While reading The Road, we noticed that the man and boy often perch themselves on top of hills and other high-up places, and look out at the vastness of their post-apocalyptic world. As we tracked these moments, we started noticing patterns that explained this behavior.

As they look out from their resting places, McCarthy often describes the boy and man’s view as being extremely desolate. At one point the man “sat in the leaves at the top of the hill and looked into the blackness. Nothing to see. No wind.” (188) The pair are often being consumed by darkness. One way we see them battle this darkness is with fire, both physically and metaphorically.

Fire is a symbol McCarthy uses to represent perseverance and hope, and this is emphasized whenever the boy and man look out from a hill, since most of the time they are looking for a light. In one scene when the man is looking out from a hill in the night, the narration describes how, “In the past when he walked out like that and sat looking over the country lying in just the faintest visible shape where the lost moon tracked the caustic waste he’d sometimes see a light. Dim and shapeless in the murk.” The man is trying to find a sliver of life in his new bleak and deserted reality. We found a connection between this moment and a flashback of the man’s: “A gray day in a foreign city where he stood in a window and watched the street below. Behind him on a wooden table a small lamp burned.” (187). In this moment, before the apocalypse, the man physically had fire with him, whereas in the book, he was always looking for it.

After noticing these patterns, we decided to make a map following the boy and man through their journey with a specific focus on highlighting the parts where they rest atop hills or look out from high ground.

Map Key:

1) p 187: “He thought of his life. So long ago. A gray day in a foreign city where he stood in a window and watched the street below. Behind him on a wooden table a small lamp burned.” 2) p 9: “they went up to the top of the hill where the road crested and where they could see out to the darkening country to the south, standing there in the wind, wrapped in their blankets, watching for any sign of a fire or a lamp.” 3) p 19: “They walked out and sat on a bench and looked out over the valley where the land rolled away into the gritty fog.” (looking at a dam) 4) p 43-44: “When the bridge came in sight below them there was a tractor-trailer jackknifed sideways across it and wedged into the buckled iron railings. It was raining again and they stood there with the rain pattering softly on the tarp. Peering out from under the blue gloom beneath the plastic.” 5) p 81: “At the top of the hill he turned and studied the town. Darkness coming fast. Darkness and cold.” 6) p 104: “The site they picked was simply the highest ground they came to and it gave views north along the road and overlooking their backtrack.” (hiding from bad guys) 7) p 160: “We can stop now./On the hill?/We can get the cart down to those rocks and cover it with limbs./Is this a good place to stop?/Well, people don’t like to stop on hills. And we don’t like for people to stop./So it’s a good place for us./I think so./Because we’re smart.” 8) p 188: “He sat in the leaves at the top of the hill and looked into the blackness. Nothing to see. No wind. In the past when he walked out like that and sat looking over the country lying in just the faintest visible shape where the lost moon tracked the caustic waste he’d sometimes see a light. Dim and shapeless in the murk. Across a river or deep in the blackened quadrants of a burned city. In the morning sometimes he’d return with binoculars and glass the country for any sign of smoke but never saw any.” 9) p 193: Trying to find people: “If we can get across the creek we could go up on the bluffs there and watch the road.” 10) p 206: “They stood looking out through the tall windows at the darkening land.” 11) p 221: “At the end of the strand their way was blocked by a headland and they left the beach and took an old path up through the dunes and through the dead sea oats until they came out upon a low promontory. Below them a hook of land shrouded in the dark scud blowing down the shore and beyond that lying half over and awash the shape of a sailboat’s hull.” … “Let’s just watch for a while./ I’m cold./ I know. Let’s move down a little ways. Out of the wind. He sat holding the boy in front of him. The dead grass thrashed softly. Out there a gray desolation. The endless sea crawl.” 12) p 267: “He stood looking out. A steel dock half collapsed and submerged in the bay. The wheelhouses of sunken fishingboats standing out of the gray chop. Nothing moving out there. Anything that could move had long been blown away.” 13) p 276: “He scuffled together a pile of the bonecolored wood that lay along the shore and got a fire going and they sat in the dunes with the tarp over them and watched the cold rain coming in from the north. It fell harder, dimpling the sand. The fire steamed and the smoke swung in slow coils and the boy curled up under the pattering tarp and soon he was asleep.”

In “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, the man and the boy set off on a journey to the south in a post-apocalyptic world. Through dead bodies and abandoned towns, the two come across very few people and ultimately have to rely on each other. As I followed their adventures, I noticed the common theme of reassurance. Due to the many scary things in this world, the boy is in a constant state of fear. The man comforts and reassures the boy many times throughout this book in order to move on in their journey. They only have each other which is why it is key that McCarthy shows that the man genuinely cares about the boy. The connection between a father and son is incredible and is showcased by the level of comfort and security that the man provides the boy. But also the man often gaslights the frightened boy to justify his actions and their choices as a whole. In many moments, the man has to find ways to survive and collect supplies. He is so worried about their lives that he often has to lie to the boy just to explore abandoned places in order to not starve. Alongside this, the boy’s maturity continues to grow as the story progresses. As he starts to understand that the world is not so innocent, the boy begins to be a key part of the man’s decisions. The man is no longer making decisions for the boy and instead the one sided relationship becomes a partnership. The naive and innocent times of the man comforting the boy has now turned into the boy processing emotions and understanding the severity of their situation. As shown below, the map determines three key ways that reassurance is represented in this book.

In “The Road” by Cormac McCarthy, we see the man and the boy’s experience in their run-ins with others. Often, these encounters are scary and come down to ‘kill or be killed’. In our map, we tracked how the man and the boy’s encounters with others has demonstrated how people have abandoned the idea of ‘morality’ to survive.

This idea connects to the boy and the man’s self-label of being “the good guys” by how they differ from others. However, in some encounters we see the man’s lack of morality because of his lack of empathy, unlike the boy. Through all the characters we meet in this book, it becomes apparent that the only character who hasn’t abandoned morality is the boy. Multiple times throughout the book, the boy demonstrates his empathy for others. First, with the man who was hit by lightning that he wanted to help so desperately, then again when he saw another little boy and ‘needed’ to find and help him. This is especially shown in their encounter with “Eli”, the old man, when he insisted on sharing the little amount of food they had with him (meant to include in the picture). Throughout the “The Road” the boy shows empathy and care for others in a world that has given up on humanity.

(More description in the picture)

The three major houses in the book seem to connect to the comfortability between the man and the boy. It seems to be like a milestone and a way for readers to reflect on how far the man and boy has come. It is interesting to see how their dynamic changes throughout the book. To talk about the houses, I decided to draw the cell house, the bunker, and the luxurious house. I felt like those were the moments you can tell how the power of the man has shifted and slowly balanced out to where the boy has a say in the decision making. In the cell house, the boy does not want to enter the house but the man insists “It’s okay. We have to take a look.”[106]. What they found in the house were naked people getting ready to get eaten so I think this sort of traumatized the man to be more cautious. In the bunker, the man was more thoughtful of the boy’s feelings. The boy “had his fist clutched at his chest and he was bobbing up and down with fear. The man dropped the shovel and put his arms around him.”[135]. By the luxury house, the man softens up the boy’s feelings and takes more of an emotional approach to ensure the boy is okay. The man asked, “Are you scared?”[204] and the boy responds “Yes.”[204]. The houses definitely show a change in relationship dynamic between the man and boy. The man adjusts to the boy as the boy values more civil ideas like helping others and being afraid.

The story starts with describing a setting in a cave with an otherworldly monster as it lurks from across a body of water. Though as readers we first don’t understand this scary creature, at the end of the book we come to understand this creature is death. Something the father is extraordinarily afraid of at this time. A few scenes later the boy and the man have a conversation about what the man would do if the boy dies. He tells the boy that he would kill himself so that he could be with him.This conversation should point the readers thoughts in the direction that death is a very normal or sensitized topic for them that they have learnt to be able to think about freely and in a different way. After this we get a flashback of the father talking to the boy’s mother. The mom is going to kill herself soon, and the man is obviously upset about this as he wants to live to help the boy survive. We can start to see themes of the man seeing death as “giving up” or quiting, as it leaves the boy out stranded by himself. Our map then jumps to a scene where the man is afraid the boy is going to get caught and eaten. We can see him prepare the boy to kill himself. This is obviously horrific to read, but it shows how the father sees the evil in the world. It’s one of the first times where our main character recognizes there are worse fates than death. This leads into the shortest quote, “This is what the good guys do. They keep trying. They don’t give up.” Though not mentioning death, readers can see the implications of the fathers meanings behind the “good guys” something he mentions often. The good guys are simply his fear of death, manifested in an idea. The ending of our map is where the man accepts his fate. He comes to terms with death. The man even starts to envy the dead. In the story, the author allows the father to grow into trusting his son to survive, seeing the responsibility in his child. Not seeing death as “giving up,” rather passing on the torch. “The fire.”

My Prompt : Track your own intellectual and emotional experience through a close reading of a particular section. You are encouraged to tackle sections that you have found confusing, uncomfortable, or intriguing. You can write this in first person, citing specific examples from this selection as well as other parts of the novel that connect these ideas. Your selected text can be as short as one sentence or paragraph, and should not be from one of the sections we’ve used as an all-class close reading.

In page 39 Offred says, “I would like to believe this is a story I’m telling. I need to believe it. I must believe it. Those who can believe that such stories are only stories have a better chance”. This sentence from chapter seven of the “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood dives into Offred’s complex relationship with memory, storytelling, and hope. Offred expresses a desire to believe that she is in control of her narrative, wishing that she could treat her experiences as a story she is telling, with the power to choose the ending and return to her previous life. However, she acknowledges that her situation is not fictional, but a real story that she is telling to an unknown audience. This internal conflict reflects her struggle to find agency and meaning in her circumstances.

Offred’s yearning to believe in the power of storytelling as a source of hope and comfort is evident in this passage. Despite recognizing the futility of her actions, she finds comfort in the act of recounting her experiences and imagining an audience that can hear her. This highlights the human need for connection and the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity.

Offred’s reflection on the power of storytelling and her yearning for agency amidst her oppressive reality encapsulates the universal human desire for autonomy and meaning. Her internal conflict serves as a compelling exploration of the human spirit’s resilience in the face of adversity, resonating with readers on a profound level.

This passage also sheds light on the therapeutic nature of storytelling, as Offred seeks solace in recounting her experiences and envisioning an audience that can bear witness to her narrative. This underscores the innate human need for connection and the preservation of one’s humanity in dehumanizing circumstances.

Furthermore, Offred’s struggle to reconcile her longing for control over her own story with the harsh realities of her existence adds depth to her character, making her a relatable and multi-dimensional protagonist. This internal conflict not only enriches the narrative but also prompts readers to contemplate the complexities of hope and resilience in the face of oppression. Serves as a compelling exploration of the human spirit’s resilience in the face of oppression. This internal conflict not only enriches the narrative but also prompts readers to contemplate the complexities of hope and resilience in the face of adversity. It reflects the universal human desire for autonomy and meaning, as individuals seek to assert their agency and find significance in their experiences, even in the most dire circumstances.

Offred’s complex relationship with memory, storytelling, and hope reflects the profound impact of these themes on the human experience. Her desire to shape her narrative and find solace in the act of storytelling underscores the enduring human quest for meaning and agency, even in the most challenging circumstances. Offred’s internal conflict reflects the profound impact of hope and resilience on the human experience. Her yearning for agency amidst her oppressive reality underscores the enduring human quest for meaning and the capacity to find solace and purpose in the act of storytelling. This complexity adds depth to her character, making her a relatable and multi-dimensional protagonist whose struggles resonate with readers on a profound level.

This passage resonates with me as it captures the tension between the desire for agency and the recognition of the limitations imposed by reality. It also underscores the significance of storytelling as a means of preserving one’s humanity in dehumanizing conditions. This internal struggle adds depth to Offred’s character and underscores the universal themes of hope and resilience in the face of oppression, making it a compelling and thought-provoking aspect of the novel. It’s important to recognize that the tension between the desire for agency and the recognition of external limitations is a fundamental aspect of the human experience. This struggle is not confined to the fictional world of the novel but resonates deeply with real-life challenges and dilemmas faced by individuals in various contexts. The power of storytelling as a means of preserving one’s humanity is a theme that transcends cultural and historical boundaries, speaking to the enduring human need for connection, empathy, and understanding. In essence, the passage serves as a poignant reminder of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of adversity. It prompts readers to reflect on the ways in which individuals navigate and negotiate their agency within the constraints of their circumstances. By delving into these themes, the novel offers a compelling exploration of the human condition, inviting readers to contemplate the complexities of hope, resilience, and the enduring power of storytelling in the preservation of one’s identity and dignity.

“His hand pauses. “I thought you might enjoy it for a change.” He knows that isn’t enough. “I guess it was a sort of experiment.” That isn’t enough either. “You said you wanted to know.” (254)

“Whatever there is to know,” I say; but that’s too flippant. “What’s going on.” (188)

This section of the reading frustrated me because the Commander used this outing as an opportunity to take advantage of Offred, even twisting her words to justify why he did what he did.

At the end of chapter 29, the Commander and Offred are talking about what happened to the last Handmaid that was in the house and the Commander tells her that Serena Joy had found out about their meetings at night, and that she had killed herself because of it. Offred sees how their meetings can be very dangerous for her, and she wonders if it would be best if she stopped coming to meet him. He believes she has been enjoying them and doesn’t see why they should stop. “You want my life to be bearable to me.” she says but means it as a question, to which he says, “Yes, I do. I would prefer it.” (187) This section of the book gives Offred and the reader the thought that the Commander wants to meet with her at night for her own benefit, that he hopes that their meetings are bringing some kind of value to her life. It makes the reader believe that he is on her side, when it is the complete opposite. After this interaction is where the quote from page 188 takes place, “Whatever there is to know,” I say; but that’s too flippant. “What’s going on.” The Commander later uses these words against Offred while taking advantage of her.

Even though at the start of their “relationship”, the Commander makes his intentions quiet clear when telling her he would like for her to kiss him “As if you meant it.”(140) This quote shows us what the Commander has wanted from Offred this whole time, but still I couldn’t help but feel hope for her when he told her he hoped for her life to be bearable for her. After the Commander has paraded Offred around Jezebel’s, he takes her upstairs to one of the old hotel rooms and takes advantage of her. He uses her want to know what was going on in the world to justify him taking her to Jezebel’s just to get what he wants. “His hand pauses. “I thought you might enjoy it for a change.” He knows that isn’t enough. “I guess it was a sort of experiment.” That isn’t enough either. “You said you wanted to know.” (254) He only says this to her after he sees that she is visibly upset with where she is, and notices that she isn’t as enthusiastic about having sex with him as he is. This part of the story made me feel disgusted towards the Commander, as it felt that he had done so well up until this point at masking his true intentions. To see his true intentions come to the surface again for the first time since their first meeting was frustrating and quite surprising. This whole situation also feeds into the theme of the abuse of women throughout the book, not just on the Commander’s part, but also on Serena Joy’s part, as she unknowingly sent Offred to go see Nick the same night she was forced to have sex with the Commander outside of a ceremony. While Serena was unaware of what had just happened between Offred and the Commander, she was still willing on her own part to exploit Offred for her own gain. Both the Commander and Serena Joy have put Offred’s life at risk for something that would only benefit themselves, and would most likely not get them into any trouble on their side.

It is also important to consider the fact that Offred could not stand up against Serena Joy of the Commander if she truly wanted to. He holds no power in a society built off of power and gender roles, if she were to speak up she would be risking her life. The Commander once asked her during one of their meetings what her true thoughts were on Gilead as a society, to which she responds with “There’s hardly any point in my thinking, is there? I say. What I think doesn’t matter.”(211) She has no room to speak up for her opinions and beliefs in Gilead, so she has no room to stand up for herself against Serena Joy and the Commander.

“Maybe it’s just something to keep the wives busy, to give them a sense of purpose. But I envy the Commander’s wife her knitting. It’s good to have small goals that can easily be attained.” (Chp 3 pg 13)

March 2020 I was forced into isolation and changed forever at the hands of Covid. I didn’t know then how drastically my life would change or the events that followed after that. Looking back at that time, I was young fresh out of middle school and put into high school virtually with no sense of who I would become. As I battled quarantine and the ability to keep myself occupied, I envy those older than me who continued to work and provide. I had no clue as to why I felt this way then but I knew this feeling would linger. As I got older and quarantine ended, I occupied myself with sports. For the majority of my high school years, I felt the desire to find my purpose in this world. As we read The Handmaid’s Tale, I realize in some ways I connected to moments Offered would have. This moment specifically, where she talks of the Wives knitting for children. I felt this connection since I’ve always battled what I wanted to do with my life. To this day I am aware I want to be an engineer, but I overwhelm myself with the thought of that being my purpose.

“What we are supposed to feel towards these bodies is hatred and scorn. This isn’t what I feel” (Chp 6 pg 33)

Reading this quote, I thought of the time where George Floyd was unfortunately killed at the hands of the police. During this time, there was an outrage from millions of people around the world. I agreed with this outrage however the hate towards all policemen, I couldn’t find it within myself to feel this way towards them. I’ve always had good encounters with the police, and I don’t say this to dismiss their actions. From my perspective, I always see good in people who may have not been so good. I believe my reasoning for this is because of how I was raised, and my take on certain issues. This situation specifically, the police are human and as humans we make countless mistakes and those follow with consequences. However, to hate someone because of what they did is something I couldn’t bring myself to do at the time. This section of the book, Offered see the bodies of those who have gone against Gilead’s social norms. Though what they have done could have not been morally wrong, those in power made the discretion that it was and that cost their life. I believe as a reader that Offered had some sense of this understanding and that caused her to not feel hate towards them. So in my situation where social media users were in power and had an influence on how those felt at the time, I too felt like offered and didn’t have any ill feelings.

“If I thought this would never happen again I would die.” (Chp 18 pg 103)

You wake up before the sun comes up, brush your teeth and get ready for school for about 180 days out of the year. I believe most of us do this for somebody or even ourselves. In this moment of “The handmaid’s tale”, Offered talks about her love for luke and how it motivates her to keep going in gilead society. In some way we are all Offered in this moment. I related to this quote a lot, this being because I am the oldest to four little sisters. When it comes to any activity or simple things I do in my life, I remind myself that not only am I doing it for me but I have four little girls looking up to me. When I cannot motivate myself no longer I think of my sisters and the type of example I would be leading but just giving up. Offered does this alot when mentioning Moira, Luke or her daughter. She uses them as hope any moment where she feels upset. As for myself, I caught myself at times not wanting to go on with something due to my lack of motivation, so in some ways my family is my hope.

My prompt:

Compare a specific section of reading to a larger historical, political, religious, or societal context. What connections can you make between what is happening in the text and what has occurred in history, politics, religion, the media, the arts world, etc.?

In chapter sixteen of The Handmaid’s Tale, describing the impersonal sex ritual between Offred, Serena Joy, and the Commander, Margaret Atwood shows how Gilead’s society completely oppresses women. Even though Serena Joy is the Commander’s Wife and should have power, she is also oppressed by the strict patriarchal rules of Gilead that say women are only valuable for birthing babies.

This sex ritual shows how both Serena Joy and Offred are treated like objects, not real people. Offred has to lie on her back naked from the waist down, with her head resting on Serena’s pubic bone. This shows how Offred is reduced to just her reproductive body parts. The men of Gilead just see the Handmaid’s as nothing more than baby makers. Offred says the Commander has sex with her “in a brisk, impersonal fashion” (page. 93-94) described this, which proves the Commander does not care about her feelings or needs at all. Offred is just something for the Commander to use for sex.

Even though Serena Joy is the Commander’s wife, she is also oppressed by Gilead’s rules. Serena has to be fully clothed during the sex ritual while Offred is half naked. This shows how wives in Gilead are supposed to be modest and pure, not sexual beings. Serena also has to hold Offred’s hand, which Offred says digs Serena’s rings into her fingers. This painful detail shows how Serena dislikes being part of this cruel ritual, even though she acts like it’s her religious duty. Atwood uses small details like the rings digging into Offred’s fingers to reveal Serena’s true feelings behind her religious act.

The quick, emotionless sex shows that the ritual is only about making babies, not intimacy or love between man and woman. Right after he finishes, the Commander “zips himself up and leaves the room promptly” (page. 94). The nonemotional language makes it clear that this is just a baby making chore for the Commander. The women’s needs and desires don’t matter at all. This applies even to Serena Joy, since the wife has to be present for the ritual but gets no intimacy or affection from the Commander.

The ritual also shows how women in Gilead have no power over their own bodies or fertility. When Offred just lies there after the sex, which is supposed to help her get pregnant, Serena orders her to “Get up and get out” (page. 94). Offred explains she is supposed to rest for ten minutes to improve her chances of conceiving but Serena doesn’t care and kicks her out anyway, showing her cruelty and lack of empathy. This scene shows that Gilead values unborn children more than the women that carry them. Women’s bodies are treated as political instruments, and the state consumes complete control of them through their political domination. The state’s entire structure, with its religious trappings and rigid political hierarchy, is built around the single goal of Gilead control of women’s reproduction. Women in general support Gilead’s existence by willingly participating in it, serving as agents of the totalitarian state. However, they are stripped of their individuality and defined solely by their gender roles as Wives, Handmaids, or Aunt Martha’s. The enforced dress codes on women serve as a marker of each role, something men in Gilead do not have to have announced. Women are forbidden to read or write, also smoking is luxary for women of Gilead, and they are not allowed to work, travel alone, or access birth control without a signed form from their partner. Pressurizing economic and personal rights, off of women evokes a lack of platforms to communicate the government’s wrongdoings, where complacency and conformity are the norm in society’s like Gilead and many other totalitarian regimes.

By examining the painful details of the impersonal sex ritual, Atwood reveals how in Gilead’s society women are oppressed and stripped of their dignity and rights. Both the Wives and the Handmaid’s are objects whose only purpose is to produce children. Atwood based Gilead’s rules on real attitudes and actions that have oppressed women throughout history. Her dystopian world of Gilead shows were sexism and control over women’s bodies could lead to if taken to the extreme. This section heavily and vividly illustrates the whole theme of the novel and the dangers of a society where women have no rights or freedoms. Even though this novel was written in 1980’s around the time of the whole Christian Born Again political movement, Atwood’s warnings about what could happen if women’s rights are taken away continues to resonate today with issues such as Roe v. Wade of, plans to ban abortion and simple health care rights to reproductive care access of women. Also in Afhganistan girls are banned from reading or studying this also reminded me on how oppressive a real country can be oppressive towards women, and how Gilead banned their reading towards women in the novel. To finish this off through all this we can how women are oppressed in society today and how they were oppressed in Gilead.

Citations:

https://novel2screen.net/2018/06/26/the-handmaids-tale-womens-power-ceremony/

The Handmaid’s Tale: Themes | SparkNotes

https://www.hrw.org/news/2023/03/07/global-backlash-against-womens-rights

In chapter twenty one, the narrator talks about the birthing process. The birthing process seemed so ceremonial and cultish in many aspects. The way that the narrator described the handmaid chanting in a circle creeped me out. There were three main moments that had me so frustrated. Number one being the wife acting like she gave birth to a baby when in reality it was Janine. Number two being the commander’s wife taking credit for the birthing process. The final one would be the fact that the wives get to name the baby’s instead of the handmaids.

After Jannie gave birth to the baby, I started to get emotional. I got frustrated at the fact that “The two wives in blue help the third wife, the wife of the household, down from. The birthing stool and over to the bed they lay her down and tuck her in”(126). I hated the fact that the wife that literally did nothing in this process was acting as if she had the child. Jannie had the child she should be the one receiving the most help and care.

When the wife is all tucked into her bed. She receives the child from one of the aunts. What I thought was so irritating about this was the objectification of the baby. The narrator starts to say that “The commander’s wife looks down at the baby as if it’s a bouquet of flowers: something she’s won as a tribute”(126). I interpreted the commander’s wife looking at the child as an award for her hard work. Although we never got to learn the relationship between Jannie and the commander’s wife, I believe that it’s safe to assume that there was distance kept. I think if i were in that situation I would have been crying. I wouldn’t be filled with jealousy just because of the baby I had been carrying. It’s the long nights that I was suffering. I would be thinking I did it, not the commander’s wife. That is a frustration I have with the commander’s wife. On top of all of that it’s the wife that gets to name the baby. I feel like the least they could let the handmaid do is name the child they just gave birth to. I feel so sad for the handmaids.