Monday, March 24, 2014

Handmaid's Tale - Essential Questions

Essential Questions

1)      How does the narrator describe Serena Joy?  What does this tell us about the narrator’s personality?
The narrator’s description of Serena Joy is extremely critical, and it shows just how much contempt the narrator holds for her.  She is described in contrast to what she did before the fall of civilization.  The narrator takes special interest in the fact that Serena Joy had been a gospel singer before society deteriorated, and that she had been an advocate for societal change.  The narrator is bitter when thinking about this, thinking, “you finally got what you want.”
2)      What do we learn about the narrator’s motivations from the doctor’s offer?
We now know that this society does away with women who are unable to conceive children, and we can analyze Offred with this in mind.  Her refusal to the doctor’s offer largely reveals Offred’s rebellious and free nature; even though she could be killed for failing to conceive, she will do it her way or not at all.  She’ll risk her life for what freedom she has left.
3)      How is the narrator affected by the loss of her child?  How does this change the way in which she is presented in this society?

The changes that we can see in the narrator resulting from the loss of her child are fairly drastic.  She has become extremely cold and withdrawn as a result of the event.  It also shows how cold the society has become, refusing to keep Offred and her daughter together and forcing Offred to bear additional children.

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