I. Title: The Handmaid’s Tale: Through the Lenses of Psychoanalysis and Deconstruction II. Introduction A. When reading a work of fiction, multiple ways exist in which to interpet the meaning held within the story. B. Utilizing literary theories when reading fictional literature increases the understanding of the meaning behind the language of the story. 1. Psychoanalysis, specifically Lacanian mirror stage, provides one interpretation surrounding the identification of self. 2. Application of Jacques
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is the story of Offred in the new country of Gilead. Gilead is the country that replaces the United States after a group of religious extremists who overthrow the existing government replace it with a patriarchal form of government; women are subservient and aren’t allowed to learn, have jobs, or do anything that could establish their own independence. In this story, Offred is not a heroine, but instead, she is a woman trying to stay alive in this brutal society
environments such as regimes controlled by a dictatorship and that run off a totalitarian government system strip an individual of their civil rights as a human being in order to gain ultimate control over its citizens. A government such as the Republic of Gilead in Margaret Atwood’s work, The Handmaid’s Tale, controls their citizen’s lives to the extent to where they must learn to suppress their emotions and feelings. In the Republic of
A Literary Analysis of Gilead Rhetoric and Sexuality in The Handmaid’s Tale The novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, is a dystopian speculative fiction novel written by Margaret Atwood. It follows the story of Offred, who is a Handmaid living in post-apocalyptic Massachusetts during the Gilead Regime. Her job is to have sex with the Commander in order to produce a baby for him and his wife, Serena Joy. This is the one role for Handmaids in Atwood’s world because the fertility rates are drastically declining
and subjective based on the binary relationship of power with that of fear. Specifically, the Commander illicitly invites Offred to his office after hours where he tempts her with his collection of contraband magazines, which had long been banned in Gilead and would lead to severe punishment or death if discovered. In doing so, he is nonchalantly boasting on the extent of his power. In essence, he is showcasing that with his power he can have a room filled with illicit materials. Simultaneously, though
Critical Analysis This critical analysis essay is about Poet Edgar Allen Poe’s poem “The Raven” and the overwhelming power and sadness of the death of a loved one. There is such sorrow and even anticipation that the poem invokes in the reader. The poem can be quite dreary and full of gloom, but the author also makes it sound eerie but somehow beautiful and lyrical especially when reciting it orally. Poe was a remarkable writer and known as being a bit peculiar in person and in his writings. Poe
formed self-identification of sex and sexuality that is formed autonomously. Evidence of gender establishment can be seen within literary works and supported by various schools of gender and sexuality theory. Joseph Culler describes literary theory as a tool to understanding the concepts of identity, wherein abstract communities are presented in identifiable groups for analysis. Culler (2011) explains that the schools of “psychoanalysis,”
“How are the two female protagonists Offred from “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Magaret Atwood and Celie from “The Color Purple” by Alice Walker oppressed by men, in what ways are their situations similar and how do they deal with the pressure and abuse?” Abstract The purpose of this essay is to look at how the two protagonist women, Offred from “The Handmaid’s Tale” and Celie from “The Color Purple” are treated in literature. This essay aims to answer the question: “How are the two protagonist women
very reasonable and the desire to get laid meant sex as not an act of love of for procreation but rather an act for the purpose of having fun or source of pleasure and this was strongly described as objectification of women by men in the community of Gilead by Margaret Atwood.(The handmaids tale chapter
Historical/Biblical Analysis of Edgar Allen Poe’s “The Raven” There is always a reason why a piece of literature is written. Whether it is for for the author’s voice to be heard, to entertain its reader, or to spread knowledge, there is always a purpose behind the work. In many cases in poetry, the piece is written as an outlet for emotion, the chance to write down their deepest feelings. Edgar Allan Poe had a drastic life and suffered from deep depression, so he was bound to be an excellent