Throughout “The Handmaid’s Tale,” we’re told the story from a first-person point of view and as we read on we recognize that the narrator, Offred, isn’t a reliable narrator. This is a literary technique used to describe Offred’s character without using descriptive words. We can also describe Offred’s character with songs.

“Like A Virgin” by Madonna.

The song “Like a Virgin” talks about being intimate with someone you have such big feelings for, the experience feels new when it isn’t. In the story, Offred is in love with Luke; who we know has a wife. There are multiple times when Offred has expressed hopeless devotion to Luke regardless of his beliefs and her situation with Nick. In the scene when Offred kisses Nick in the closet, it’s implied she still thinks of him. “It’s so good, to be touched by someone, to be felt so greedily, to feel so greedy. Luke, you’d know, you’d understand. It’s you here, in another body.” (pg 99)

“Riot Grrrl” by Bikini Kill

A song about SA and rape culture, “Riot Grrrl” is the perfect protest song to the societal norms within Gilead. The construct of Gilead is very oppressive towards women. From the what they wear to how they must communicate their problems, the women of Gilead must operate in a conservative manor. That is why I think “Riot Grrrl” is a good representation of what most women are possibly feeling. The song is hard punk with sensitive lyrics and given the harsh circumstances the women must oblige to, it wouldn’t be far off to assume they have unconscious anger.

“Misery Business” by Paramore

As said before, Offred is been in a relationship with a married man, Luke. “Misery Business” is about getting back at a homewrecker. Although in this situation, Offred is the homewrecker, the narrator of the song has expressed the joy she gets in being with the guy she wants and the joy of seeing said homewrecker upset about it. “Two weeks and we had caught on fire/She’s got it out for me but I wear the biggest smile/ Whoa, I never meant to brag; But I got him where I want him now.” (Misery Business) I think Offred would like this song because of her mischievous personality.

“Just a Girl” by No Doubt

Although I am basing this song selection off of the title, it does connect to what Offred had to go through when Gilead was becoming what it is. In the beginning of the story, we’re in the gymnasium as Offred is connecting her surroundings to things she has experienced and has not experienced. Remembering how school dances take place in gymnasiums and her longing for a sexual experience, we as readers gather that she is as the song chorus puts it “Just a Girl.” “…as I knew from pictures, later in miniskirts, then pants, then in one earring, spiky green-streaked hair. […] There was old sex in the room and loneliness, and expectation, of something without a shape or name. I remember that yearning…” (pg 3)

“Lovefool” by The Cardigans

To be a “Lovefool” means to be in love with someone who does not feel the same. In the book, Offred gets attached to Luke through their affair. She becomes desperate for his love and attention even when he’s not around. However, we are not sure that Luke feels the same. Given that he doesn’t want to divorce his wife, we can assume that he doesn’t feel as strongly about her.

The Handmaid’s Tale is a book that unfortunately by parts relates to how society was before the 21st century. The Handmaid’s Tale takes place in the near future in New England. Specifically in a Partichal, white supremacist, dictatorial theonomic state, which is known as the Republic of Gilead. Throughout the book, there have been uncomfortable scenes that symbolize women’s worth in Gilead. Chapters 16 through 25, reveal horrific moments.

In chapter 16 Olfred talks about the uncomfortable moment she is forced to face. Both the commander and his wive; Serena Joy, want to have a child of their own but chose Olfred’s womb to be the one to carry their child. On pg. 94 Olfred says “Therefore I lie on my canopy over my head. I remember Queen Victoria’s advice to her daughter: Close your eyes and think of England. But this is not England. I wish he would hurry up.” This quote just shows that Gilead looks at women, specifically the handmaids as “baby making machines”. That phrase is pretty harsh but is the best phrase I could use to describe this quote in chapter 16. Due to the role Offred has been given, there is no way of escaping this rule. In Gilead, Men have the primary dominicance and privilege over women. Which means, no matter how uncomfortable Offred may be feeling, there is nothing she could do to avoid it or put an end to. This relates to Former Emperor of The french, Napoleon Bonaparte.

Napoleon Bonaparte subordinated women to their father and hubands. He did not approve of women being ones to own their personal property or belongings. Throughout Napoleon’s rules women were forbidden to enter into legal contrats, participate in lawsuits or testify in court. A quote Napolean even said was “Women are nothing but machines for producing children.” While Napolean Bonaparte had been ruling France, It had affected almost every women that lived in france but than women in France decided to take a stand. But even though women had later on took a stand, the emotional damage these women had gone through can never be replaced. Napoleaon had been one of the worst French emperors throughout history due to how he expressed himself about women, and not having equality amongst each other. Always selecting a certain role for a certain group of people.

In Chapter 19, pg. 112 it says; “We didn’t know exactly what would happen to the babies that didn’t get passed, that were declared Unbabies. But we knew they were put somewhere, quickly, away.

I had to re-read this quote multiple of times, because there is clearly something off about it. There is no section in the book that mentions where the “unbabies” are to be sent to or done with. Which just shows even though Gilead isn’t perfect, the rules that have been implemented are to be shape and change how society is in Gilead for the “better”. Gilead does not accept a child that is born with complications or doesn’t fit the standards. This portion of the book specifically resonates with a non-fictional book called the Giver. It’s a dystopian society. Everyone that lives in this society have to follow the rules and if not, one would receive some kind of punishment.

In the book, it talks about how, if twins were born, one immediately has to be dealt with and send to “elsewhere”. Also if the child is born with birth defects or complications, the same procedures will be made. The point I’m trying to make is that these dystopian societies say they want the better for everyone, but it’s the other way around. These dystopian societies are just controlling and allowing fear to build up in certain individuals. Such as women. There was a moment in the book where the aunts spoke about how they were grateful to have gotten their tubes tied. In order to not go through any mishaps. In the book, the Giver, it mentions how each person is assigned to a job, and one has to complete their assessments on time which flows with the Handmaid’s tale, since everyone has a specific role they must meet up to. If not some kind of punishment will be sent to one’s attention.

Overall, the Handmaid’s Tale connects to many different aspects of history, books, and media. One just has to re-read certain phrases in order to understand what the scene is really about because in multiple scenes one can misunderstand a phrase or the overall meaning.

Out of all the techniques Margaret Atwood used in The Handmaid’s Tale, the one that stuck out the most to me was how and when she uses quotation marks. Before reading it is necessary to understand that some parts are told from the main character’s , Offred, memory which she also established she could be making the stories up as she tells them. Other parts are told from Offred’s live point of view.. A technique that Atwoord used to distinguish when the story was being told in present or past tense was through quotation marks. Chapter 7 starts off with, “The night is mine, my own time, to do with as I will, as long as I am quiet. As long as I don’t move. As long as I lie still… But the night is my time out. Where should I go? Somewhere good.” (pg. 37) Then Offred starts telling a memory of her and Moira during a time they went to the same school. “You’re getting ashes in my bed, I said. If you’d make it you wouldn’t have this problem, said Moira.” (pg. 37) This memory is told in past tense however it was noted that even when characters said something there were no quotation marks around what they said. This is significant because scenes like this Atwood wants the reader to create an image in their heads contrary to the significance of scenes told in present tense. On page 137 it says, “The Commander is standing in front of the fireless fireplace, back to it, one elbow on the carved wooden overmantel, other hand in pocket.” Offred is telling this story in present tense. When Offred tells a story in present tense she will go into explicit detail about it. The quote from page 137 she makes note of the “fireless fireplace” and how the Commander was standing. The purpose of this is to get the reader engaged, create an image, and also feel what Offred may be feeling in that exact moment. This technique allows the reader to better understand Offred. In the artwork I created I tried to showcase the two different parts. On the top half is Offred going to bed however before she actually goes to sleep she basically scrolls through her memories. I drew her laying in bed with clouds above her head to represent her telling her memories. I chose to add the quote, “Where should I go?” because it is significant to understanding that the next events Offred tells are her memories. She will start telling a good memory she had and then switch to another and another one. The bottom half of the artwork is when Offred was called by the Commander to his office. I specifically chose to not include Offred in this part because when this event occurred Offred told it in present tense from her perspective. I tried to draw this scene as if we were Offred, standing in the room, and seeing it through her eyes.

The Handmaid’s Tale is packed with real-world connections; the most obvious is the politics around controlling women’s bodies. Gilead uses abortion and clothing as some of the ways of oppressing the women of its society, which can be reflected in our own.

This ongoing theme of controlling women’s bodies in The Handmaid’s Tale is so relevant considering all that’s happened in the past year with Roe v Wade getting overturned. In the book, it depicts ex-doctors that had performed abortions in the time before that have been hanged/killed for it. A real-life comparison that immediately comes to mind is southern states since Roe v. Wade was overturned. Some southern states have not only outlawed abortion but have created laws so strongly against it that anyone that got an abortion/performed one would get a life sentence in prison. In Gilead, people have been taught the propaganda around the concept of abortion. As stated on page 33, “These men, we’ve been told, are like war criminals. It’s no excuse that what they did was legal at the time: their crimes are retroactive. They have committed atrocities and must be made into examples, for the rest.” This has become so sensitive in some states that recent laws to prosecute doctors not only for abortion, but for discussing abortion, or discussing ‘family planning.’ While the consequences for breaking these laws aren’t as bad as what happens in Gilead, real life doctors are made examples of in our society for other doctors as a warning. Just as the people of Gilead understand what happened when they pass a salvaging and see exactly why a man was executed - “Each has a placard hung around his neck to show why he has been executed: a drawing of a human fetus.”(pg 32) - doctors in our society are made an example of through news sources, so people understand the gravity of performing/undergoing an abortion and what the consequences are. That is just recent legal development. Abortion doctors have been killed/assaulted in the USA since the 1980s. Not only that, there have been cases of clinics getting vandalized and even bombed. It’s a very slippery slope between the legal and illegal situations surrounding abortion that could lead to how anti-abortion culture in Gilead works.

The real-world comparisons don’t stop at abortion laws, but other ways of controlling women’s bodies. There may be large differences between Gilead and our democracy, but it is comparable in other parts of the world. Gilead has very strict laws on how women are supposed to live in their society. Every woman has a specific dress code they must follow, and dire consequences if they fail to follow them. This reminds me of other theocracies in the world such as Iran and other countries with Islamic extremes. Mahsa Amini was a woman who was arrested and beaten to death just a year ago for not wearing a hijab correctly. While we are not exactly sure what would happen in Gilead if Offred didn’t follow her Handmaid’s uniform, there have been mentions of being ‘shipped off’ or other extremes for what feels like small reasons. Just like Gilead, our world looks for ways to control women in any possible way, which happens to emphasize on clothing a lot. This method of oppression is often blamed on women. As Aunt Lydia says about men, which is just an echo of our society´s rape culture, “They can’t help it. God made them that way but he did not make you that way.” (pg. 45) Women are treated as objects in our society and Gilead´s. Victim blaming is such a common thing to happen when a woman is assaulted, the first thing that comes up is ¨what were you wearing¨. This idea is especially emphasized on page 55, ¨The spectacles women used to make of themselves. Oiling themselves like roast meat on a spit, and bare backs and shoulders, on the street, in public, and legs, not even stockings on them, no wonder these things used to happen.¨ Completely blaming something like assault on clothing is used in such an oppressive way; reinforcing the idea that ¨It’s not in men’s control.¨ “Modesty is invisibility, said Aunt Lydia. Never forget it. To be seen-to be seen-is to be-her voice trembled-penetrated. What you must be, girls, is impenetrable.” - pg. 28

There are countless other real-world comparisons to be found in The Handmaid's Tale, but the themes on controlling women's bodies are the most significant.  

¨Now and again we vary the route; there’s nothing against it, as long as we stay within the barriers. A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze.¨ - pg. 174

Right now our country is divided between right and left. Both sides are seemingly trying to pull the country in two opposite directions. I know you said we should write about politics OR religion, but I feel that in this scenario we cannot separate the two. As of 2023 over 60% of the U.S. Population identifies as Christian, and about 25% identify as catholic. A large wave of conservatism has been running rampant through our country for quite a long time now and with social media that wave is only growing with younger people also adopting these older politics. Many of our republican representatives share these very strong, conservative political views that deeply impact women (and men) stemming from Christian ideals.

Abortion has been a very controversial topic for longer than I could probably imagine. Recently, it has still been at the forefront of political discussions and debates with pro-life and pro-choice protests sparking violence. The Handmaid’s Tale has made it very clear that Gilead is a pro-life society and abortion is punishable by death. Even assisting with an abortion can turn you into an ornament on “the Wall” where those killed at the “Men’s Salvagings” are displayed as a public warning.

“Each has a placard hung around his neck to show why he has been executed: a drawing of a human fetus. They were doctors, then, in the time before, when such things were legal. Angel makers, they used to call them; or was it something else?” pg. 32

As tensions around abortion laws have been brewing, most recently, Roe v. Wade was overturned which has greatly upset those with pro-choice values. Remember that The Handmaid’s Tale was written as a precautionary tale and Margret Atwood did not put anything in here that she says humans haven’t already done. Gilead is the direction she believes we are going in and the overturning of Roe v. Wade can be considered a step in that direction.

There has always been a stigma around sex in the catholic church. Many christians believe sex should be for reproductive purposes only, which is why any pre-marital sex is considered sin. The idea is that sex is a means for an end, usually a family. However in Gilead it doesn’t seem to be about starting families. The Commanders and Handmaid’s aren’t raising these babies, and they definitely aren’t starting families. Yet the negative stigma around sex for pleasure is still very present. Despite that, characters have shown clear wants for sex throughout the book. But, it’s not just the sex they want, it’s the intimacy.

“We all do it. As long as we do this, butter our skin to keep it soft, we can believe that we will some day get out, that we will be touched again, in love or desire” pg. 96 Offred compares the idea of having sex with Nick in secrecy to “shooting someone”.

“He puts his hand on my arm, pulls me against him, his mouth on mine — how I’d like to — My hand goes down , how about that, I could unbutton, and then. But it’s too dangerous” pg. 98 Even the Commander, who is the one that is supposed to be reproducing with Offred and nothing more desires that intimacy.

“I want you to kiss me, said the Commander” pg. 135

Today, slut-shaming has become a very common thing in our society. Stigmatizing and ultimately condemning a woman for engaging in behavior judged to be promiscuous or sexually provocative. The wiki dictionary on slut-shaming defines sluts as “people, especially women and girls, who are perceived to violate expectations of behavior and appearance regarding issues related to sexuality”. As a society we already have “expectations” about how a woman should conduct herself in regards to her sexuality. Everyone is different when it comes to sex and the way they express their sexuality. But most people have a sex drive, and Gilead is designed to suppress them and indoctrinate them to believe sexual expression and desire is wrong.

Janine, a girl who was raped, was openly condemned in class and used as an example for all the other girls.

“Whose fault was it? Aunt Helena says — Her fault, her fault, her fault, we chant in unison. Who led them on? Aunt Helena beams, pleased with us. She did. She did. She did. Why did God allow such a terrible thing to happen? Teach her a lesson. Teach her a lesson. Teach her a lesson.”

“We meant it, which was the bad part.” pg. 72

We are being taught the same things now. Obviously not in such an extreme manner, but the way we see several forms of media portray sexuality and the way we see society respond, similar messages are being spread and understood as true. The most important thing about The Handmaid’s Tale in my opinion is that it is based in the future, and not the past. This book serves as a warning that is extremely relevant now as the wall of separation between church and state becomes less and less stable.

“There’s nothing in The Handmaid’s Tale that didn’t happen, somewhere” -Margaret Atwood

In the Handmaid’s Tale, we follow Offred through her day to day life that seems traumatizing in so many different ways. Offred experiencing awful relationships herself, and bearing witness to gruesome images of those around her are just some of the common occurrences her day may include - yet through all of this, were reminded multiple times of Offred’s desire to steal something.

At a first glance, this repeated detail can seem like it´s unnoteworthy, and a strange choice of a detail to repeat - quite literally in the context of safety concerning situations. To me though, Offred’s desire to steal something seems deeper: it seems like a fight for something to represent herself with.

In our world, I see self expression as fundamental to human existence - people represent their values, identity and aspirations in everything they do. Whether in person or online, communities people choose to be a part of are key to their identity - identity can be signaled or fulfilled by joining religious congregations, social groups and sports clubs. Clothing items also let people show off their individual style, and sometimes even show beliefs for social / political norms.

In Gilead, Offred has none of this. She, along with all the other women of Guiliad are stripped from their personalities and valued by society solely for their labor and reproductive roles. Women are classified by their roles: Wives, Handmaids who have babies, or Martha’s who clean and cook. Handmaid’s like Offred take on the literal names of their commanders (¨Of - Fred¨), and all of them are assigned a strict dress code.

I don’t see Offred’s desire to steal something as an evil craving, a means to upset the item’s owner or even just a desire to get a useful item. I see it as solely a craving for something to represent herself. Who wouldn’t crave this item like if they were in Gilead? Offred stealing this item would object to the rules of Guilead, object to the roles of power, and give her a physical, rebellious keepsake. Looking at it would be a reminder to how she did not conform to Guilad’s rules - she was better than them!

Later in the text on pages 136-137, once we’re already introduced to Offred’s desire, Atwood seems to further touch on this interest and illustrate it as a true personal Journey Offred feels she needs : Offred says “It’s an old one, he said, a curio of sorts. From the seventies, I think. A Vogue. This like a wine connoisseur dropping a name. I thought you might like to look at it. I hung back. He might be testing me, to see how deep my indoctrination had really gone. It’s not permitted, I said. In here, it is, he said quietly. I saw the point. Having broken the main taboo, why should I hesitate over another one, something minor? Or another, or another; who could tell where it might stop? Behind this particular door, taboo dissolved.”

Initially, this was confusing. It goes against the sensible solution of why we kept hearing about Offred’s desire to steal something. How does an antique, rare Vogue article not sound like the perfect thing? How could Offred be such a beggar and chooser? It even had the illegal element that Offred desired?! Later on though, I realized the embarrassingly obvious intention as to why this was included by Atwood, that answers all of the questions as to why the item stealing was brought up so many times: this desire of an item, isn’t just a desire for a single physical item that represents Offred, it’s a desire for the journey of that item. The commander giving this item to Offred, not only takes away from the illegality and power proving desire of truly stealing something - but it also makes it come from someone she hates.

Offred recognizes she is far from herself ; Offred even recounts memories of her younger self in an alien-like way. For Offred, this item stealing detail shows us that she needs this personal improvement - but even if she steals the perfect item - Offred will be far from fulfilled. Assuming that Atwood will eventually wrap up the book in some heartwarming way (given so far gruesome nature) that completes Offred’s journey - makes me think that something big will happen. No simple end to the book like Guilead’s end to the oppressive society or Offred’s escape could do the job ; I think Offred will have to do something incredibly dominant to reach a far opposite of the power she feels now. Maybe kill the commander.

Liquid Smooth by Mitski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bfurc6KcMwk

Liquid smooth by Mitski is about recognizing that youth and beauty is a privilege. This privilege wants other people to notice it in you before it is gone; referring to getting older and plain.

Liquid smooth implements the idea of a woman’s body being seen as an object to men “my skin is plump and full of life”. We see Offred referring to this idea with her own body. “I used to think of my body as an instrument, of pleasure, or a means of transportation… Now the flesh arranges itself differently. I’m a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and more real than I am and glows red within its translucent wrapping.” (pg. 73)

The women in The Handmaid’s Tale are living in a civilization where the youth are more fortunate. Older women like the wives aren’t successful the way the handmaids are. Yes they have power compared to them, wealth and husbands. But they can’t have what is mostly important in the society of Gilead, children.

Once more to see you by Mitski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O9yfLGT_ozQ

Once more to see you by Miski explores the strong desire to be with someone even with the circumstances of trying to maintain an image to the public. Mitski explores this by singing about important moments individuals experienced together.

“If you would let me give you pinky promise kisses, Then I wouldn’t have to scream your name. Atop of every roof in the city of my heat. If I could see you. Once more to see you.”

In The Handmaid’s Tale, the main character Offred is alone and often depressed. Her past life is gone, and the person she loved the most is as well. Throughout the book, Offred calls out to Luke in hopes he will hear her. “I looked up at the blind plaster eye in the ceiling… I wanted to feel Luke lying beside me, but there wasn’t room” (pg. 52). Offred’s state of mind is fragile and the more time passes, her deepest wish is to have someone by her side.

Bag of bones by Mitski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uf0rzDVijC0

Bag of Bones by Mitski is a song about feeling trapped in one’s routine while being lost and looking for an escape. Mitski explores the song’s character as their messy room, translating to the chaos of their life and mind. “I’m all used up, pretty boy, over, and over again.” We see this feeling of being trapped with Offred’s character multiple times in The Handmaid’s Tale.

In chapter 7, Offred is able to explore the memories of her life in hopes to escape. The memories in the beginning are good and later become dark. The complete tone shift shows the chaos that is going in her mind. “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.” (pg. 39) Offred is tired and deeply wants to escape, she has hopes but hopes might not last forever.

Wife by Mitski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D7FwNXxgl10

In the song Wife by Mitski, the deep exploration of the struggle of women defining themselves in relation to their marriage shows a sense of entrapment. Offred is not the only one that might feel trapped. Every woman character seems to have their own trouble relating to their new life. The chorus reveals that the speaker feels pain to her partner by their inability to have children together. Like Serena Joy, she daydreams about having a song and giving a name of her own.

The speaker in the second verse wants to break away from the “cliff” and find her own path but she is again held back by her inability to give children. Serena Joy is met with this fate. She spends time gardening for this exact reason. “Maybe it’s just something to keep the wives busy, to give them a sense of purpose.” (pg. 13) Hoping to take her mind away from everything she can’t give, she does things in hope to give something.

Me and my husband by Mitski

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TU_Dbxciei8

Me and my husband by Mitski explores the idea of companionship, unconditional love, and stability. Mitski reflects upon the dying good moments and the comfort of her marriage. The song explores the character’s sentiment towards her husband and that she is grateful to be able to depend on the man in her life.

This dynamic is seen with Serena Joy and the commander. Eversince the new age of Gilead has set in place, her relationship with the commander has undergone turbulent waters. With her inability to give children, their relationship is a mere picture and something to display stableness in the family. “As for my husband, she said, he’s just that. My husband. I want that to be perfectly clear. Till death do us part. It’s final.” (pg. 16) With her old life gone and everything she had power over, Serena Joy guards what she does have heavily in hopes she won’t lose it again.

October 13, 2023

I have this love, hate relationship with the term summer. Summer is the season where you are freed from school. The school doors opened to what I thought was an escape from grinding all those homeworks and tests. When I think of summer, I think about relaxing on my lovely bed— just sitting there doing nothing what-so-ever. I mean, it’s called summer break for a reason, am I right? I could lay in bed and scroll through my phone all day, if it wasn’t for the nagging of my parents, telling me to get my act together. But what I realized was, the more relaxed I was during the summer, the more work I would have to make you later on in the future. Back in middle school, I used to be assigned summer homework. It was a thick package of English and mathematics problems. I remember how I would end up taking the answers given in the back of the package, not even attempting any questions. Here I am now, a high school student who lacks knowledge and test taking skills. Just like the oranges that’s constantly being referred to by Offers—taking the small things in life for granted. The existence of the “orange” became a norm that we tend to think things were always meant to be the way they are. When that norm is gone, we think back and regret how we didn’t cherish the things we took for granted.

In chapter 5 we were first introduced to Offred’s impression on oranges after it wasn’t a privilege anymore: “It will be something, a small achievement, to have made oranges happen.” (pg 25) Ever since Central America lost the war oranges have just been hard to get. I would assume Offred to have something like, “Seize your chance! These oranges are here right in front of you. Take them!” in the back of her mind. Of course, the circumstances have changed. “But I haven’t bought any coupons for oranges.” (pg 25) Even before that, Offred needs to have access to the token that allows her to go outside. Tokens and coupons are what’s keeping her from getting the oranges. Referring back to me, procrastination and lack of motivation is like the token and coupons that prevent Offred from getting the oranges, they’re keeping me from utilizing summer as a chance to grow. As Offred’s story continues to unravel, the term “orange” would be a constant repetition in the book. This term also shows up mostly either when she rambles about her past or when she’s lost in her own thoughts. Not only did she use the phrase orange as a fruit but she also had descriptions of orange juice. In chapter 25, Cora spills the drink because she saw Offred on the floor, her head half way in the cabinet. At first I thought she was worried about Offred thinking she might have been in an accident, but later on says that she thought it was just her clothes and that Offred ran away. The spilled orange juice symbolizes how taken aback Cora was in that moment. She felt betrayal but most of all, disappointed thinking Offred might have left her by herself. The fact that Offred would have a chance to escape just like Moira and didn’t tag her along seems to her was unbearable. Cora later ended with “but it was you” with a sense of relief.

Once you miss the opportunity, will you ever be able to get another one? “To the left, the double doors to the dining room are folded back, and inside I can see the long table, covered with a white cloth and spread with a buffet: ham, cheese, orange— they have oranges!” (pg 116) Being met upon an opportunity, I was introduced to many people and courses that have helped me grow as a scholar. Missing the opportunity to utilize summer as a chance to explore various potentials came more opportunities throughout the school year. Although it is a bit rushed, it’s better late than never! I will squeeze every drop of juice that orange has to offer. At the very least, I don’t want to make regrettable choices of never trying. Just like how Offred would grab an orange or two every time she gets the opportunity to. Give me an orange— give me a chance.

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood speculates about what a world without choice would look like. Nobody within the world of Gilead has any choice for anything in their lives. The narrator states on page 24 that the reason for this control is that before Gilead, “Women were not protected.” In Offred’s flashbacks about what life was like before, there are many experiences that lots of women in The United States can relate to, like catcalling or someone’s appearance. The fact that Offred is still thinking about all of this shows that none of it is really gone. The main difference between Gilead and society now is that nobody has any choice. They don’t have a choice about their names, their clothes, their diet and other aspects of their day to day life.

The idea of choice is very prominent in The United States right now. Politicians have been debating about it. The media is reporting on it. Ever since states have been granted the power to decide the legality of abortion by The Supreme Court, everyone is hearing the word choice used in this context. It seems like everyone is being put into two categories, are you pro-choice or not? The case Roe V Wade was decided under the right to privacy and the reason given to overturn it was that there was an abuse to judicial authority. However, many are asking whether the government should take away the ability to choose to have an abortion. According to NPR and a poll from Gallup, the majority of adults in the country identify as pro choice, but that is not what policies reflect. The many conversations being had and arguments being thrown out does not change the fact that a major choice to take control of their own life has been taken away from so many people.

Amy Coney Barrett is one of the justices that was for the decision regarding abortion made by The Supreme Court, and because of this opinion, many have speculated about how religious ideals have incorporated themselves into American politics. There is a “tight-knit faith community” based in The United States called The People of Praise. Barrett has never publicly spoken about being part of this group, but some have come out to say she is a member. While according to The New York Times, they are falsely accused of inspiring The Handmaid’s Tale, there are still some connections that can be made about this religious group and Gilead. For example, they agree with traditional gender roles. In Atwood’s novel, women in the house are expected to split up the household jobs. While in The Handmaid’s Tale choice has been completely taken from everyone, members of The People of Praise have a choice to make. Whether they want to marry, or stay single and celibate. Single members often live in houses with other families and help with chores.

Another example of how religion has creeped into other aspects of daily life comes from Dr. Wang, who is a member of The People of Praise. He talked to one of the heads of the community about whether he should prescribe contraceptives to his patients even though it goes against religious teachings, and after this conversation, he decided to not prescribe them since they are against his own personal beliefs. Finally, The People of Praise do not support the LGBTQ+ community, like many others around the world. While it is not specifically said in the book, it is implied that this is also the view of leaders in Gilead. When the main character vividly describes the scene where people are hanged for their crime, she says that some were punished for “Gender Treachery,” on page 43. This term hints at open sexuality or gender identity, which is the opposite of their message.

While this religious group is not doing the same extreme work as the fictitious religious group in Atwood’s speculative fiction novel, they are one example of a publicly talked about topic, when it comes to the idea of choice in society and in American politics. Choice has not been absolutely taken away from all citizens in this country. Everyone can still decide what to do day to day. While some might not think so, small decisions matter, and that is displayed in The Handmaid’s Tale, through many examples, such as not being able to even use their real names. The Handmaid’s Tale shows what society could become if these decisions were taken too far. There is comfort in the fact that the world has not reached that level yet, and leaders in Gilead thought that too because as Offred says on page 25, “We were a society dying… of too much choice.”

A playlist for The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood would convey the main themes of womanhood, sadness and hope, similar to the themes in the novel. For this playlist, I selected five songs:

Cloudbusting by Kate Bush, Bigger Than the Whole Sky by Taylor Swift, Back to the Old House by The Smiths, The Man by Taylor Swift, and What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish

Cloudbusting is not a song I would connect to The Handmaid’s Tale for its lyrics, but more so the feeling of the song. Bush says “​​But every time it rains / You’re here in my head / Like the sun coming out”. This song demonstrates the idea of hope. Throughout chapter 18, Offred describes the different ways she imagines what could have happened to Luke. After she plays out these imaginations, she imagines the message Luke would send to her: “I must have patience: sooner or later he will get me out, we will find her, wherever they’ve put her. She’ll remember us and we will be all three of us together. (106)” Offred tells herself these stories to give herself hope and to keep her going. Cloudbusting demonstrates this beautifully, which is why it would be a powerful addition to the playlist.

Bigger Than the Whole Sky is well fitting for Offred and her daughter. As Offred continues to tell her story of life in the ‘before times’, she briefly mentions the daughter she once had, who was taken from her when she got placed into the current system. Bigger Than the Whole Sky is about losing someone who meant more than the whole world. The chorus reads “You were more than just a short time / And I’ve got a lot to pine about / I’ve got a lot to live without” This is Offred’s general feeling about her daughter: she has lots of spare time, lots to spend wondering about what she has lost. “Did some force take you because I didn’t pray?… / So I’ll say words I don’t believe” is one lyric that is directly linked to Offred, as well as the society she is living in. Gilead is centered around religion. If Offred had been more involved in religion, maybe she would still be with her daughter. The second part of the lyric describes Offred’s imagination: “The things I believe can’t all be true, though one of them must be… This contradictory way of believing seems to me, right now, the only way I can believe anything. (106)” She reassures that Luke and her daughter are safe and okay.

Back to the Old House is a song that I would imagine Offred playing in her head while she lays in her bedroom. Back to the Old House is a song about missing what you once had and not appreciating it as it was. I relate this to Offred and the way she reflects on her previous time with Luke and their family. One lyric from the song is: “Are you still there or have you moved away? / I would love to go / Back to the old house” The artist is wondering where their lover is, and hoping to go back, similar to Offred. This song encapsulates Offred lying in bed looking up at the wreath or looking out her window. “I fold back the sheet, get carefully up, on silent bare feet, in my nightgown, go to the window, like a child, I want to see. The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow.(97)” This song plays in the back of my mind during this scene, or even an instrumental version of it, either well fitting the tone of the scene.

The Man connects to the culture of Gilead. The Man is about how much more Taylor Swift could achieve if she had been a man. Men are indifferent to the women in Gilead. When Offred tells the Commander that she doesn’t want him to make anything obvious to Serena, he doesn’t even realize he had. “Did I?” he says. He is paying very little attention to his actions and he doesn’t realize how much is at risk for Offred; if they were caught he would get no blame and she would be an Unwomen. After the conversation with the Commander, Offred thinks “You can see from the way I was speaking to him we were already on different terms. (162)” The Man perfectly portrays how Offred felt in this moment, knowing that they are in two different situations and the Commander has less, if not nothing, to lose.

What Was I Made For? by Billie Eilish outlines the feelings of many of the women in Gilead. What Was I Made For? is about identity and place in the world. In the household each woman has their own role and limits. The system for women causes unhappiness for all of them. Serena envies Offred for her fertility, her reminder of what she can’t provide for her family. Offred envies Serena for her freedom, on page 69 she writes “If only I could embroider. Weave, knit, something to do with my hands.” Offred gets the honor of giving birth to a child, but the Marthas get the joy of raising it, even though it is Serena’s kid. The song perfectly connects to the emotion and longing of the many women throughout the novel.

Link to YouTube Song: [https://youtu.be/WataeV4WsI4?si=SI4gY2vvNcgwtei]