The Handmaids Tale (Book Review Sample)

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The Handmaids Tale" Margaret Atwood
An inference about the novel
The novel is about a patriarchal society where male dominance exists as ‘Gilead’. The Jewish men hold prayers to thank god for not creating them as women this implies that religion has been used to provide a moral justification of male domination. There is implementation of laws by the government that restrict women liberation movement. This reflects the new society where there is growth of individual accumulation of property, abortion, prostitution, robbery and violence (Atwood, 149).Individualism is clearly reflected when the narrator is given a cloak, mirror and make up borrowed secretly from the commanders wife she later plays the role of the wife as they pass checkpoints. she has very little regard on the damage she may be inflicting on her fellow lady (Atwood, 232). Women are no longer in possession of property their bank accounts are now being possessed by their husbands, arranged marriages becomes something the society rejoices as it solves the problem of unmarried women this implies the decline of feminism and rise of inequality that has created a mentality in which men regard themselves with high esteem (Atwood, 162). Offred is taken on outing by the commander, she is instructed to act as the wife as they go through the checkpoints and she is given a fake pass (Atwood, 235). This reflects that Women have agreed to be men’s accomplice and do very little to liberate themselves from the bondage of male domination the narrator plays the role of the wife and is happy about it implying that she is satisfied with the status quo. They may have taken the immunity granted by feminism and protection of their rights by the government for granted and this implies that soon this will be stripped from them. The money system has undergone a revolution and it’s now computerized, reflecting how the society is embracing industrialization which in turn has led to pollution in the environment having an effect on lose of fertile soils, decline in numbers of natural producers and plant growth (Atwood, 185).
Support that inference with details and evidence from the story
The society is a male dominated patriarchal society. In the story, this has been manifested by how the government passes laws to strip women of their jobs, bank accounts and freedom to choose their marital partners. Two hands maids witness a man being dragged off, this signifies the growth of capitalism and individualism, and it is this capitalism that has led to inequality, class stratification and oppression of women (Atwood, 162). Offred and Ofglen once on a trip to the shopping centre find two bodies. One body belongs to a Catholic, and the other is labeled with J, the two could understand what it meant. If it were Jewish, it would be labeled with a star which is yellow in color. This shows the rise of class system from a previous classless society. The environment has been polluted the fish store rarely opens as the seas have been polluted, the soils are no longer fertile and the natural habitat is slowly diminishing. The money system is now Compucards this system allows access to bank accounts directly; the society is using complex technology progressing from age of metallurgy to industrialization (Atwood, 187).Women are their own enemies, Offred agrees to go out on a clandestine out with the commander. She is given a purple satin costume which is a bit old made up of feathers and sequins and shoes that are high-heeled; the commander also gives her a mirror and make-up which were secretly borrowed from Selena (Atwood, 233).
Explain how and why those details and evidence support your inference
The details above support my inference in that religion provides justification to male domination. The evidence shows that Jewish men would hold special prayers thanking God for creating them as men and not women. The men hold their status with high esteem and disregards women. The Handmaids and Marthas would not cannot afford being sick, as sickness and old age would make them to be s...