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UlanaBounnak
Period3/5
12/16/14
RebellioninTheRepublicofGilead

MargaretAtwood'sTheHandmaid'sTalefollowsthestoryofOffred(ahandmaid)inThe
RepublicofGilead,atotalitarianregimeofwomenwhoareforcedtobearbabiesforelite
couples.Atwoodusesneologismstocreatedifferentrolesinthebook,themostimportantrolesare
theHandmaids,theCommander,theCommandersWiveandtheGuardians.IntheRepublicof
GileadthegovernmentbelievethattheseHandmaidshaveonejobandthatistodeliverbabies.If
anyHandmaiddoesanythingforbidden,forexample,readorhaveanysexaulrelationship,they
wouldbesenttotheColoniestobeUnwomen.TheColoniesiswheretheregimecanpunish
whoeverbreaksthelaw,however,eachcharactersomehowrebelsintheirownway.Onekey
themethatemergesisrebellion,rebellionisakeyfactorinthebookbecauseifsomeonedoesget
caught,oneofthepunishmentwouldbedeath.Atwoodincludesthesesmallactsofresistanceto
arguethat,inacontextofoppression,rebellionisakeytoidentityandpersonalempowerment.
AtwoodcontractsofGileadsharshrulesgivesexamplesofrebellionineverycharacterthrough
theiracts.Ultimately,AtwoodsmessageisnotaboutthefictionalworldofGilead.Instead,
rebellionseemssmallanddoesnotamountanorganizedresistance,Atwoodstillsuggestingsmall
actstodestabilizetotalitarianregimes.
Atwoodcreatesrebelliouscharacterstoshowtheidentityandempowermentthateach
characterhave.AtwoodusesMoiraastherebelliouscharacterinGilead,MoiraisOffred'soldbest
friendfromcollege.IntheRedCenter,MoirastabbedanAuntandescaped.Atwoodwrites,I
couldkillyou,youknow,saidMoira,whenAuntElizabethwassafelystowedoutofsightbehind

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thefurnace.Icouldinjureyoubadlysoyouwouldneverfeelgoodinyourbodyagain.Icouldzap
youwiththis,orstickthisthingintoyoureye.JustrememberIdidnt,ifitevercomestothat
(132).InthissceneMoirawantedtoescape,whilegoingtothebathroomshetookabrokentoilet
leverandstabbedAuntElizabethandledhertothebasementwheretheyexchangedclothing.
MoiracontemplatedonkillingAuntElizabethbutdidnt.Instead,MoiratiedAuntElizabeth
behindafurnaceandshedisappearedinherclothingpretendingtobeAuntElizabeth.Atwood
createsthismeaningofempowermentbecausetheRedCenterisaplacewherewomenaretaught
tofearandserve,butitisnotworkingforMoria.AtwoodcreatedMoiraasabravecharacter,but
notaviolentcharacter.AtwoodcreatedthisroleofanAunttotrainandmentortheHandmaids
intheRedCenter.Inthequote,itsaysIcouldinjureyoubadlysoyouwouldneverfeelgoodin
yourbodyagainAtwoodcreatedtwotypesofreference.Oneisgettinginjuredandneverhauling
andtheotherreferencetothehandmaidsbecausetheydonotfeelgoodintheirbodiesafterwhat
Gileadhavedonetothem.ThetensionandthetonethatAtwoodusesinjustrememberIdidnt
isasignofmemory,tonotmesswithMoriaagain.Atwoodsshowinghowsomeoneinthebook
didsomethingreallyforbiddenandescaped.FromthissceneMoiradidsomethingshewantedto
doandsherebellionoutbecauseshewantedtokeepheridentity.
AtwoodcreatestheEyestoshowhowGileadiscontrolledbyapieceofthread.The
EyesarethesecretpolicethatwatchoverthepeopleinGileadanddiscoversthepeoplewho
breakthelaw.AfterMoriaescapedfromtheRedCenter,theAuntssentoutanalertthata
Handmaidisontheloose.Shegotthroughallthecheckpointsandmadeittothetown,andgot
helpedfromafamilyofQuakersbecauseshewasdesperate.TheQuakerstookhertothe
UndergroundFemaleroad,usedtowheretheyhelpwomenescapefromGilead.Moriawasabout

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toescapetoanothercountry,buttheycaughtherandtheEyestorturedherbybeatingherhands
andfeetwithasteelcable.NowMoriaworksJezebel,aclubwheretheycandodrugsand
whatevertheywantbesideescaping.Atwoodwrites,Dontworryaboutme,shesays.Shemust
knowsomeofwhatImthinking.Imstillhere,youcanseeitsme.Anyways,lookatitthisway:
itsnotsobad,thereslotsofwomenaround.Butchparadise,youmightcallit(249).Inthis
scene,thisiswhenOffredsawMoriaattheJezebelclubandMoriaisexplainingwhathadhappen
toher.OffredthinkthatMoriahaschangedandshefinallyacceptedwhatGileadisdoing.Atwood
createsMoriaasthethemostrebelliouscharacterinthebook,butafterGileadgaveherwhatshe
wantedMoirabecametheweakestcharacterinthebookafterGileadbrainwashedher.Now
OffredisworriedaboutMoriasidentitybecauseshelostit.ThetonethatAtwoodmakeswhen
MoriasaidDontworryaboutmeisasignofcourage,butalsoacceptingthefactsonwhatshe
haddone.AtwoodspointisthatinGileadtheycancontrolthecharacters,bygivingthemlittlest
thingtomakethemlittlehappy.
AtwooduseslanguageasamajortoolofpowerinGileadscontrol,butalsoanimportant
toolforresistanceinhandsofcharacters.Atwoodwrites,I'dlikeyoutoplayagameofScrabble
withme,hesays.Iholdmyselfabsolutelyrigid.Ikeepmyfaceunmoving.Sothat'swhat'sinthe
forbiddenroom!Scrabble!Iwanttolaugh,shriekwithlaughter,falloffmychair(128).Thisisthe
firsttimethatOffredhassnuckintotheCommandersoffice,andheaskforsomethingthatis
forbiddeninGilead.AtwoodspointinthissceneisshowingthatnotonlyHandmaidsrebel,but
alsotheCommanderrebels.TheCommanderissupposetofollowtherulesofGileadand
representsthetitleoftheCommanderbutbyinvitingOffredintotheforbiddenOfficeandasking
hertoplayScrabbleisabigrulebreaker.InthisquoteAtwoodsshowstheCommanderisto

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riskinghislifetoobybringingOffredintotheOffice,showingthatthecommanderdoesntcareas
muchaboutGilead.Atwoodsaythatitisforbidden,butincontextOffredwonderswhyheis
takingthisbigofarisk.OffredwantstolaughbecauseshethoughttheCommanderwantedtodo
somethingmore,whenheaskedtoplayScrabbleandshewasshocked.ThedictionofAtwoods
wordchoiceofunmovingfollowsthepatternofherneologisms.InGileadreadingandplaying
languagegamesareforbiddenbecauseitisasignofempowermentandrebellion.InGileadthey
believethatreadingcangaintheintelligenceofrebellion.ThisquotethatGileadhasastandardrule
butsomehowrebellionisineverycharacter'sidentityinthisbook.
AtwoodusessecrecyastoolofidentityinGileadforanactofresistancetoshowthe
empowermentthateachcharacterhas.AtwoodusesOffredforasignthatshedoesntcareabout
Gileadrulesanymore.Atwoodwrites,IwentbacktoNick.Timeaftertime,onmyown,without
Serenaknowing.Itwasn'tcalledfor,therewasnoexcuse.Ididnotdoitforhim,butformyself
entirely.Ididn'teventhinkofitasgivingmyselftohim,becausewhatdidIhavetogive?Ididnot
feelmunificent,butthankful,eachtimehewouldletmein.Hedidn'thaveto(238).Inthisscene,
OffredadmitsthatshehasbeensneakinguptoNicksroomrepeatedly.NickistheCommanders
chauffeur,thatalsolivesinthehouse.Inthisquote,thetensionandthetonethatAtwoodusesisa
signthatOffredisinlovewithNick.WhenAtwoodsaysIwentbacktoNick.Timeaftertime,on
myown,withSerenaknowingAtwoodsmeaningtowardsthiswhenOffredhadanagreement
withSerenaifOffredgaveherababy,SerenawillshowherapictureofOffredsdaughter.So,
theybelievedthattheCommanderwassterile,andsoSerenasuggestedNicktobehersexal
partnerforthistask.ButafterOffredcouldntgetenoughofNick,shewasinlove.WhenAtwood
saidIdidnotdoitforhim,butformyselfentirelythemeaningbehindthatistheOffreddoesnt

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getwhatshewantsanymorebecausesheisahandmaid,andnowshehasthechancetodo
whatevershewantswithNick,andNickislettingher.ThereferenceAtwoodmakeswhenshe
saidIdidn'teventhinkofitasgivingmyselftohim,becausewhatdidIhavetogive?is
referringtoherroleasahandmaidofgivingupherbodyforsomeoneshedoesntwantto,and
nowshehassomeonetorespectherbody.AtwoodshowthatOffred'sidentityisconstantthrough
atthisbook,andshewoulddosomethingforbiddentogetwhatshewantsandkeepher
empowermentinsecrecy.ThisshowsthatthroughoutthebookOffredkeepsherempowerment
andrebellionsonwhatshebelievesin.
Atwoodsmallactsofresistancehasarguedthat,asacontextoppression,rebellionwas
constantthroughoutthebookbyshowingthekeyidentityandpersonalempowermentineach
character.ThroughouttheharshrulesAtwoodgaveexamplesofrebellionthroughoutthebookby
theactsthatthecharacterhavedone.AtwoodsmessageisnotaboutthefictionalworldofGilead.
Instead,Atwoodissuggestingthedestabilizetotalitarianregimesthroughoutthebook.Bytheend
ofthebook,AtwoodleavesusthinkingofwhathadhappentoOffred.InmyperspectiveIbelieve
thatNickwaspartoftheEyesandwhenhefoundoutthatOffredwaspregnant,hegotthe
UndergroundFemaleroadtohelpOffredandhimselftoescapeandrunawaywitheachother.In
mypersonalopinion,Iwouldrecommendthisbookbecauseithassomanykeythemesthatmake
upthisbook.Itmakethereaderthinktwiceonwhattheyarereading.Therearesomany
connectionsintherealworldinjustonenovel.Oneoftheconnectionswastherulesandconflict
thatgoesonthroughoutthebookthatconnecttohowourgovernmentdecidesonwhatthey
believein,whenwehaveprotestonfreespeechandetc.InTheHandmaidsTaleitdescribeshow

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ourfutureisgoingtobewithalltheconflictthatisgoingoninsociety.Atwoodcreatesthis
messageofthetotalitarianregimesofTheRepublicofGileadisinourworldtoday...

Atwood,Margaret.TheHandmaidsTale.NewYork:AnchorBooks,1986.Print.