In a world where the oppressive currents of a totalitarian regime seek to wipe away and

drown every shred of individuality, reducing people to mere echoes of their past-
names, roles and titles become the bedrock of society.

In the Republic of Gilead, Offred, a Handmaid, navigates the oppressive currents of a

totalitarian regime that not only governs every aspect of life but extends its control to
the very core of identity, where even names are subject to the regime's authoritarian
rule. Offred's name serves as a powerful symbol of her subjugation in Gileadbas it
starkly represents her ownership by Commander Fred, erasing her identity and
superimposing her Gileaden role. Notably, the reader never gets to know Offred’s pre-
Gileaden name, underscoring the stripping away of her identity and past, intensifying
the dehumanization, the manipulation of language and identity, and the destruction of
autonomy that result from robbing her of her identity and past.

In a world where the oppressive currents of a totalitarian regime seek to wipe away and
drown every shred of individuality, reducing people to mere echoes of their past, names,
roles, and titles become the bedrock of society. In this stark reality, the protagonist
Offred's name, serves as a haunting and powerful symbol of her subjugation. it starkly
represents her ownership by Commander Fred, erasing her identity and superimposing
her Gileaden role. Notably, the reader never gets to know Offred’s pre-Gileaden name,
underscoring the stripping away of her identity and past, intensifying the
dehumanization, the manipulation of language and identity, and the destruction of
autonomy that result from robbing her of her identity and past.

In a world dominated by the oppressive currents of a totalitarian regime, where

individuality is erased, names, roles, and titles become the pillars of society. Within this
grim reality, Offred's name serves as a poignant symbol of her subjugation. It starkly
illustrates her possession by Commander Fred, obliterating her true identity and
imposing a Gileaden role upon her. The deliberate omission of Offred’s pre-Gileaden
name underscores the ruthless stripping away of her identity, intensifying the
dehumanization and destruction of autonomy. This manipulation of language and
identity becomes a powerful theme, portraying the pervasive impact of the regime on
individuals like Offred.

Offred's response to the Gileadean regime, although passive, differs to the active
resistance of other women. The novel reveals that, even in her fearful passivity, Offred
resists her oppressors through small acts. Her vivid descriptions and reflections
become a form of defiance, preserving her autonomy, and resisting Gilead’s
superimposed objectification. Despite her lack of power, Offred uses these acts to
maintain her individuality, regain her sense of control, and salvage any shred of
autonomy possible. Small acts, such as theft, show Offred’s willingness to rebel against
her oppressive setting, thus contributing to her maintained sense of dignity and hope for
a less oppressive future. One rebellious practice that exemplifies Offred’s desire to
remain unique is her use of stolen butter as skin lotion. Upon entering the sitting room
on the day of the ceremony, Offred again relies on theft as a source of power: “I would
like to steal something from this room. […] It would make me feel that I have power”
(Atwood 80). Though she never actually steals anything from the sitting room, the
knowledge that she could, provides Offred with a sense of agency. The mere act of
choice is a source of power—regardless of the impact that choice has. The sexually
oppressive society of Gilead, however, prevents Offred from making a difference, so she
resorts to these small physical activisms that allow her to uphold a shred of self-
respect.

Despite all of this, it's crucial to understand that Offred's primary goal is survival and
she prioritises this above anything else. In Gilead, where individuality and thought are
perceived as rebellious, Offred acknowledges the risk to her survival. In fact, upon
entering the Commander's house, she makes this clear: “I try not to think too much (…)
Thinking can hurt your chances, and I intend to last” (Chapter 2). Even when Mayday,
the resistance, is revealed, Offred is cautious stating, "I can’t... I’m too afraid. Anyway,
I’d be no good at that, I’d get caught." Perhaps through Offred, Atwood aims to show how
passive, and even invisible acts of rebellion have their value, and deserve to be
celebrated.

Meanwhile, Offred's relationship with language in acts as both a means of escape and a
tool for resistance within the confines of Gilead. The discovery of the forbidden
message "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" becomes a secret source of solace for
her, representing a subtle act of rebellion that pleases her. Personalising the message
by turning it into the voice of her former best friend, Moira, provides Offred with a sense
of comfort and familiarity in her bleak controlled existence. The repetition of these
words become a small but significant act of defiance, a reminder that not every aspect
of her life is under Gilead's control. By grounding herself in the present through listing
objects in her room, describing them intensely and recounting daily facts, Offred uses
language to maintain a semblance of normalcy. Additionally, her use of remembered
stories from the past serves as a survival strategy, allowing her to anchor on to a sense
of self and individuality within the superimposing environment of Gilead. Hence, one
can see how language becomes a powerful tool which Offred uses to to resist the loss
of her identity, tethering her to her past and offering her a glimmer of hope for the future.

Offred's reality is a mix of her past and present- her memories are a double-edged
sword; they are a form of resistance and a source of solace to her. They draw a contrast
between the pleasures of her previous life and the brutal reality of her present,
particularly the oppressive Rachel and Leah Centre. Expressing a longing for the past,
she mourns, "I want everything back, the way it was. But there is no point to it, this
wanting" (Chapter 20). Despite this, she grapples with the awareness that excessive
contemplation is a luxury she can ill afford. Memories, both distressing and consoling,
materialise into tools for survival, providing an escape from Gilead's oppressive grip.
These memories become small acts of rebellion which allow her to cling to her past,
latching on to her humanity and identity in a totalitarian government determined to
destroy both.

In summary, Offred's character in “The Handmaid's Tale" beautifully captures a double

motif, embodying both passivity and resistance in Gilead’s taxing environment.
Although she outwardly adheres to the regime, Offred subtly resists through small acts,
safeguarding her independence, offering insight into her internal struggles and
navigating the complexities of a dystopian world with guile and strenght.
 Discuss Margaret Atwood’s presentation of the character of Offred in
the novel so far.

In the Republic of Gilead, Offred, a Handmaid, navigates the oppressive currents of a

totalitarian regime that not only governs every aspect of life but extends its control to
the very core of identity, where even names are subject to the regime's authoritarian
rule. With this being said, the protagonist Offred's name serves as a powerful symbol of
her subjugation in Gilead as it represents her ownership by Commander Fred, erasing
her identity and superimposing her Gileadean role. The reader never gets to know
Offred’s pre-Gileadean name, drawing attention to the stripping away of her identity and
past, intensifying the dehumanisation, the manipulation of language and identity, and
the destruction of autonomy that result from robbing her of her identity and past.

Although passive, Offred's response to the Gileadean regime differs to the active
resistance of other women. The novel reveals that, even in her fearful passivity, Offred
resists her oppressors through small acts. Her vivid descriptions and reflections
become a form of defiance, preserving her autonomy, and resisting Gilead’s
superimposed objectification of women. Despite her lack of power, Offred uses these
acts to maintain her individuality, regain her sense of control, and salvage any shred of
autonomy possible. Small acts, such as theft, depict Offred’s inclination to resist
indoctrination. This is seen on the day of the ceremony, were upon entering the sitting
room she relies on theft as a source of power: “I would like to steal something from this
room. […] It would make me feel that I have power”. Though she never actually steals
anything from the sitting room, the knowledge that she could, provides Offred with a
sense of agency. The mere act of choice is a source of power—regardless of the impact
that choice has. The sexually oppressive society of Gilead, however, prevents Offred
from making a difference, so she resorts to these small physical activisms that allow
her to uphold a shred of self-respect. Although she does this to feel control, in Offred
the reader still sees some hints of indoctrination such as when the Japanese tourists
approach her and she cannot help but comment on their clothing, noting how too much
skin is showing and how indecent their clothes are.

Despite all of this, it's crucial to understand that Offred's primary goal is survival and
she prioritises this above anything else. In Gilead, where individuality and thought are
perceived as rebellious, Offred acknowledges the risk to her survival. In fact, upon
entering the Commander's house, she makes this clear: “I try not to think too much (…)
Thinking can hurt your chances, and I intend to last”. Even when Mayday, the
resistance, is revealed, Offred is cautious stating, "I can’t... I’m too afraid. Anyway, I’d be
no good at that, I’d get caught." Perhaps through Offred, Atwood aims to show how
passive, and even invisible acts of rebellion have their value, and deserve to be
celebrated.

Meanwhile, Offred's relationship with language acts as both a means of escape and a
tool for resistance within the confines of Gilead. The discovery of the forbidden
message "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" becomes a secret source of solace for
her, representing a subtle act of defiance that pleases her. It provides Offred with a
sense of comfort and familiarity in her bleak controlled existence and the repetition of
these words become a small but significant act of defiance, a reminder that not every
aspect of her life is under Gilead's control. By grounding herself in the present through
listing objects in her room, describing them intensely and recounting daily facts, Offred
uses language to maintain a semblance of normalcy. Additionally, her use of
remembered stories from the past serves as a survival strategy, allowing her to anchor
on to a sense of self and individuality within the superimposing environment of Gilead.
Hence, one can see how language becomes a powerful tool which Offred uses to to
resist the loss of her identity, tethering her to her past and offering her a glimmer of hope
for the future.

Offred's reality is a mix of her past and present- her memories are a double-edged
sword; they are a form of resistance and a source of solace to her. They draw a contrast
between the pleasures of her previous life and the brutal reality of her present.
Expressing a longing for the past, she mourns, "I want everything back, the way it was.
But there is no point to it, this wanting". Despite this, she grapples with the awareness
that excessive contemplation is a luxury she can ill afford. Memories, both distressing
and consoling, materialise into tools for survival, providing an escape from Gilead's
oppressive grip. These memories become small acts of rebellion which allow her to
cling to her past, latching on to her humanity and identity in a totalitarian government
determined to destroy both.

Offred's character in “The Handmaid's Tale" beautifully captures a double motif,

embodying both passivity and resistance in Gilead’s austere environment. Although she
outwardly conforms to the regime, Offred subtly resists through small deeds,
safeguarding her independence, offering insight into her internal strife, and navigating
the complexities of a dystopian world with guile and strenght.
References:

• LitCharts | From the creators of SparkNotes, something better.

• SparkNotes: Today's Most Popular Study Guides
• York Notes: Bestselling English Literature Revision Study Guides
• Women in The Handmaids Tale (cliffsnotes.com)