Theme: Feminism
The Republic of Gilead is perhaps the most bleak dystopian society in any such novel. There is a clear definition of gender roles, and the society is highly misogynistic, and ironically unappealing to men and women alike. Those who rank high in the twisted hierarchy base the Republic's law on the Bible, but are selective so that they receive what they wish and justify their hypocrisies for their own gains and pleasures. The Commanders are the high ranking men, higher of age and part of the key to future generations. Commanders are the only men allowed to marry, and the Wives are generally unhappy, existing seemingly only for prestige, knitting, and walking about the garden. As the Wives are too old to have children, they serve these other functions. As for the bearing of children, the Handmaids suffice, and they do endure a Ceremony in which they have forced sex with the Commander with the help of the Wife. Not only does the Commander commit adultery, but the Wife helps him. To make matters even more ridiculous, the Ceremony begins with a Bible reading. Despite all of this lovemaking, supposedly the only thing men care about, the only men able to partake in this activity are old men, some of whom are sterile, and the young men are sent to fight the many wars necessary to expand and defend the territory of Gilead (more hypocrisy is evident in this instance with murder ordered when the Bible clearly speaks against this act). The Commander's desire to spend time with and play Scrabble with Offred reveals his dissatisfaction with his married life and sex life. This is commentary that sex is not the only thing necessary to keep a man truly happy.
For women, life in the Republic of Gilead (also ironically named) is equally horrific. Women in the society are only valued for their ovaries. The Handmaids exist primarily to have sex with the Commanders and bear children. They have no choice as to who they live with either. Precautions are taken to ensure the lack of suicide on the part of the Handmaids. An image of how dismal Handmaid life is is the pillow with the faded word "faith" on it. There is no hope for these women, and their only escape is death. The Marthas, who do much of the household work such as cooking and cleaning, look down on the Handmaids, as do the Econowives. The Econowives are a fascinating group because they serve all the household functions, although they marry men considered lower on the class scale. To symbolize their many functions, the Econowives wear dresses of many colored stripes. The Aunts instruct the Handmaids on etiquette and other essential parts of life wearing the all-covering red dress. They are very stern and drain the sense of self-esteem of the women destined to become Handmaids. The stereotypical gender roles carried out by the members of Gilead raise the question of what it means to be a woman, or man if one chooses to analyze that side of the spectrum. It is unfair, although necessary, to generalize when describing members of a certain group, and The Handmaid's Tale is an interpretation of the terrifying possibilities of this gender placing taken to the extreme. Most shocking is that the events of this story have happened, do happen, and could happen to this level if care isn't taken.
Favorite Quote: Page 103.
"...nobody dies from lack of sex. It's lack of love we die from."
This is a meaningful quote beyond the mere text. In the text, the Commander is not happy with just sex. He desires something more, a face-to-face, compatible relationship that he lacks with his wife. Sex is merely an illusion of desire. The truest desire is a lifetime with someone who gives love and understanding while offering the ability to receive these same items in return. Many think they only want sex, and they are disappointed because it is only one dimension and is not fulfilling in the way real love is. Offred loses her husband Luke during the course of the novel, and she must substitute love for rather unsatisfactory sex. Two young men die on the wall of "gender treachery", and it is not understood that the men seek love that they are not allowed to have. They die from the lack of someone to love and understand them.
My Thoughts.
The Handmaid's Tale is one of the most disturbing novels I have ever read. The sex scenes are explicit and provocative, and the Wall is simply disturbing. The religious hypocrisy is critical of those that hold power in religious positions, and the numerous Biblical allusions are often ironic. There is much to appreciate about the book in a literary sense, and it is a thought-provoking story that is actually quite enjoyable despite it's explicit nature. It is an uncut, exciting look at a dystopian society that borrows greatly from our own warped views. In all, The Handmaid's Tale is a wonderfully written piece with great value beyond the mere text within the binding.
Monday, November 1, 2010
We
Theme: Communism
Totalitarianism is an obvious theme, but a deep theme nonetheless that there is much to write of. The way the society of OneState is set up reeks of total government. All members of the society abide by the rules of the Benefactor. There are a number of spies that enforce these laws and report all who disobey. The most evident form of total government is communism, which is not surprising considering that the novel was written by Soviet author Yevgeny Zamyatin. One of the most fascinating traits of OneState is that the buildings are all almost totally glass. The people of OneState, those who remain after the nuclear destruction of the Two Hundred Years War, are referred to as Numbers, and every element of their lives is controlled by a table. Numbers take to bed and rise at the exact same times, and this is made all the less private due to the glass buildings. Every number pledges allegiance to the Benefactor and OneState, and private thought is considered an illness. There is no sense of attachment to one partner, although sex with any Number is available by submitting a pink paper. But while these animal desires still rage among the Numbers, love is an abnormality. The lone fact that the Numbers are referred to as "numbers" shows that individuality is nothing in OneState. There are no names, just digits used to control the masses. The "Great Operation" is a requirement for all members of OneState, and main character D-503 defies the society he once pledged total loyalty to by resisting the surgery. D-503 as a character is a symbol of the unfailing realization of individuality, and his actions and relationship with I-330 show the impossibility of controlling every member of a society.
Quote: Page 73, 3rd Paragraph.
"It was ripe. Helplessly, like iron and magnet, sweetly yielding to the immutable precise law, I emptied myself into her. There was no pink ticket, no accounting, no OneState, there was no me. There were only the dear, sharp, clenched teeth, there were the golden eyes opened wide on me, and through them I slowly penetrated inside, deeper and deeper. And there was silence. Only in the corner, thousands of miles away, drops were dropping into the basin and I was the universe, and between one drop and another were eras, epochs..."
This quote is perhaps the most significant and transitional in the entire novel. It is more than a mere sex scene. It shows an important event in the life of D-503 that changes his entire outlook on life itself, as chiché as it may be. Before this scene, he is an engineer who declares total loyalty to OneState and the design of its projects, including the INTEGRAL. But he declares that there is no OneState, and with this statement proves the fact that he does not need the society to function. With a pink ticket, any number can have free sex with any other number they choose. It just needs to be authorized. Yet, D does not think and plan as most numbers do. He just follows his instinct, something he fails to come to realize he has until this moment. He does not need to report to anyone or tell anyone what he will do. He does things of his own free will. This is the number who scorns freedom earlier in the story. Free will and self-thought are always of as mental sickness in OneState, but D states, "How full I am! If only you knew how full I am!" He realizes that choice and free will can be wonderful, and from this point on in the novel, the character is totally changed and realizes the flaws of this dystopian society.
My Thoughts.
We is among the foremost of the dystopian works. Originally published in 1924, it and it's author Yevgeny Zamyatin proved to be the inspiration for many similar renowned works such as Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The Benefactor is similar to Big Brother and the Controller, and the novel does an ingenious job of drawing social parallels, especially on the Soviet Union happenings prevalent at the time of the writing. The story and language can be confusing at times, but close attention can increase appreciation. For example, there are many pauses and sentences that are not definitive, therefore indicating uncertainty. Small things such as this enrich the novel greatly. Because of the complications of the language and plot, We can be difficult to follow, but once followed, it is an enriching novel sure to provoke thought and provide an enjoyable experience.
Totalitarianism is an obvious theme, but a deep theme nonetheless that there is much to write of. The way the society of OneState is set up reeks of total government. All members of the society abide by the rules of the Benefactor. There are a number of spies that enforce these laws and report all who disobey. The most evident form of total government is communism, which is not surprising considering that the novel was written by Soviet author Yevgeny Zamyatin. One of the most fascinating traits of OneState is that the buildings are all almost totally glass. The people of OneState, those who remain after the nuclear destruction of the Two Hundred Years War, are referred to as Numbers, and every element of their lives is controlled by a table. Numbers take to bed and rise at the exact same times, and this is made all the less private due to the glass buildings. Every number pledges allegiance to the Benefactor and OneState, and private thought is considered an illness. There is no sense of attachment to one partner, although sex with any Number is available by submitting a pink paper. But while these animal desires still rage among the Numbers, love is an abnormality. The lone fact that the Numbers are referred to as "numbers" shows that individuality is nothing in OneState. There are no names, just digits used to control the masses. The "Great Operation" is a requirement for all members of OneState, and main character D-503 defies the society he once pledged total loyalty to by resisting the surgery. D-503 as a character is a symbol of the unfailing realization of individuality, and his actions and relationship with I-330 show the impossibility of controlling every member of a society.
Quote: Page 73, 3rd Paragraph.
"It was ripe. Helplessly, like iron and magnet, sweetly yielding to the immutable precise law, I emptied myself into her. There was no pink ticket, no accounting, no OneState, there was no me. There were only the dear, sharp, clenched teeth, there were the golden eyes opened wide on me, and through them I slowly penetrated inside, deeper and deeper. And there was silence. Only in the corner, thousands of miles away, drops were dropping into the basin and I was the universe, and between one drop and another were eras, epochs..."
This quote is perhaps the most significant and transitional in the entire novel. It is more than a mere sex scene. It shows an important event in the life of D-503 that changes his entire outlook on life itself, as chiché as it may be. Before this scene, he is an engineer who declares total loyalty to OneState and the design of its projects, including the INTEGRAL. But he declares that there is no OneState, and with this statement proves the fact that he does not need the society to function. With a pink ticket, any number can have free sex with any other number they choose. It just needs to be authorized. Yet, D does not think and plan as most numbers do. He just follows his instinct, something he fails to come to realize he has until this moment. He does not need to report to anyone or tell anyone what he will do. He does things of his own free will. This is the number who scorns freedom earlier in the story. Free will and self-thought are always of as mental sickness in OneState, but D states, "How full I am! If only you knew how full I am!" He realizes that choice and free will can be wonderful, and from this point on in the novel, the character is totally changed and realizes the flaws of this dystopian society.
My Thoughts.
We is among the foremost of the dystopian works. Originally published in 1924, it and it's author Yevgeny Zamyatin proved to be the inspiration for many similar renowned works such as Nineteen Eighty Four by George Orwell and Brave New World by Aldous Huxley. The Benefactor is similar to Big Brother and the Controller, and the novel does an ingenious job of drawing social parallels, especially on the Soviet Union happenings prevalent at the time of the writing. The story and language can be confusing at times, but close attention can increase appreciation. For example, there are many pauses and sentences that are not definitive, therefore indicating uncertainty. Small things such as this enrich the novel greatly. Because of the complications of the language and plot, We can be difficult to follow, but once followed, it is an enriching novel sure to provoke thought and provide an enjoyable experience.
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