Madison Ryan

Mann

AP Lit & Comp

17 October 2017

Annotated Bibliography

Backe, Hans-Joachim. The Literary Canon in the Age of New Media. Poetics Today,

vol. 36, no. 1-2, 2015, pp. 1-31, https://pure.itu.dk/ws/files/81825700/backe2015.pdf.

Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

This piece is a scholarly journal article penned by a European-American professor with a noted

history in literature and philosophy in multiple languages. The article examines and discusses the

features of the American Literary canon as well as the changes being made to it and the

influences of political and social events to its structure. Backe carefully breaks the different

canons down to their fundamental parts and supports them with strong evidence from previous

scholars in the field. It offers insight into what makes a piece of literature worthy of merit, and

how such standards have been changed over time. This information will be helpful in my

argument, as it will provide foundation to my claims as to why The Handmaids Tale is indeed a

classic, as well as provide ideas to draw on as evidence for why it deserves merit.

Dockterman, Eliana. On the Urgency of the Handmaids Tale. Time Magazine, 7 Sept.

2017, http://time.com/collection-post/4925657/margaret-atwood-and-elisabeth-moss/.

Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

A direct interview with Atwood from a renowned magazine, this piece is beyond credible.

However, it also includes Elisabeth Moss, the actress of Offred in the Hulu adaptation of the

novel. This combination offers a fresher perspective on the material and the societal context and
interpretation. Coming from two different generations, Moss and Atwood discuss not only the

issues addressed by The Handmaids Tale, but how it is perceived by different eras. This will

give strength to my argument about the classical nature of the novel by exemplifying the

timelessness and unceasing relevance of the work. It will also supplement my analysis of

Atwood and her intentions writing the story by explaining her thought processes behind the book

and its impact on modern culture.

Ketterer, David. Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale: A Contextual Dystopia.

Science Fiction Studies, vol. 16, no. 2, 1989, pp. 209-217,

http://stage.centerforthehumanities.org/sites/default/files/media/Ketterer_Contextual%20

Dystopia.pdf. Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.

This scholarly journal, written by a well-versed literature professor, acts as an in-depth analysis

of what The Handmaids Tales underlying messages and warning could consist of, and what

they might mean. All logic and reasoning is very thorough and sensible, and assists the reader in

picking out the important bits of the novel while also acting to summarize it as a whole. His

thesis that Atwood focused on mutual survival of the sexes carries throughout his analyses,

creating a tone of possibility for every facet of the novel as a medium for this. Acting as a skilled

summation of key parts of the book and their importance, it makes a prime example to be able to

develop my own ideas and compare them to his interpretations of the work.

Neuman, Shirley. 'Just a Backlash': Margaret Atwood, Feminism, and The Handmaid's Tale."

University of Toronto Quarterly, vol. 246, no. 75.3, 2006, pp. 857-868,

http://mpenglish.pbworks.com/f/HT+-+Historical.pdf. Accessed 17 Oct. 2017.

Neuman is a Dean of Literature at a university, and her years of experience show well in the

research and analysis presented in this scholarly article. She has taken into account the history of
the books production and discussed its role in length. Acutely specific pieces of Atwoods time

during her writing, combined with speculative reasoning based on Margarets literary history and

personal beliefs, all written together as a confluence of factors in The Handmaids Tales

creation. All sources cited check out and are accompanied (in text) with interesting and useful

analysis. Ultimately, this will be one of the most helpful sources in my essay as it contains

gargantuan amounts of data and ideas to draw on in my argument. The article asserts things

about the novel that directly connect to my claims about the nature of a classic, making for easy

support in my claims.

Wagner-Lawlor, Jennifer A. From Irony to Affiliation in Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids

Tale. Studies in Contemporary Literature, vol. 45, no. 1, 2003, pp. 83-96,

https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Jennifer_Wagner-

Lawlor/publication/240538490_From_Irony_to_Affiliation_in_Margaret_Atwood's_The

_Handmaid's_Tale/links/581f337008ae40da2cb2110e.pdf. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

A professor in both English and Womens Studies, this author has penned a compelling piece

regarding the nature and context revolving around The Handmaids Tale. She takes her analysis

of the novel a new direction, challenging or qualifying the ideas of her fellow scholars. This

unique perspective provides a new take on the meaning and significance of the story, specifically

the protagonist, drawing new points from her dialogues to apply to the major themes. She goes

on to discuss her own interpretations, regarding identity and a more developed view of the

female role beyond simple feminism and survival in a nightmare world. This is a strong

source for a writer to draw from, since it contains such powerful interpretations and fresher looks

at the previously obvious parts of the novel. Its application to politics and society, as well, are
useful in the sense that they can be used as evidence when discussing politics and society in

relation to The Handmaids Tale.

Schwartz, Alexandra. Yes, The Handmaids Tale is Feminist. The New Yorker, 27 Apr. 2017,

https://www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/yes-the-handmaids-tale-is-

feminist. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

Non-scholarly, this article still serves as to address the many concerns about the nature of The

Handmaids Tale as well as rebuttals to said logic. The article includes direct quotes from

actresses playing characters in the Hulu adaptation, as well as claims from Atwood herself to

illustrate the concerns about the primary message of the book. The author also adds her own

input about the subject, to explain to the audience the true purpose of the story, TV and novel

alike. For discussion about popular interpretation and cultural impact, the article is well suited to

serve as evidence. To argue that Tale is a classic, one will have to address the opinions of the

people and pit them against the logic drawn from the story, and this article assists this well.

The Handmaids Tale Is Among A Resurgence of Dystopian Literature. Weekend Edition

Sunday from NPR, 23 April 2017, http://www.npr.org/2017/04/23/525310257/the-

handmaids-tale-is-among-a-resurgence-of-dystopian-literature. Accessed 19 Oct. 2017.

A brief podcast about the personal impact of reading The Handmaids Tale and a further

discussion about the meaning, relevance, and importance of the story to modern society. Carried

out by three women of different ages, and thus, eras, its a well blended perspective on the

different takes of the story by different women at different times. Fundamentally, they indirectly

conclude, it remains powerful throughout all conditions, which provides support in a pro-classic

claim. Because it has and does maintain notability to wide audiences beyond the passage of time,

and is written in such a way that it can inspire strong emotional responses from them, it furthers
the argument that Tale is a classic because of its effect on people and its seeming immortality in

its themes.