Works Cited

"Afgan Women still wear Traditional Buka Garment." Business Network. 28 Apr. 2003. Koyodo News. Nov. 2008 http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0wdq/is_2003_april_28/ai_100976156/pg_1?tag=artbody;col1.

Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale. New York: Seal Books, 1998.

"Award for Literart Excellence." The Sunday Times. 16 Mar. 2008. Times Online. Nov. 2008 http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3533915.ece.

"Canadian Poet Margaret Atwood wins Spanish literary award." Herald Tribune. 25 June 2008. The New York Times. Nov. 2008 http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/06/25/arts/eu-a-e-bks-spain-atwood.php.

Demour, Ashley. Magaret Atwood: Triple Threat Poet. Vers. Formal Outline. ENG4U/AP. 2008.

"The 2005 Awards." The International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award. 2005. Dublin Public Libraries. Nov. 2008 .

Personal Reflection

Although this blog has caused stress at times, I found this project quite enjoyable. It is sad to say that if I had not been assigned a project that made me read a book by a Canadian author, I probably would not have. And sadder still, I would have not experienced all that I did in reading The Handmaid's Tale.

There are few books that have made me think as much as this one did. Margaret Atwood does a magnificent job of presenting huge themes and societal issues in a fictional setting. I believe this way of presenting these issues is extremely effective. I would get entirely consumed by the story I was reading, but when I put the book down my brain could not stop processing what I had just read.

Reading The Handmaid's Tale is an odd sensation, it is by no means a difficult book. The way in which Margaret Atwood writes can be a tad challenging at first, but by the time the book is well underway one is used to her style. Nonetheless

I think having the journal entries to process what I was reading really helped me think things through, and in the end it helped me write my apologia. I think in the future I may try to write as I'm reading. It is a great way to better organise my thoughts, and keep them stored for future reference.

I wish we had had a little bit more time, or been more dedicated, because there wasn't a lot of feedback between our groups (although I did appreciate, and utilise the feedback I got). But all in all, I think the blog set-up for an ISU project is a wonderful medium, and opens the doors to multiple media outlets.

Explication of Supplication in The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

Of Polti’s thirty-six dramatic situations, the one that fits The Handmaid’s Tale best is supplication. Supplication involves a persecutor, a supplicant, and a power in authority, whose decision is doubtful. The strongest of these aspects in Margaret Atwood’s book is the ‘power in authority, whose decision is doubtful’.

The power in The Handmaid’s Tale is the oppressive government that has altered the lives of every citizen. Throughout the book Offred, the narrator, shows the downfalls of this newly implemented system, and proves that there are facets of human nature that cannot be factored into a social reform. For instance, in this world that has been created marriages are all arranged, and reproduction is an assignment and a ceremony, the duty of a handmaid is to copulate with high ranking officials in order to bear children for barren couples. Offred describes ‘the ceremony’ as
“[her] red skirt is hitched up to [her] waist, though no higher. Below it the Commander is fucking. What he is fucking is the lower part of [her] body. [She does] not say making love, because this is not what he’s doing. Copulating too would be inaccurate, because it would imply two people and only one is involved. Nor does rape cover it: nothing is going on here that [she hasn’t] signed up for… Serena Joy grips [her] hands as if it is she… who’s being fucked, as if she finds it either pleasurable or painful, and the Commander fucks, with a regular two-four marching stroke, on and on like a tap dripping” (ATWOOD 116).
Needless to say, this society that has been created is far too mechanical, it’s missing something. As a conversation between Offred and the Commander also explains,
“Now, tell me. You're an intelligent person, I like to hear what you think. What did we overlook?
Love, I said.
Love? said the Commander. What kind of love?
Falling in love, I said.
The Commander looked at me with his candid boy's eyes. Oh yes, he said. I've read the magazines, that's what they were pushing, wasn't it? But look at the stats, my dear. Was it really worth it, falling in love? Arranged marriages have always worked out just as well, if not better” (ATWOOD 206).
The commander makes very rational, valid arguments. But Offred makes a stronger argument. The perfect rational society could not possibly exist; there is too much emotion in the human psych that does not follow a linear path. This is also associated with Polti’s dramatic situation as it shows that the authoritative power may not be correct all the time.

This is proven by the actions of all the characters in the book. Offred cannot deny her sexuality throughout the book, and this comes to a head near the end when she has an affair with the chauffeur. This affair was not actually Offred’s idea, the Commander’s wife – who is the head of the household and supposed to help uphold the standards of the new world – was the one who suggested that Offred and the chauffeur have sex in the hopes that he could impregnate her. The most surprising occurrence is when the Commander – who is a figurative representation of the oppressing governmental force – asks Offred to his private study. This is, of course, entirely against the rules even if it is only to play scrabble, which is also against the rules for Offred as women are not permitted to read. All of these situations only further affirm that Polti’s dramatic situation of supplication applies to The Handmaid’s Tale. In all of these situations the government is the persecutor, but the Commander also serves as a representation in some cases. In many cases the females in the book are the supplicates in the story.

Because of the underlying political theme, as well as the emotional pull the characters experience, it is undeniable that The Handmaid’s Tale fits well with Polti’s situation of supplication.

Apologia of Margaret Atwood's Contribution to the Canon of Canadian Literature

Margaret Atwood’s works have had a huge effect on the image of Canadian literature. This is evident through the many awards and diverse recognition that Atwood has received, and continues to receive. Atwood has received these acknowledgments for many reasons, but primarily because of her ability to present abstract and outer worldly concepts in a relatable, very human way, as can be seen in her book The Handmaid’s Tale. This ability has made her an author that is not only respected in Canada, but around the world.

As aforementioned, Margaret Atwood has been highly regarded throughout Canada and the world for her writing. In Canada Atwood has been honored with the Governor General’s Award for both The Circle Game and The Handmaid’s Tale, as well as many other presentations(Demour). As early as 1994 Atwood was given the Oxford Literary Festival: Award for Literary Excellence (Demour). In 2005 Oryx and Craig was bestowed with the International IMPAC Dublin Literary Award (Impac Dublin). This prize regards writers from around the world, who write in any language (Impac Dublin). More recently, Atwood recieved the Prince of Asturias’ prize for letters (Herald). The jury in Madrid, Spain justified this award by drawing attention to Atwood’s ability to execute many genres with “sharpness and irony” (Herald). They also praised her for “defend[ing] the dignity of women and denounce[ing] situations of social in justice” (Herald). This short list of honours and awards gives a small glimpse into the distinctions that have recognised Margaret Atwood both in Canada and internationally. When one thinks about the impact Atwood’s work must have on fundamental human attributes, to have the ability to appeal to such a diverse audience it gives a better impression of the magnitude of her works.

Atwood’s works are so applicable because of the universal themes that the stories she writes encompass, as well as the way in which she portrays these themes so elegantly. The effect Atwood’s feminist views have on her work have created controversy and discussion since the beginning of her career, but it is likely that these ideas are a large part of the universality of her writing. In The Handmaid’s Tale feminism is evident throughout. In an interview about her book, Atwood said,
“I clipped articles out of newspapers. I now have a large clippings file of stories supporting the contentions of the book. In other words, there isn’t anything in the book not based on something that has already happened in history or in another country, or for which actual supporting documentation is not already available” (Atwood, 391).
Even the mode of dress that Atwood describes as having been assigned to the characters could be related to issues of women’s rights around the world throughout history, and in our modern times. The narrator of the story, Offred, describes her clothing as
"red shoes, flat-heeled to save the spine and not for dancing… Everything except the wings around my face is red: the color of blood, which defines us. The skirt is ankle-length, full, gathered to a flat yoke that extends over the breasts, the sleeves are full. The white wings too are prescribed issue; they are to keep us from seeing, but also from being seen” (Atwood, 9).
This passage brings to mind the women that practice Islamic traditions and are expected to wear a burqa when in public (Business Network). This tradition stems from the holy text of the Qur’an, as this book states that men and women should dress and act as modestly as possible whilst in public (Business Network). Like the costume Offred is depicted in, this attire is formless – often simply a large square of fabric with a mesh window for the eyes – and restricts the women’s view to about less than half of what is naturally available (Business Network). The traditions of Islamic women can be so well paralleled with Atwood’s characters, in multiple ways. The fact that Offred and the handmaids are ‘kept from seeing’, but also kept ‘from being seen’, correlates perfectly with the restricted views of women who wear extremely modest clothing. The idea of the handmaids, as well as real women in our world, not being able to see but also not being seen could be viewed in multiple ways. The most common is that these clothing restrictions are a tool of female oppression. Opposing this idea is one that is presented in The Handmaid’s Tale, the idea that the cloaking of the female form, and the suppression of sexuality, is the best way to avoid sexual misdemeanours. This controversial, and sensitive, topic is placed exceptionally in Margaret Atwood’s writing style. Her opinions, thoughts, and ideas are placed in the text of The Handmaid’s Tale in a beautiful way – subtly enough that readers will likely be entirely absorbed in the story as they are reading, but will connect the fictional issues to those of the world around them once they have closed the book. Similarly, only a few chapters into The Handmaid’s Tale the readers are introduced to ‘The Aunts’ at the Red Centre. This centre has been created to train women for the new utopia the government has supposedly created. In a highly disturbing scene the Aunts are teaching about rape, and the old world.
"It's Janine, telling us about how she was gang-raped at fourteen and had an abortion. She told the same story last week. She seemed almost proud of it, while she was telling. It may not even be true. At Testifying, it's safer to make things up than to say you have nothing to reveal. But since it's Janine, it's probably more or less true.But whose fault was it? Aunt Helena says, holding up one plump finger.Her fault, her fault, her fault, we chant in unison.
Who led them on? Aunt Helena beams, pleased with us.
She did. She did. She did.
Why did God allow such a terrible thing to happen?
Teach her a lesson. Teach her a lesson. Teach her a lesson."
(Atwood, 67)

At first this seems extremely disturbing and obscene. But upon further reflection a reader must consider the world around them, especially if they are living in North America. In North American society sex is a way of life; one can hardly participate in society without being bombarded with image of sex and sexuality. True to her nature, Atwood is able to present the idea that perhaps the venereal atrocities of the world are less at the fault of the individuals that commit the crimes, and more in the hands of society. This is a delicate topic to write about, especially in such extremes, but Atwood is able to present her point in an elegant, poetic manner. Atwood’s ability to place universal themes in fictional stories is a large part of the reason she has become such an acclaimed author in our world.

The reasons for Margaret Atwood’s significance in Canadian literature, as well as literature of the world, would be nearly impossible to outline in a simple essay. Because of her immense recognition as an exceptionally talented writer, and as a forward thinker in our modern world Atwood has been immortalised through her works in many of our world’s institutions. At the age of 68, Margaret Atwood is still writing, and likely will be for many years to come, and Canadian literature will be richer for it.

Welcome

Hello, and welcome to my blog. In my postings I will be detailing my reactions, thoughts and research regarding Margaret Atwood's book, The Handmaid's Tale. As seen below, I have already created a few entries while I read the text, and a list of links that may be helpful while researching Atwood and her works.

The purpose of this blog is for me to educate myself, as well as any readers, on a Canadian author and some of her work. Many young Canadians don't necessarily like the idea of reading Canadian literature, because of books they've been made to read in school. But I think there is a lot of amazing writing in this country that people simply need to be educated about.

Links List

These are all helpful links regarding The Handmaid's Tale, Magaret Atwood, and Canadian Literature:

Atwood's Official Site
Atwood's Wikipedia Page
An Interview with Margaret Atwood

The Aunts as an Analysis of Feminine Power: An Essay
New York Times Book Review of The Handmaid's Tale
Time Magazine's Book Review of The Handmaid's Tale
About the Movie The Handmaid's Tale
The Handmaid's Tale Movie Trailer

The Canadian Encyclopedia: Margaret Atwood
The Margaret Atwood Society

What else is there to tell?

"I wish this story were different. I wish it were more civilized. I wish it showed me in a better light, if not happier, then at least more active, less hesitant, less distracted by trivia. I wish it had more shape. I wish it were about love, or about sudden realizations important to one's life, or even about sunsets, birds, rainstorms, or snow."

Maybe it it about those things, in a sense; but in the meantime there is so much else getting in the way, so much whispering, so much speculation about others, so much gossip that can not be verified, so many unsaid words, so much creeping about and secrecy. And there is so much time to be endured, time heavy as fried food or thick fog; and then all at once these red events, like explosions, on streets otherwise decorous and matronly and somnambulant.

I'm sorry there is so much pain in this story. I'm sorry it's in fragments, like a body caught in crossfire or pulled apart by force. But there is nothing I can do to change it..."

I wonder what else Margaret Atwood feels there is to write about, what other parts of this story could be more interesting. It certainly is not a glamorous story, it is actually quite the contrary, but it is frighteningly real and I believe that gives it merit. And in a way it is about love, and about sudden realizations. It is also about the human psyche, which is, in my opinion, one of the most interesting things there is to write about.

Furthermore, The Handmaid's Tale left me with numerous questions, and really made me think. I will continue to question how much power the government has, or could have if they chose to. Also, I will remain in awe that in this book the way the government gained control of the people was through their bank accounts, and terrified that people in reality are now putting microchips in their interact cards. But I think the most important questions this book raises are not those concerning politics, but those that delve into human nature. Regardless of the restraints and dangers that face the main character she continues to feel, and in turn has an affair with the only single man in the household. The man who is meant to be in charge, the Commander, also falls prey to his own desires and wishes for nothing more than to have a real conversation, without ceremony or fear, and achieves this by inviting his handmaid to play scrabble with him late in the evening -- this of course is entirely against the rules. I believe both of these occurrences are entirely within the scope of human reality, and if in our modern society people were told how they should live, and had huge restraints put on them, I would not be surprised if they reacted in similar ways. It is human nature, I believe, to want and to feel, and if society did not have some tolerance of these things people would find other ways to express them. Whether through an affair, or scrabble. I really believe that once a person believes something is right, or wants something enough, they will find some way to achieve their wishes, no matter the cost. 

Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.

Do not let the bastards grind you down.

"...I've tried to put some of the good things in as well. Flowers, for instance, because where would we be without them?"

(Atwood, 251)

Love.

"Now, tell me. You're an intelligent person, I like to hear what you think. What did we overlook?

Love, I said.

Love? said the Commander. What kind of love?

Falling in love, I said.

The Commander looked at me with his candid boy's eyes. Oh yes, he said. I've read the magazines, that's what they were pushing, wasn't it? But look at the stats, my dear. Was it really worth it, falling in love? Arranged marriages have always worked out just as well, if not better.

Love, said Aunt Lydia with distaste. Don't let me catch you at it. No mooning and June-ing around here, girls. Wagging her finger at us. Love is not the point.

Those years were just an anomaly, historically speaking, the Commander said. Just a fluke. All we've done is return things to Nature's norm."

(Atwood, 206)

Is love really not part of 'Nature's norm'? Have we held it in such high esteem for so long because that is what we believed to be right, not because it is what we truly feel?

From what I've read and heard of love, it's far from a rational emotion, but it is one that most people experience to some extent in their life. Where would we be without the endless stories, poems and songs about scorned love, unrequited love, everlasting love and most importantly of all true love? The world would be a less interesting place to say the least. The majority of the entertainment in our world centers around some kind of love plot line. And I believe we are richer for it. With most people striving for someone to share their lives with I like to believe that less people are striving for less honourable things.

The emotions we feel are inescapable, whether they are for good or for bad. I believe that it is the ups and downs of our feelings that make us feel alive. Life would be all too dull with out these heights and depths.

I'd rather die terrified...

True love...

It.

"The night before we left the house, that last time, I was walking through the rooms. Nothing was packed up, because we weren't taking much with us and we couldn't afford even then to give the least appearance of leaving. So I was just walking through, here and there, looking at the things, at the arrangement we had made together, for our life. I had some idea that I would be able to remember, afterwards, what it had looked like.

Luke was in the living room. He put his arms around me. We were both feeling miserable. How were we to know we were happy, even then? Because we at least had that: arms, around.

The cat, is what he said.

Cat? I said, against the wool of his sweater.

We can't just leave her here.

I hadn't thought about the cat. Neither of us had. Our decision had been too sudden, and then there had been the planning to do. I must have thought she was coming with us. But she couldn't, you don't take a cat on a day trip across the border.

Why not outside? I said. We could just leave her.

She'd hang around and mew at the door. Someone would notice we were gone.

We could give her away, I said. One of the neighbours. Even as I said this, I saw how foolish that would be.

I'll take care of it, Luke said. And because he said it instead of her, I knew he meant kill. That is what you have to do before you kill, I thought. You have to create an it, where none was before. You do that first, in your head, and then you make it real. So that's how they do it, I thought. I seemed never to have known that before."

(Atwood, 180)

This part makes me very sad, but at the same time somewhat amazed. I've never considered before what it would take for an ordinary person to kill. It makes perfect sense that they would create a distance between themselves and the object of their violence. But how long would it take for them to be convinced of this distance? I don't think it's very believable that Luke had created a divide between himself and his beloved pet in that instant, that simultaneously. Or would he be able overlook the distance at the time because it was necessary to kill the cat to keep his family safe? Could he put just enough distance in between to be able to commit the murder, and then justify it at a later time?

It also makes me wonder if soldiers are trained in some way to distance themselves from their enemies, or if it is something they learn for themselves --something inherent in them. There must be some part of the human mind that is able to close itself to the horrors of war. On the other hand, many soldiers respond dreadfully to the atrocities they witness on the battle field -- doctors call it post-traumatic stress. There must be some way to train those in the military to separate their minds from the brutality around them.

Describing Reality

"This is a reconstruction. All of it is a reconstruction. It's a reconstrustion now, in my head, as I lie flat on my single bed rehearsing what I should or shouldn't have said, what I should or shouldn't have done, how I should have played it. If I ever get out of here--

... When I get out of here, if I'm ever able to set this down, in any form, even in the form of one voice to another, it will be a reconstruction then too,and yet another remove. It is impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was, because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave something out, there are too many parts, sides, crosscurrents, nuances; shapes which can never be fully described, too many flavours, in the air or on the tongue, half colours, too many."

(Atwood, 126)

It's odd to consider that all the stories we've ever heard or read are missing pieces. There's no way they could be told with every detail of the occurence intact. As Atwood says there are "too many flavours", there's too much our senses can perceive. This realization makes me consider the world around me, and how I would describe it. I'm in my room, and I can easily tell you the primary colours -- black and white -- but not all of them in all their shades. I can tell you that the air is slightly stagnant, but sweet in a way, it's the way my room usually is. I'm accustomed to it, but to someone who is not, it is impossible for me to describe in perfect clarity my bedroom.

Then again, why would anyone want to know, in finite detail, all the aspects of the world around them? It would be terrible to hear or read a story that went in to elaborate description of every minute fact. I believe it is better for an author to leave a fair amount to the audience, and allow them to paint their own landscape to place the writer's characters in. A good story tells the reader what to imagine, but a great story would inspire the reader and allow them to utilise their imagination.

"All right," I say. I go to him and place my lips, closed, against his. I smell the shaving lotion, the usual kind, the hint of mothballs, familiar enough to me. But he's like someone I've only just met.

He draws away, looks down at me. There's the smile again, the sheepish one. Such candour. "Not like that," he says. "As if you mean it."

He was so sad.

This is a reconstruction, too."

(Atwood, 132)

First Impressions

"It's Janine, telling us about how she was gang-raped at fourteen and had an abortion. She told the same story last week. She seemed almost proud of it, while she was telling. It may not even be true. At Testifying, it's safer to make things up than to say you have nothing to reveal. But since it's Janine, it's probably more or less true.
But whose fault was it? Aunt Helena says, holding up one plump finger.
Her fault, her fault, her fault, we chant in unison.

Who led them on? Aunt Helena beams, pleased with us.

She did. She did. She did.

Why did God allow such a terrible thing to happen?

Teach her a lesson. Teach her a lesson. Teach her a lesson."

(Atwood, 67)

Margaret Atwood's style of writing takes some getting used to. The way she writes in present tense and without quotation marks can be confusing at first. The main issues is the one of writing in present tense, as most authors don't do this, and thus I am unaccustumed to it. It's not that it makes the situations any less clear it's just not a writing style I'm used to interpreting.

Looking past that issue, which I'm sure will become less apparent as the book continues, it is clear in the very beginning of this novel that it will concern many taboos and issues of Western culture. This excerpt is from 'the Red centre', a place where women are being trained to carry children for other couples. I found this part of the chapter especially shocking. The idea that a woman can be blamed for something like rape is at first an atrocious one, but upon further reflection one must wonder how entirely wrong the Aunts can be. In the world we inhabit sex is everywhere, and no one attempts to put a stop to the constant stimulation, most shockingly the women who are often subject to the worst repercussions. Girls as young at grade 6 wear make-up on a regular basis, and have been known to develop eating disorders to match. This seems to be what is expected of these girls, to be like their 2-dimensional model idols. As these girls progress into adolescence it is not unlikely that the hemlines on their skirts will rise, while their necklines plunge. To plead innocence to the effect this image could have on the opposite sex is absurd, in many cases this effect is the desired one.

But to what extent is this 'invitation' to be taken literally? Where is the line between one's resposibility for themself and one's responsibility for another's actions? What responsibility does a society have to create images that cannot be blamed for the world's atrocities?