Totalitarianism, Violence, and the Color Red in the Handmaid’s Tale

In today’s news we see many disruptions and inconsistencies in society, and, according to Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, humankind might be headed in that direction. The deterioration of society is a concept often explored biologically in novels, but less common, is the effect on everyday social constructs such as the position of women as a item that can be distributed and traded-in for a ‘better’ product. The Handmaid’s Tale elaborates the concept that, as societal discrimination towards women intensifies, gender equality deteriorates and certain aspects of societal freedoms are lost. Offred’s experience with serving Gilead demonstrates a victim’s perspective and shows how the occurring changes develope the Republic.

From the outset of 'The Handmaids Tale' the reader is placed in an unknown world, where the rights and freedom of women have been taken away. We follow the narrative journey of a handmaid, named Offred.

Even though the women who can bear children are “cherished”, the babies are not which can be seen when babies are referred to as “shredders” and “unbabies.” Furthermore, it is interesting that the babies are not “cherished”, but the women who can bear children are because it is illegal to have an abortion and can lead to the doctor being killed who performed it. If the handmaids do not get pregnant within three months then they move down in the hierarchy. It is argued who has it worst in the society, however they all share something in common, being oppressed. The handmaids are not allowed to read, go out into public on their own and even have access to everyday things such as lotion. It is seen as vain and people say, “who are they trying to impress?” when they use such items. Offred steals butter to use as a substitute for lotion because she does not have access to it. Lastly, their names perfectly symbolize their oppression: Offred is Fred’s handmaid; she is “of Fred.” Everyday liberties people take for granted and this dystopia shows what it would be like to live under these harsh laws that can lead to execution.

The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret Atwood describes the story of Offred, a Handmaid, that is a woman ascribed a breeding function by society, and who is placed with a husband and wife higher up the social ladder who need a child. Through Offred's eyes we explore the rigidity of the theocracy in which she lives, the contradictions in the society they have created, and her attempts to find solace through otherwise trivial things. The heroine is never identified except as Offred, the property of her current Commander, she was a modern woman: college-educated, a wife and a mother when she lost all that due to the change in her society. The novel can be viewed from one perspective as being a feminist depiction of the suppression of a woman, from another

It isn't just handmaids, or even only women that have forfeited their personal identity; men have lost theirs as well. Their loss of individualism is symbolized by their generic titles. There are three classes of men in Gilead: the 'Commanders,' the Doctors, and the 'Eyes.' Like the color-coded uniforms of the women, the generic titles of the men announce their function. The Commanders are supposed to fertilize the handmaids; the Doctors examine the handmaids monthly to check for possible problems with their reproductive organs; the Eyes are the spy network of Gilead and are responsible for enforcing discipline. Also like the women's color coded-uniforms, the men's generic titles deprive them of their individuality and reduce them to mere task objects.

I noticed that the Handmaids exclusively wear red this reminded me of the book The Scarlet Letter because in the book the protagonist is forced to wear a red “A”. She is forced to wear a scarlet A because she had an affair, they did this to publicly humiliate her. The Handmaids are not necessarily being ostracized but they do commit adultery because the commanders are married. Offred is isolated, she eats alone can not see her family and the only people she regularly talks to are the marthas and Ofglen.

In addition to the important roles that women play in the regime, this setting also portrays the will and intelligence of women. Offred seeks knowledge as she meets with the Commander; she longs for touch and intimacy as she risks everything to spend her nights with Nick. Moira strives to leave the confines of the regime as she continuously found ways to escape. Even as she is recaptured, she chooses to stay at Jezebel’s to live. Although given death if no child is beared, Handmaids voluntarily “prayed for emptiness, so we would be worthy to be filled: with grace, with love, with self-denial, semen and babies” (194). Despite their role to bear children and given death if they failed to do so, essentially, Handmaids have a choice in whether they accept that death or survive by finding ways to get pregnant. These instances show that women are not merely simple creatures who are controlled by men because what they do is still a decision of their own. Nevertheless, all of the progress that women fought for is gone: their reproductive rights, economic rights, social rights. Women are not allowed to get abortions, and they are forced into bearing children for their Commanders. Women have no outside jobs; they merely complete chores for their household. They are given no social power; they are monitored for what they say and what they can do in public. Such strict confines of

In Gilead, members of the society are labelled by their age and economic status. The deep red cloaks, the blue embroidered dresses, and the pinstripe garments are all uniforms to define a person’s role in society. In particular, the handmaid’s cloaks also say a lot more about their position. The fact that they are like a nun’s gown, and are also called ‘habits’, signifies chastity and dedication to God.

In the novel Atwood writes how Offred the main character transitions from her life before to a Handmaid. Offred wasn’t her real name but the name that was given to her when the Gilead society formed. Prior to the Gilead forming Offred lived with her husband and

Color-coding deprives the society of individuality and exemplifies a definite class and power system in the society. Offred embodies the handmaid’s uniform “everything except the wings around my face is red; the color of blood, which defines us”(8). Offred expresses her loss of identity in the society because her along with the other handmaids are characterized by the color they wear and by their sacred reproductive systems. The systematic oppression becomes internalized oppression as the citizens of Gilead commence to settle into their appointed roles and be impoverished of their identity. Taking away individuality causes each group of people to become more susceptible to stereotyping, discrimination and prejudices because considering the

The poem, My Parents Kept Me From Children Who Were Rough and the novel, The Handmaid’s Tale express the rule of authoritative power through verbal and physical bullying and governmental regime. In Atwood’s novel, the source of the Gileadean government’s authoritative power is shown through the nouns, ‘Handmaids’, ‘Wives’ and ‘Marthas,’ with this language being a tool of power utilised to suppress those who no longer possess power. This is emphasised by Aunt Lydia who says, ‘The Republic of Gilead knows no bounds. Gilead is within you,’ describing the prominence of societal bounds for women who are under the regime, hence they are defined by a colour system, ‘some in red, some in the dull green.’ Atwood expresses the women’s lack of power in the eyes of the patriarchal regime, through the protagonist, Offred. This is emphasized through the repetition in, ‘What I feel towards them is blankness. What I feel is that I must not feel,’ which expresses the restriction over the handmaids to the extent of their inability to acknowledge their emotions. The government’s control over the women is similar to the power the ‘rough boys’ have over Spender. The simile, ‘I feared more than tigers their muscles like iron,’ highlights Spender’s fear of the boys as he compares them to tigers, which are amongst the most fearsome in the animal kingdom. Verbal abuse is a destructive tool utilized by authoritative figures, the boys, in order to inflict psychological damage on Spender and in turn gain empowerment, highlighted in the simile, ‘who threw words like stone.’ The authoritative power of the boys, which is gained through physical violence against their victim, is reiterated in, ‘jerking hands and their knees tight on my arms,’ which emphasizes that he is under their mercy and control. Therefore, both the novel and the poem greatly explore

Handmaids are made to believe that they are important yet they are used as sexual tools. “Women in this context do not own their bodies because their bodies belong to the commanders” (139). Any decision regarding sex is made by the commanders while the wives are being asked to take care of the handmaids. With deep thoughts of depression, the handmaid’s think they’re nothing. They believe that they are just used for sex.

Offred can see herself in the mirror like a distorted shadow, a parody of something, some fairy-tale figure in a red cloak, descending towards a moment of carelessness that is in the same as danger. A Sister, dipped in blood."(8). In Cliff Notes, Mary Ellen Snodgrass wrote, "The persistent color motif suggesting menstruation and the female cycle in the blatant scarlet color of the Handmaid's uniform"(31). For that reason, it seems appropriate the color used to represent the Handmaids is red. Their job is to deliver a child for Commanders and their wives; therefore, the menstruation cycle has a strong meaning. Giving birth is another representation. Red could be associated with the bleeding and afterbirth that is part of childbirth. The mode of transportation to travel to the birth of a fellow Handmaid is the Birthmobile. The bench seats, curtains, and floor, as well as the Birthmobile itself, is red. The place where all of the of Handmaids are trained as potential breeders is named "Red Center." That is where they are taught how to act and present themselves proudly. The Red Center is also where the Handmaids are told everything they cannot do anymore, such as read, because they are women. In today's society, we associate "Red Light Districts" with prostitution. Several examples in the novel show how little the other women in the Republic think of the function of the Handmaids. Perhaps they look at the Handmaids lives as a form of

Throughout The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred is in search of her true identity, but due to the harsh societal conditions, she is forced to evolve so that she meets Gilead’s expectations. The narrator often references to differently coloured flowers

In The Handmaid’s Tale, red is a distinct color used to represents Handmaids. The color relates itself with the feeling of shame and is also a symbol for fertility as it is associated with the blood of the menstruation cycle. The clothes which Handmaids dress in are also red. This can be noted from a description Offred says: “Everything except the wings around my face is red: the color of blood, which defines us.” (Atwood, 1986, p.8). Furthermore, the accessories which Handmaids are given are also red: