparent that the U.S. has been disbanded for a long enough
time, for the blankets to be considered old, suggesting that this new regime is not
newly established, but has been governing and in control for a significant period
of time. However, we do not know what she considers old, because a year can
seem like an age if someone is institutionalised and has no freedom like herself.
