“In the Stars” - Benson Boone

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xmcEXd1K9XM

“We thought we had such problems then , How could we know we were happy?”(pg. 51)]. This song fits with this moment, because as you listen to the song, you feel this dark, grieving tone, which usually comes from reflecting on something you can never get back. The soft piano and echoing vocals almost make it sound like a loss…The theme of grief is used all throughout the Handmaids tales, especially through Offred’s flashback of her old life. Offred isn’t just mourning her past, her daughter, Lulke, but she’s mourning her freedom, her sense of security and safety that her old life. The people she loves may still be alive, but it would be easier for her to pretend they were gone, because hope hurts a lot more. The song’s legato rhythm mirrors the emotional pull between the pain that comes with remembering and trying to forget the pain. It’s almost like every note is a memory forcing her to remember what Gilead took from her.

Escapism - Raye

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0EBw-CWc4Uw

This song reminds me of Moira. The title”Escapism” caught my attention because that was what Moira was tryna do the entire time: escape. She almost made it too, but got caught when she was close to the finish line. She ended up at Jezebel’s and found herself in a “little black dress”. Then not too long after there was a shift in her. She used to be strong, rebellious and full of fire but now it seems she’s just surviving. The lyrics “And I’m out on the town on a simple mission, In my little black dress and this sh*t is sittin” and “I don’t wanna feel how I felt last night, captures that same same exhaustion and numbness Moira was feeling about her new life. When Moira tells Offred. “Don’t worry about me…I’m still here you can see it’s me. Anyway look at it this way:it’s not so bad…”(pg. 249) It sounds like she is trying to convince herself that she’s okay rather than Offred. The dark, moody, and fast paced almost restless rhythm match that emptiness that Moira is probably feeling. Moira isn’t escaping anymore; it seems like she’s surrendering to what she was running from.

All the Good Girls Go to Hell - Billie Eilish

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vmMqFCyfPLo

This song reminded me of the moment when the Commander pressured Offred to have sex in a spare room in Jezebel’s. “All the Good Girls Go to Hell” fits that scene perfectly. The line “Lucifer was lonely” makes me think of the Commander, seemingly powerful but still capable of feeling lonely. In class discussion,we stated that the Commander desired human touch, intimacy but from this scene its clear he’s trying to do it by control. By bringing Offred to Jezebel, he assumed that she would be willing to do what he wanted her to do. He definitely framed Offred in a way because originally it seemed he had no sexual intention, but once they reached the hotel room, it showed his true intentions. The song’s dark rhythm and slow, almost haunting bass, creates this tension that was shown, in the scene, something tempting but wrong. The feel of this song also captures how powerless Offred feels. She has no choice in the matter, forcing her to convince herself that she is okay. The beat of the song moves almost like a racing heartbeat, building this pressure, tension, just like the power imbalance showcased in this scene.

Jealous - Labrinth

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v5nrZ5sHgxk

The lyrics of this song really spoke to me because it reminded me of the moment where Offred saw the picture of her daughter. In chapter 35 it says “She grows and lives. Isn’t that a good thing? A blessing? Still I can’t bear it, to have been erased like that. Better she’d brought me nothing”(pg. 228). From this we can see that Offred was able to relief a sign of relief because she was able to see for herself that her daughter was alive and seemingly taken care of, but it also reawakened the grief she has been carrying since her daughter was taken from her. Her role as a mother was stript away from her and seeing this picture reminded her that her child is now being cared for by someone else, and the possibility that she would get that back is almost impossible. The song “Jealous” fits this moment so well because it carries that same quiet ache that Offred was feeling. The piano and instruments used in the songs makes it seem creates the feel of someone not trying to cry. The slow rhythm mirrors the heaviness that Offred feels when looking at the photo torn between gratefulness and heartbreak. The line “ it’s hard for me to say, I’m jealous of the way you are happy without me” captures exactly what Offred feels but can’t say out loud. She’s jealous and broken that she can no longer be a mother.

Back To December - Taylor Swift

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=awdH9ChjsUg

In chapters 34 - 35 Offred and the Commander talk about love and its role in people’s lives. During their conversations, Offred brought it to the Commander’s attention that when they built this new system they “forgot about love” The Commander responded by saying, “ Was it really worth falling in love “(pg. 220). This response shows that maybe he never experienced love or didn’t have a great experience with it, like he is out of touch with that emotion. The tone of the song “Back to December” has a sort of nostalgic air to it, like someone is replaying memories that they can’t let go of yet. Which reminds me of how Offred often reminisces about her and Luke’s love. It was an almost necessity for her, a way for her and love ones to connect. Love used to have meaning, but now in this new system love is unheard of. The lyrics “Maybe this is wishful thinking, mindless dreaming” mirror Offred’s quiet reflection and almost regret of not realizing how much she took her old life for granted. She knows that love brought both joy and pain, but it was real, despite how much Gilead tries to control that narrative. In summary, The vibe of the song shows that Offred isn’t angry, just aware that what Gilead took could not be replaced.

As I read The Handmaid’s Tale, I noticed a recurring pattern of hostility amongst women, revealed in small moments that is often overlooked.

Early in the book, when Offred was first introduced, we get a glimpse of her being moved into a new house—-the Commander’s house—where she will serve as his Handmaid. When she reaches the door, with a Guardian not too far behind, she meets the Commander’s Wife, Serena Joy, at the door. Atwood writes, “She stood in the doorway blocking the entrance. She wanted me to feel that I could not come into the house unless she said so(Ch 3, pg. 13)” The hostility shown in the quote is very subtle but powerful. Especially considering they are both victims of the oppressive system that has overtaken Giilead. This first meeting is significant because it foreshadows the strained relationship between Offred and Serena Joy.

As I read, I found myself often disappointed and a little frustrated that these women are so focused on comparing what they have and don’t have with the woman in Gilead, not realizing they are feeding right into the people in power’s trap.

In the later 17th century, during the early stages of slavery, there was a time when both Black people and poor white men were suffering equally under the system. In fact, both of them were so fed up with the system, it seemed that they would come together to fight against the unfair circumstances created by wealthy white men. This was not what the people in power wanted. To prevent possible rebellion, the elites—the rich white men—put the poor white people slightly higher on the social ladder, giving them more privileges to separate them from the enslaved. This redirected their anger away from the system itself and towards each other, giving them a reason to fight one another. This same tactic of dividing oppressed groups appears in the Handmaid’s Tale as well. The women, like Serena Joy and Offred, are victims of Gilead, but because of the oppressive system highlights the difference between the women, preventing them from uniting against the ones who put the system in place.

Connecting back to the present, this pattern reminded me of something I experienced in my own life as well. When I was younger,there was a girl in my friend group who acted as the leader. She didn’t like me nor this other girl in the group, instead confronting us directly put us against each other. One day, she would one day be my friend, and exclude the other girl; the next day, it would be the opposite. At the time, I didn’t recognize it for what it was, because I was focused on getting her approval. The competition created tension between the girl and I, distracting us from recognizing the one who was really causing conflict.

This situation is similar to the way women are set against each other in the Handmaid’s Tale. For example, Serena Joy and Offred constantly clash instead of discerning their shared suffering. After completing the last ritual of the Ceremony, Serena Joy immediately snaps at Offred: “Get up and get out”(Ch. 16, pg 95), when normally there is supposed to be a 10 min wait period before the Handmaids get up. Similarly, Offred and Ofglen are walking home from the market, they encounter grieving Econowifes. Instead of recognition of their compassion, the girls received resentment: “the first one scowled at us, one of the others turned aside and spits on the sidewalk. The Econowives do not like us(Ch.8 pg.44). These moments show that the hostility isn’t just between Serena Joy and Offred, but between all the women in Gilead. Just like when I was younger, people who should have been united, instead their focus was redirected into competing with each other, while the real problem stayed in control.

Taking into consideration the things discussed, the pattern shown throughout the book is important to take note of because Atwood warns us that when we find ourselves comparing or competing against our peers, we should pause and take a look at the bigger picture. These smaller issues can distract us from the source of our problems, just as it happened in the novel, in history, and even my own life. Instead of turning against each other, Atwood urges us to come together and face the deeper issues that affect us all. Because in the end, even the people in power know that there is strength in numbers.