"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.
2 comments:
I really enjoy the way you use quotes in your journals. In my opinion is really shows that book the influences you personally if you can find such swaying passages. It would be great if you could work this into you apologia, quotes like these will draw a lot of emphasise to your points.
I agree with Emma. The quotations are very effective. Terran, your thoughts and opinions on this novel are very interesting. I'd like to read the book to learn more about it, and its author. Margaret Atwood seems like a very interesting person.
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