Rebellion In The Handmaids Tale - 1344 Words

In â€Å"The Handmaid s Tale† by Margaret Atwood, there is the addressing of freedom, abuse of power, feminism, rebellion and sexuality. The audience is transported to a disparate time where things normalized in our current society are almost indistinguishable. Atwood uses each character carefully to display the set of theme of rebellion within the writing, really giving the reader a taste of what the environment is like by explaining detailed interactions, and consequences as well as their role in society. Moira is first introduced as one of the most influential, rebellious characters, almost instantly does she become the epitome of insubordination. Before Gilead was established Moira generally wasn’t your â€Å"Poster Child† for a becoming young†¦show more content†¦Ã¢â‚¬Å"It was Moira’s idea†, Offred’s reasoning for throwing â€Å"water bombs† on the men trying to climb up for the â€Å"Under-whore† celebration. (Atwood 58) As Offred tells of her experiences that lead her up to her development, Moira’s rebellious attitude entices her. Offred makes a habit of visiting the bathroom, not to use it but to communicate with Moira. Moira is slowly luring Offred to break the rules, trying to turn Offred from being a submissive woman to a woman who ll stand up for what she believes in. Still, Offred tries to persuade Moira to follow the rules instituted by Gilead for her own benefit more than Moira’s. When Moira decides to fake an illness, Offred advises against it, only for her safety. â€Å"I couldn’t stand the thought of her not being here, with me. For me† Offred knows that without Moira remaining in the centre with her she could not be as strong in herself as she would had Moira decided to stay. (Atwood 89) Without having Moira there with her Offred begins to become slightly more rebellious. Knowing the Handmaids are not allowed to discuss each other, Offred pursues to ask Aunt Lydia if she knows where Moira is. Through this action does Offred also start to look into the rebellious attitudes of her mother. Offred recalls an outfit she wore, similar to Unwomen, (before Gilead), that allows her to truly recognize her mother’s beauty regardlessShow MoreRelatedThe Handmaids Tale And The Crucible1695 Words   |  7 PagesResistance Futile? What do The Handmaid’s Tale and The Crucible suggest about the nature of resisting and rebelling against social order? Margaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale, and Arthur Miller’s ,The Crucible, explore the consequences surrounding the nature of resisting and rebelling against social order. Resistance the refusal to accept or comply with something or to actively and passively fight against something. Atwood’s new government of Gilead in The Handmaid’s Tale enforces unthinkable oppressionRead MoreThemes in Literature991 Words   |  4 PagesOften in literature there are common themes that occur throughout eras and genres to link two otherwise different pieces of writing. One particular example of this occurrance can be seen in Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. Although these works have been written in very different time periods and use separate styles, there are two themes which link both stories and convey a very similar message. Strict societal roles and the treatment of womenRead MoreEssa y on The Dystopia in Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale1098 Words   |  5 PagesThe Dystopia in Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale Offred is a Handmaid in what used to be the United States, now the theocratic Republic of Gilead. In order to create Gileads idea of a more perfect society, they have reverted to taking the Book of Genesis at its word. Women no longer have any privileges; they cannot work, have their own bank accounts, or own anything. The also are not allowed to read or even chose who they want to marry. Women are taught that they should be subservientRead MoreObserving the Similarities and Differences between Handmaids Tale and Gattaca1127 Words   |  4 Pageswhile also foreshadowing the consequences of those issues if left unresolved. Both Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, and the movie Gattaca reflect dystopian societies in their approach to human reproduction and social class. The illusion of utopia and dehumanization of individuals are present through both societies’ dependence on an elite group of males. Handmaid’s Tale and Gattaca, while sharing similarities between dystopian themes, challenge reproduction from two greatly opposingRead More Essay on A Society of Oppression in A Handmaids Tale745 Words   |  3 PagesA Society of Oppression in A Handmaids Tale      Ã‚   As the saying goes, history repeats itself. If one of the goals of Margaret Atwood was to prove this particular point, she certainly succeeded in her novel A Handmaids Tale. In her Note to the Reader, she writes, The thing to remember is that there is nothing new about the society depicted in The Handmaidens Tale except the time and place. All of the things I have written about ...have been done before, more than once... (316). AtwoodRead MoreThe Handmaids Tale Gender Inequality Essay1067 Words   |  5 PagesThe Handmaid’s Tale and Women in Modern Day Society Picture being in a world where women no longer have the freedom to purchase items, instead all of their money can be found in their husband’s account. This is the life of the Handmaids; their lives reflect those of slaves because they can’t go anywhere alone, have no money of their own, and live in constant fear of being sent to the Colonies. Small parts of gender equality can be seen in today’s society. The overall theme of The Handmaid’s TaleRead MoreRelationships and Religion in The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood614 Words   |  3 PagesIn the novel The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood the themes of Religion and inter-human relationships are the themes that are most evident in the text. This novel shows the possibility of the existence of an all-powerful governing system. This is portrayed through the lack of freedom for women in society, from being revoked of their right to own any money or property, to being stripped of their given names and acq uiring names such as Offred and Ofglen, symbolizing women’s dependant existence, onlyRead MoreAnalysis Of The Handmaid s Tale 1031 Words   |  5 Pagescase of The Handmaid’s Tale, that this quote is relatable would be an understatement. The Handmaid’s Tale portrays a society that is colonized by a Republic that ironically coalesces two extremist ideologies: the Puritanical right that denotes women proper place in the culture – parallel to a horde of extremist countries – as the property of men, and the feminist groups that challenge against the objectification of women and their bodies under the grasp of patriarchy. The Handmaid’s Tale is a representationRead MoreMargaret Atwood s The Handmaid s Tale Essay1624 Words   |  7 Pagesautonomy has been impaired by sexual control and dominance. By painting dystopian societies that heavily restrict reproduction and sexuality, Margaret Atwood’s novel The Handmaid’s Tale, her poem A Woman’s Issue, and George Orwell’s 1984 all convey that sexual repression undermines individual identity and autonomy. In The Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood uses her description of the Ceremony to emphasize how Gileadean society controls sex in order to manipulate its citizens and force the women of Gilead into passivityRead MorePower Struggle In The Handmaids Tale By Margaret Atwood1373 Words   |  6 PagesRenowned playwright William Shakespeare, and contemporary novelist Margaret Atwood both explore power struggle from a feminist perspective. Shakespeare in ‘King Lear’ and Atwood in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ explore varying power struggles and their correlation to gender through their respective texts. Shakespeare and Atwood use the genders of their central characters to focus on power in historical and dystopian settings. Both authors explore religious frameworks, the types of power in a patriarchal

The Origin Of Speciesism By Peter Singer - 1025 Words

Racism is the discrimination of one other due to their racial origin, usually involving the idea of inferiority. Specicism, is considered to be carrying a bias nature to the species to which one belongs. [Lafollette, Hugh and Shanks, Niall (1996). The Origin of Speciesism] Singer draws parallels between specicism and racism through comparing the grounds on which whose interests and suffering takes precedence. Singer believes that discarding the moral status of animal concerns in their exploitation as they are not of our species and therefore insignificant, mimics that of the prejudice of white slave owners against discarding the moral status of the interests and suffering of their African Slaves [Peter Singer Practical Ethics, 2nd edition]. Speciests, give greater weight to the interests of members of their own species when there is clash of interests and concerns, similarly, racists give greater weight to the interest of members of their own race when there is a clash of interest or concern. [Peter Singer Practical Ethics, 2nd edition] Given the principle of equal consideration of interest (the moral principle stating that when calculating the rightness and morality of an action, all affected interests should be included and weighed equally) ; it follows that equal moral concern is raised when a human of any race is suffering, so therefore, it also follows that equal moral concern should also be raised when a human or non human animal is suffering. [Peter Singer PracticalShow MoreRelatedThe History and Purpose of The Animal Rights Movement Essay945 Words   |  4 Pagesto think to some extent and are certainly able to feel pain therefore non-human animals should be accorded rights. According to Peter Singer, professor of philosophy and director at Monash University, Melbourne, Australia and best known for his book Animal Liberation, he says â€Å"‘When humans fail to measure the capacity of animals to suffer, they become guilty of ‘speciesism,â⠂¬â„¢ an injustice parallel to racism and sexism (Animal Rights Opposing Viewpoints, 1996).’† This fact is not to say that all animalsRead MoreThrowing Emotions On The Dogs1679 Words   |  7 Pagesmost laymen refuse to recognize the correlation. People like to believe that their feelings are internally complicated experiences that are unique to their person. However, when the topic is viewed in this light, the realistic concept of emotional origin is lost. â€Å"American behaviorism tried to explain all behavior based on operant conditioning and hence had no room for unlearned predispositions† (de Waal 191). He goes on to discuss that, â€Å"despite the frequent assertion that animal emotions hardlyRead MoreAnimal Cruelty And Its Effects On Society2121 Words   |  9 Pages For centuries, philosophers have debated the existence (or non-existence) of moral obligations to non-human animals. In this essay, I will draw upon the work of Kant, Machan, Norcross, and Singer to argue that animals do, in fact, deserve moral consideration. I will then explain why these obligations should lead consumers (whose circumstances deem the consumption of animal products unnecessary) to abstain from the purchase of products that cause harm to animals. These products include, but are not

Vacant Chapter 13 Forgive Free Essays

So far I’ve cleaned the bathroom, the oven, the refrigerator and vacuumed – twice. It’s after nine and Emily still hasn’t shown up. I’m starting to think that her things are simply a mirage, or maybe she just didn’t want to carry a lot of junk with her. We will write a custom essay sample on Vacant Chapter 13 Forgive or any similar topic only for you Order Now Maybe she’s staying with one of her school friends, and she didn’t need her hygiene stuff. Maybe my earlier thought about what she would need to do for money wasn’t that far off the mark. Maybe she’s out doing something dangerous, or worse yet, something has already happened to her. There’s no one but me to know she’s missing. How long do I have to wait before I turn her in as a missing person? I know she has to be missing for at least twenty-four hours, but maybe she’s already been gone for a couple days. Oh, God – what if she’s hurt and lying somewhere. Maybe she only has minutes left and I can’t get to her in time†¦ â€Å"Ow!† I hit my head on the bottom shelf of the linen closet, cleaning the dried and caked shampoo from the floor when the sound of the door closing startles me. â€Å"Emily?† I hope it’s her. If it’s not, I’m going to call the cops and lie and tell them she’s been missing for days. I hear the slapping of tennis shoes against the linoleum, then a thud on the carpet. I turn and look down the hall to see a brown-haired beauty face down on the floor. â€Å"Emily? Are you okay?† I almost – almost – laugh when she looks up at me with her hair tangled in her face. â€Å"Ethan, it’s you! It’s really you!† She scrambles the rest of the way to me on her knees, spitting her hair out of her mouth and hugging me tighter than I can ever remember. Her smile is brighter than a sunny day at the equator. We settle on the couch, still holding on to each other. I can’t seem to let go. I never want to let go. â€Å"Where have you been?† There doesn’t seem to be any anger in her tone. How could she NOT be angry with me? I’m ashamed at my answer. â€Å"I drove. I didn’t really go anywhere. I was just running away, Emily.† I hang my head, embarrassed that I don’t even have a good reason for leaving her. â€Å"I know it won’t make any difference now because you probably hate me, but I love you too, Emily. I have since†¦forever, and I’m sorry I waited so long to tell you. I should have said it to you a week ago instead of running away like the coward I am. But, I can’t hold back any longer without you knowing how I feel about you. I’ve never been in love before, but I’m pretty sure this is what it feels like. I can’t think about anything else but you – how you laugh, the way you comb your hair, the way you smell right after the shower†¦ God!† Something stops my rambling, something soft, warm and moist. Emily’s lips are on mine and her arms are wrapped around my neck. She’s kissing me, and I don’t ever want her to stop. Her mouth on mine is awesome! And I think about other things I want her to do with her mouth. While there are a hundred synonyms for how kissing Emily feels, the only thing in my head the at the moment is â€Å"woo-hoo†. If I really think about what is actually happening, I’ll make her stop. This is wrong – not the kissing part, but the part where she’s willing to forgive all my sins and just take me back without a second thought. Now that I’m thinking about it†¦ Damn it! Now I’m mad. I pull away while her lips linger. â€Å"Emily,† I sigh, not really knowing where to start. â€Å"We have to talk about this,† I motion between us. She nods begrudgingly. It’s written all over her face; she thinks I’m going to reject her again. â€Å"Look,† I pull her chin up so her eyes meet mine, â€Å"nothing will change my feelings for you. They haven’t changed in the last few years, and they won’t change in the next few, either. What I have to know, though, is how you are feeling.† She starts shaking her head, telling me not to worry, but that’s precisely the problem. She should be angry with me. â€Å"Emily, you should be upset with me. Yell, scream, hit – anything to let me know how you feel!† I’m almost shouting near the end of my declaration. I pull back and get myself in check before I completely lose it. â€Å"Relieved.† â€Å"What?† It’s a stupid question because I heard perfectly well what she said. It’s a stall tactic on my part. â€Å"I’m relieved, Ethan.† â€Å"Why aren’t you-â€Å" â€Å"Do you know how many people there have been in my life who I cared about or who cared about me?† I’m pretty sure I know the answer. I’m hoping it’s two, but know for sure it’s one – her mother – but I’m always careful not to bring up LouAnne. I just squeeze her hand, which I’m still holding onto like the piece of wood Leonardo DiCaprio was holding onto after his exit from the Titanic. â€Å"Two, Ethan. Two.† Now I’m relieved. â€Å"And one of them can’t ever come back, but you did. You came back and I don’t care where you went or what you did. You are here now, safe.† The tremble in her voice as she says, â€Å"what you did,† tells me she’s a little scared of what – or who – I might have done, so I hope I’m about to put her fears to rest. â€Å"I just drove and slept in my car. I ate a few times, but honestly, Emily, the only thing I did was think about you and how much you mean to me. I was an asshole for leaving you. I didn’t take your safety or well-being into account and for that, I’m sorry. You should be upset with me.† â€Å"I was scared, Ethan. At first, I thought maybe you were just blowing off some steam, off figuring out a way to tell me to leave, but when you didn’t come home that first night or the next morning, I started to get worried. Then Margie came by and said you hadn’t shown up for work.† So, this is how Margie knows about Emily. â€Å"I wasn’t really sure how much she knew, but I could tell she was surprised to find me here. She was so nice though. I told her how highly you speak of her and how much we appreciated the deal she and her husband gave on the car. Then I lost myself for a little bit and told her about you surprising me and taking me to graduation.† Emily pauses and smiles, then looks down as if she’s a little embarrassed. â€Å"It was nice to have a woman to talk to again. It reminded me a little of my mom.† Emily continues to tell me about Margie coming to the house. She said she cried for a little bit because she didn’t know what to do, that she’d been relying on me for so long. She didn’t know what she would do if I didn’t come home. She also tells me how Margie asked her about a job and what she liked to do. It seems they went to the public library and Emily applied for a position. She can work there part-time and still go to school. Apparently, she works until closing and that’s why she came home so late. Margie also got her a bus pass and rode with her the first time to make sure it was safe. There isn’t a bouquet of flowers big enough for Margie right now. How to cite Vacant Chapter 13 Forgive, Essay examples