The Handmaid’s Tale

1. What are the effects/consequences of intolerance/bigotry?

Intolerance fosters the exclusion of people who do not conform to society’s
expectations, and in turn, causes long-term resentment among those discriminated against
in society. For example, the eco-wives and their attitude towards the Handmaids are
prime examples of the resentment they have towards the privileges of the Handmaids. To
them, engaging in the role of a handmaid is a loss of dignity, yet they hate the special
privileges, care, and food that the Handmaids receive, while they are forced to struggle.
Additionally, the strict policies of the Republic of Gilead towards women affect the
power that women used to have, especially Serena. Serena is described as being a former
leader of the religious movement that eventually led to the creation of the Republic.
However, because of the strict religious guidelines on women, the freedoms she enjoyed
as a spokesperson were snatched away from her, and she struggles to accept that loss of
power.

2. What happens to a society under a totalitarian regime?

Societies under a totalitarian regime create intense fear and anger among their
citizens, leading to strong divisions within the general public. The strict rules and
punishments deter members of society from participating in any movement against the
regime. When Offred constantly reminds herself that she shouldn’t read and that women
are banned from reading, it emphasizes how the regime has managed to control everyone
by fear by engraining into the minds of their people the rules and guidelines, and the
punishments that may follow.

3. What happens to an individual when language is controlled?

When language is controlled, it does not deter humans from expressing
themselves; humans find other ways to express themselves. Offred is heavily controlled
by the religious nature of her society, especially when it comes to talking with other
Handmaids outside of their homes. Yet, when she is by herself, she expresses her
resentment, her thoughts, and her wishes. The control of language doesn’t necessarily
mean that certain thoughts that are being curbed will die off; people will continue to
remember and recall their opinions and emotions and express them in different ways.

4. How do people respond to oppression?

People respond to oppression through their subversive thoughts or actions to
regain some degree of control. People are more willing at some point to go after the
unknown than to stay with the status quo. For example, when Offred realizes that there is
an active resistance force, she seizes after it, by thinking about whether or not her
 husband may still be alive, and how soon she may be free. Additionally, when she realizes
how she can simply gain some power by developing a relationship with the Commander,
it highlights how hope can drive people to act in certain ways. To Offred, her only chance
to get to know more about the Republic is through the relationships, which she uses to the
best of her advantage.

5. Is equality possible?
Equality is not fully achievable; society invariably adopts or accepts social
inequality as a way to easily cope with serious issues. For example, while a religious
nation at heart, the people of the Republic of Gilead have a social hierarchy that can be
highly discriminatory, especially towards women and their roles, whether being sent to
the colonies to clean up areas, or eco-wives, or Handmaids who are restricted to only
giving birth to children. Yet, most members of the Republic accept it because they fear
the punishment of going against it, which would cause more trouble to themselves than
resist the adoption of discriminatory rules and guidelines that women and men must
follow.

6. What is the effect/impact/relationship of language and thought?

Language and thought aid each other in the process of expression for the human
individual. Offred recalls words, and situations involving the use of those words, trying to
imagine how the world was before the Republic of Gilead. To Offred, words offer her an
escape from the limited freedoms that she experiences as a handmaid; playing Scrabble
with the Commander, for example, provides her an opportunity to focus on herself as an
individual.
7. How do societies respond to catastrophes?
Societies respond to catastrophes through panic and the need for immediate
action. For example, the Republic of Gilead quickly responds to the assassination of the
President and members of Congress to consolidate power. Yet, this quick action did not
consider alternative ways to handle the situation. For Gilead, the fear of further conflicts
due to a lack of government drives them to take extreme actions.

8. What are the limits of the human spirit?

The human spirit is severely limited in times of severe oppression. For the general
public under the rule of the Republic of Gilead, people in some shape or form feel
resentment towards the government and their totalitarian way of ruling.
9. What factors dictate how identity is portrayed?
Our need to express ourselves differs from person to person, thereby affecting an
individual’s identity. For Offred, the trauma that she experienced during the transition
 between the U.S. government and the Republic of Gilead, continues to affect her she
remembers and recalls the past frequently throughout the novel. This would have been
significantly different to those born under the rule of the Republic of Gilead, who had no
prior experience with the turmoil and would assume that the teachings of the Republic of
Gilead are correct. Identity itself is heavily influenced by the upbringing of the
individual; for Offred, the upbringing by her single Mom is in stark contrast to the
children growing up in a time where the freedoms and rights of women have been
severely curtailed, which they themselves would not instinctively know.

10. How does the past affect the present?

Our past serves as a reminder of the struggles and achievements of the human
race. Offred constantly reminds herself of her past, especially with her mother, who was
portrayed as a strong, working woman during the time when women were beginning to
step outside of their homes into the workforce. Her time with her mother highlights the
significant changes that have occurred in terms of the rights of women. Additionally, for
Offred, it gives her some hope to continue pushing through, especially for her child with
Luke, who was taken away from her.