Let’s Talk The Handmaid’s Tale

Books are an essential part of how we interpret the world around us- we use stories and literature to help us understand the complexity of our existence. With the way that America has been progressing, I took it upon myself to read The Handmaid’s Tale and dig into the not-so-distant dystopia that is Gilead. 

There are going to be a few spoilers: if you have not read this novel, please do while you still can! 

The first thing that stuck out to me is the character of Serena Joy. Although she is not a big character in the book (she appears to have a larger role in the TV series, which I have yet to watch), I think her character is extremely important because Serena Joy is the epitome of a “pick me girl”. In this tale, Serena Joy is at the top of the hierarchy of women- she is the “wife of the commander” and has power over other women, such as our protagonist Offred, who is merely a Handmaid. In this novel, we see how she clings tightly to whatever power she has and tries her best to manipulate whatever situation she is in. At the end of the day, however, she is still a woman. Serena preached about traditional marriages and anti-feminism, forgetting that the very thing she hated (feminism) is what gave her a voice to speak out against it in the first place. Now that she doesn’t have a voice anymore, she is absolutely miserable. Her own undoing is exactly the thing she wanted. How ironic. 

Another thing that stuck out to me is how the men were treated in the society of Gilead. If you are a man and not part of the elite, you have to obey strict rules or you are killed. These men push women down into submission, not realizing that the same hand holding women down is holding them down as well. They have created their own hell where women hate them, there are no rules or consequences for the elite, and they can be killed for nothing with no one shedding a tear. Hey men! Was it worth it?

An additional character I have to mention in this story is Moira. Her character is a beautiful reflection of all the fierce women out there who make an escape. When bad things happen and there is a sense of hopelessness, Moira already has plans A, B, and C ready to go. Her escape was one of my favorite parts of the book, and she really is a symbol of hope and rebellion.

I, of course, cannot end this reflection without talking about our lovely lady Offred. Although her real name is never revealed in the book, her narration throughout the story really gives the readers such a horrific glimpse into the life she was thrown into. Her real, raw, and vulnerable insights really pull the book together. We go through the journey with her as she weaves us a picture of her current situation, and although she doesn’t know what her future looks like, she knows there is no use dwelling on the past because she will never go back there again. So, she perseveres and does her best.

In conclusion, The Handmaid’s Tale is more of a warning than it is a fantasy. It is an extremely hard read in the midst of the current controversies regarding women’s rights, and it not only tells us to be aware of the small changes (Offred went from being a working mom in Boston to a Handmaid in a matter of months) but also serves as a reminder for us not to get scared when facing adversity. Organize.