The Handmaid's Tale- Review

Hands down this was my favorite of the few dystopian works that we have read. I felt it stood apart from the others while still following that basic recipe for a perfect anti-utopia. Throw in a some harsh governing body- the bible, a dash of always being watched- the eyes, and for the "wow" ingredient, add one protagonist that has a desire to rebel against the rules, and you've baked up a beautiful, miserable society- Republic of Gilead.

I felt that reading this it was more of a challenge than We because it didn't come right out and say what was going on. We had to weave through the past and present and meet old husbands, nuns, mothers, children, commanders, and a few Martha's before we could really grasp what was going on. Any gaps, we fill in for ourselves which allows the reader freedom to imagine some horrors that weren't detailed to the tee. While on the other hand, We was straight-forward and described how things worked and why and who was in charge.

Something, however that stood out to me that I kept forgetting to mention in discussion was the uniforms the handmaids wore. We discussed a comparison to traditional Muslim dress, but the color intrigued me. Red in some cases goes along with birth and females, but I went back to The Scarlett Letter. The color red in Hester Prynne's situation was representing her sin of adultery. I thought this connection was interesting because by taking in a handmaid, the commander is committing adultery; sleeping with someone who is not his wife. The "A" was something that was to be sinful, but Hester made it beautiful with her embroidery. Adultery is sin in the bible, but by twisting the worlds, the society sees the handmaids as needed to procreate and therefore looked without disgust or disapproval.

The ending of the novel, does she make it or is she killed for her sins? That is how we are left, but I lean toward the more positive of the two in which she is taken in by more of the Mayday group. I feel that Offred has suffered enough and that this society is so hypocritical that it is slowly falling apart. The original believers, Serena Joy, the Aunts, are even doubting the teachings. The club, Jezebels, is proof that Gilead has failed and a new idea must be tried out. I believe that Offred, although a little new at this whole rebellion thing, she's perfect for it. Her mother was a radical feminist and she took a married man away from his wife, she's gone against the rules before. All in all, I liked the cliffhanger ending that was followed by the eerie historical notes. It was as though a new utopian society had formed. It, thankfully, seemed a little more successful.