Friday, January 13, 2012
Literary Criticism E.Alvarado Pd.3
"The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood is a novel that is filled with suspense, romance, sadness, and most importantly insight. The author successfully used the point of view of the narrator to describe the tragic situation that "Offred" along with all the other handmaid's were forced to surpass. Atwood's use of imagery and irony help her audience better understand as well as visualize the exact situation these women were forced to live in on a day to day basis. "There must have been a chandelier once but they took down anything you could tie a rope to". Although to many a chandelier is admired for its intricacy and beauty, to the handmaid's the chandelier is an escape from the hell that they are currently living in. This is one of the many examples of the way Atwood uses imagery in order to successfully convey her message. Through out the entire novel Atwood applies many examples of irony such as when she states "I am a reproach to her as well as a necessity." Using the situation between the commander's wife and Offred Atwood is able to illustrate an image of the irony that is implicated within the handmaid's lives. Even though the commander's wife treats Offred with nothing but hostility, deep down she knows that she greatly depends on her not only to keep her home running successfully but also because Offred is the person who will make Serene Joy a mother one day. The use of imagery and irony is one of the many great tools Margaret Atwood applies to her novel in order to convey her deeper message. Her way of laying out her details is what causes her audience to better capture the true meaning of this novel.
AP English 4 TEAR Paragraph E.Alvarado Pd.3
Topic One: Analyze a character from your novel whose mind is pulled in conflicting directions by two compelling desires, ambitions, obligations, or influences.
In Margaret Atwood's somber novel "The Handmaid's Tale", the narrator of the story finds herself desperately desiring things that are frowned upon within her society.These wants and desires are what put the narrator in many sticky situations that could eventually lead to a drastic consequence. Before being forced to become a handmaid, Offred lived a very normal life. She had a successful marriage, a daughter, and money of her own. Offred always had a very independent mentality and she loved knowing that she could go out and earn her own money, she makes this very clear when her "bank account becomes frozen my husband Luke now has full control of my money". This lets the audience know how important independence is to Offred, to her nothing matters if she cant go out and provide for her family in order to be an equal with her spouse. Her pride and mentality cause her to suffer when her independence is slowly taken away. Once becoming a handmaid attention is something the narrator desperately craves. This becomes evident when the commander Offred works for begins to take an interest in her "he sits and watches me read to him this is some kind of sexual act". Although it is forbidden for a handmaid and a superior to have any type of relationship, offred continuously goes into the commander's office and interacts with him. The narrator appreciates the attention the commander grants her because its one of the many things that was abruptly snatched away from her life. This is why she would rather follow her desire by playing with temptation and risk being caught, just to receive a feeling of admiration and attention. Having any kind of relationship with men is forbidden for all the "maids" unless they are allowed to do so with an "assigned" partner. For this reason Offred begins to slowly give in to her sexual attraction to Nick but then realizes the small token of pleasure isn't worth risking her life. "We're shaking how I'd like to...I can almost taste his skin and it makes me hungry". Knowing that at any moment someone could walk in and catch Offred and Nick, makes Offred think twice about having sex with Nick. Her desperate want of sexual pleasure and her desire to reminisce her sexual relationship with her husband Luke almost becomes the reason for Offred's death. Once processing the situation in their minds both Nick and Offred realize that giving into their desire would only bring them trouble, and that risking their lives for pleasure wouldn't be worth the sacrifice in the end.
In Margaret Atwood's somber novel "The Handmaid's Tale", the narrator of the story finds herself desperately desiring things that are frowned upon within her society.These wants and desires are what put the narrator in many sticky situations that could eventually lead to a drastic consequence. Before being forced to become a handmaid, Offred lived a very normal life. She had a successful marriage, a daughter, and money of her own. Offred always had a very independent mentality and she loved knowing that she could go out and earn her own money, she makes this very clear when her "bank account becomes frozen my husband Luke now has full control of my money". This lets the audience know how important independence is to Offred, to her nothing matters if she cant go out and provide for her family in order to be an equal with her spouse. Her pride and mentality cause her to suffer when her independence is slowly taken away. Once becoming a handmaid attention is something the narrator desperately craves. This becomes evident when the commander Offred works for begins to take an interest in her "he sits and watches me read to him this is some kind of sexual act". Although it is forbidden for a handmaid and a superior to have any type of relationship, offred continuously goes into the commander's office and interacts with him. The narrator appreciates the attention the commander grants her because its one of the many things that was abruptly snatched away from her life. This is why she would rather follow her desire by playing with temptation and risk being caught, just to receive a feeling of admiration and attention. Having any kind of relationship with men is forbidden for all the "maids" unless they are allowed to do so with an "assigned" partner. For this reason Offred begins to slowly give in to her sexual attraction to Nick but then realizes the small token of pleasure isn't worth risking her life. "We're shaking how I'd like to...I can almost taste his skin and it makes me hungry". Knowing that at any moment someone could walk in and catch Offred and Nick, makes Offred think twice about having sex with Nick. Her desperate want of sexual pleasure and her desire to reminisce her sexual relationship with her husband Luke almost becomes the reason for Offred's death. Once processing the situation in their minds both Nick and Offred realize that giving into their desire would only bring them trouble, and that risking their lives for pleasure wouldn't be worth the sacrifice in the end.
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