Lit Log #2 - Playlist of Gilead

Songs of Choice

Nightmare - Halsey

The song “Nightmare” by Halsey was made in 2019 in response to the start of abortion bans. The song fits a lot of topics into 3 minutes. I thought about the concept of “Mayday” and how these topics relate to why they’re a thing. In the beginning, Halsey starts off with a bedtime prayer to pray for the sins she’s about to commit in the song. “I’ve been polite but won’t be caught dead.” a line from the song reminds me of how Offred has to keep up this version of herself and basically transform into another person while being a handmaid. While the lyrics may not relate to “Mayday” I think the angry-frustrusrated tone of the song does. I think one of the reasons why Mayday was created was the pent-up anger of following the rules and being in Gilead.

Mother’s Daughter - Miley Cyrus

“Mother’s Daughter” by Miley Cyrus is about Cyrus’ experience growing up with a mother who is a feminist and making her mother proud by continuing that legacy. In the book we get introduced to Offred’s mother through memories of Offred’s childhood and how her mother was a feminist who went to marches and fought on the front lines for women empowerment. While the song and book relate, they talk about different feelings. Offred didn’t like her mom’s work as they would argue a lot but in the song, Cyrus talks about feeling proud to take on that feminist role after her mother.

All Night - Beyonce

Throughout the book we see the relationship between Serena and the Commander, and how love doesn’t seem to be a priority. As it was referenced in the book it seems more of a job, something they have to do to keep the roles of Gilead in order. Although we don’t know much about Serena and Fred’s relationship before Gilead it’s safe to assume that they have been together for a long time. During the ceremony, Serena is almost always visibly uncomfortable and even though it may not be cheating according to Gilead Offred refers to herself as the Commander’s mistress. In the song, Beyonce expresses the hurt and forgiveness she feels when her husband cheated on her singing, “So many people that I know, they just tryna touch ya. — Give you some time to prove that I can trust you again.”. When trust in a relationship is broken it could be hard to regain and it seems as if Serena is having a hard time controlling her emotions because technically she can’t be upset if these are the rules and Offred is doing her job.

Consideration - Rihanna & SZA

We see the relationship between Offred and the Commander progress since Chapter 23 when he asks her to meet in his office for the first time. While listening to this song Rihanna and SZA sing the line “Let me cover your shit in glitter, I could make it gold” and I think this line does a good job of representing the obliviousness of the Commander when Offred tells him that the handmaids use butter as lotion. Using glitter to make something look better than it is, the Commander doesn’t know how bad it really is for the handmaids even though he helped put this system in place. “I needed you to please give my reflection a break. From the faces, it’s seeing now.” in this line Rihanna talks about her reflection and how she’s had to maintain an image, one that she wants to get rid of, which reminded me of how there are no mirrors in the bathrooms so the handmaids can’t see themselves and how Offred has shed the image of her old self from the “before times” into who we now know as Offred.

Love - Kendrick Lamar & Zacari

The theme of Love comes up in the book a few times as something that is non-existent and that’s not useful for the Hanmaid’s purpose. This song is all about love and what Gilead lacks according to Ofrred In chapter 33 on page 220 Aunt Lydia tells the girls “Love is not the point” in the red center. After the Commander asks Offred what Gilead lacks Offred responds with “Love” and the idea of falling in love. I also noticed that Serena and the Commander don’t seem to have a loving relationship as the Commander told Offred “Arranged marriages have always worked you just as well, if not better.” (220). The lyrics of the song “If I minimized my worth, would you still love me?” made me think of Serena and how she aligned and still aligns with the views of Gilead but now that the rules of Gilead have had an effect on her she might be changing her mind. She has to have her image minimized as a “Commander’s Wife” where her status is high but her power is limited.