The Handmaid’s Tale Day 3

Further Reading (More Dystopian Novels) 1984 by George Orwell – The classic dystopian indictment of totalitarianism Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury – Books are banned and burned wherever they’re found. A fascinating novel about why literature matters. The Terrorists of Irustan by Louise Marley – This novel uses a twisted form of fundamentalist Islam as a basis for its dystopian world the same way that Handmaid’s Tale uses fundamentalist Christianity. The Giver by Lois Lowry – This usually gets classified as a “young adult” novel, which is a shame. In a world of structure and sameness, the young protagonist is the only one who remembers vibrancy and color. Brave New Worlds – ed. by John Joseph Adams – This is a collection of short dystopian fiction from a wide range of authors. The first story in it? Shirley Jackson’s The Lottery.

Surprising Developments? Were you surprised at the existence of “Jezebel’s”? Were you surprised to find Moira there? What do you think the existence of this place says about Gilead? The phrase “Salvaging” has been mentioned in passing throughout the novel, but we don’t get to see one until very near the end. (Ch. 42 and 43) What purpose does the “Salvaging” serve? Can you compare it to some of the other “group” experiences in this novel and in Brave New World?

The Question of Resistance In this section, we learn a great deal more about the Underground Femaleroad and the Mayday resistance. What do you think of these movements? (See Moira’s story on p , for instance.) How do you think this novel deals with the questions of responsibility and complicity of those who choose not to resist?

Ambiguity and Uncertainty The ending to this novel is quite ambiguous. What affect did not knowing exactly what happened have on you? What are some of the other places where ambiguity and uncertainty are highlighted? (See especially Ch. 40, p , and p. 243) What do you think Atwood is trying to say about history and memory? Also, consider the “Historical Notes” at the very end. What new light do these last pages shed on the novel?

Some Food For Thought… This quote, which exists in various versions, is by Martin Niemöller, a German Protestant Pastor during the Holocaust. “First they came for the Socialists, and I did not speak out -- Because I was not a Socialist. Then they came for the Trade Unionists, and I did not speak out -- Because I was not a Trade Unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out -- Because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me -- and there was no one left to speak for me.” What significance does this quote have for our novel?