order of things, it is clear the way words can constrain the thoughts of individuals. The language used to describe individuals in authoritative positions expose the ways language is used to influence and control the ideas people may have. The Handmaid’s Tale uses language not only to construct a possible dystopian future, but to also showcase how language works in relation to power and gender within one’s own society. In the article Speaking as a Heterosexual: How Does Sexuality Matter for Talk-in-Interaction
Gilead’s use of language to influence thought has made clear the ways in which language can be used to expressed power. The reconstruction of language in Gilead emphasizes how language can restrict forms of communication between people to create control. Observing these restrictions on speech and oppressive language used in the novel assist us in identifying similar ways in which these techniques happen within our own societies. For instance, one can examine the ways in which language is used to