Handmaids Tale: Literary Analysis Essay

Introduction

The "Handmaid's Tale" is a book written by Margaret Atwood. The book starts with the narrator being held captive with other women in a place known as women's center. The author uses the narrator to show how women are molested and how they have been discriminated against. For instance, the main character (narrator) works as a handmaid where in the house she works in; it is expected of her to have sex with her boss so that she may conceive and provide the household with a child. Although this act seems to be against her will, she does not have any option because she needs the work anyway. In her daily tasks, she has been denied freedom, and she even has one uniform in which she puts on every day (Atwood 40). The only time she can go out is when she is shopping for the household, and this still goes on supervised so that she may not attempt to escape. The narrator says "There is no one among us who likes to draw another for a partner in shopping. More than the rest of us, they are more broken; it's difficult to feel comfortable with them" (Atwood 25), and in this, she means that she only missed her family and friends because they were the only friendly people to her. Women have been denied freedom in the society thus the need for them to fight for their rights to liberation.

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Flashbacks and the Contrast of Past and Present

As the book goes on, the handmaid has some flashbacks whereby she remembers about her earlier life where she lived with her husband Luke, daughter and her mother. The author puts these flashbacks to show that her previous experience was great and satisfying than her present one in the women's center (Atwood 70). At this point, the narrator says "I would like to narrate a story the escape of Moira, this time for good" (Atwood 60). This statement is to mean that she remembers her friend Moira with whom they once tried to escape together. She also remembers the way her previous life was filled with happiness, where so many feminists fought for the women's rights including her mother and friend Moira. The author brings back the story to the current events whereby the narrator finds herself in the women's center after a series of coups happen and the government collapses. It means that all women have lost their jobs, money, as well as freedom and that, is the current state the main character falls at right now. During the same period, she is separated from her daughter and wakes up the next morning with people claiming she is not a good mother although she did not know what happened.

Punishment and Uncertain Fate

As the book ends, the author shows how the narrator is punished for having a secret affair with the commander. The commander's wife is mad about this act and decides to punish her heavily. As the narrator is waiting for her punishment, a black van comes along the homestead, and she knows very well that it is a sign that she is about to be arrested or killed (Atwood 55). Finally, the men come out of the van and convince her that they are there to save her from all the misery but not to take her in. She is shocked, and the story ends with her fate being uncertain. Therefore, the author portrays the central theme to be gender roles and uses it as a way of communicating the way women are mistreated through some ideas, and this attracts the attention of many feminists who fight for women's rights. Margaret Atwood's book, the "Handmaid's Tale" talks about the position of women in the society, and the author sensitizes more on the importance of gender roles and that they should be granted their rights and freedom.

Critique of Contemporary Issues and Advocacy for Women's Rights

An in-depth analysis of the "Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood shows that it is a fair critique of the science fiction device. It is because the author used the contemporary issues facing the current world to outline her book. For instance, she uses female characters to show how they are mistreated just because of gender and therefore she used the book to critique the issue so that more feminists would be introduced to the world to fight for women's rights and have them acquire equal privileges as men (Atwood 21). She also uses the novel as a critique of the anti-abortion techniques and other reproductive technologists. She uses the book to critique the fact that women are known to have the freedom of doing it as they would like. In this case, she is against these techniques and instead advocates for freedom of all women so that they may do whatever they want with the children they conceive.

Literary Devices and Themes Explored

The author also uses literary devices such as dystopia, speculative fiction, and existential apologia. Dystopia is portrayed through the way the Gilead commanders set forth some strict rules concerning the issues of abortion protest, venereal disease, gang rape, pornography and sexual license (Atwood 20). They set these issues in the open with an imagery mind that they are going to restore back the traditional values and let women live in a free world where they should not be forced to anything against their will. Speculative fiction is portrayed through the warning that is placed based on the current social, political and economic trends in the society. The author describes that all the awful treatment of women have already been set forth before and she uses the same fiction to remind the readers that such acts are still in progress and therefore it is the high time the narrator fought for her rights as a woman.

Existential apologia is portrayed through the coping mechanisms described by women as they try to fight for their rights. These mechanisms are used by most women to survive the torture they are undergoing, and therefore the author uses this style to sensitize the world and especially women on how they can rescue themselves in times of danger. An example is shown whereby the narrator goes to the washroom to smoothen her dry skin with lotion and smoke a cigarette as a way of easing the current situation she is going through (Atwood 35). She uses this chance to speak and share with her friend Moira as she remembers the good times she had with her husband, mother, and daughter.

A significant theme portrayed within the book is the gender roles within the society. The author uses the main character who is a woman placed in a women's center to undertake her tasks as well as provide sexual pleasures to her boss. This image proves to the world that such acts are still in progress even after the slavery period. She also shows how women are killed and molested in a way that denies them their rights and freedom. Even in the household where the narrator works, she is not allowed to go outside unless she is shopping and it still goes on supervised so that she cannot manage to escape (Atwood 25). Additionally, the author also uses a tone which portrays that she has power in her book and through this if she is delivering an essential message. The tone generally is also commanding as the author does not sugarcoat any truth. She tells it as it is and this improves the way her book is received.

Conclusion

In conclusion, Atwood uses her book to bring to light the issue of women treatment and how they should handle specific mechanisms to overcome these situations and gain their rights and freedom back. She portrays some ways through which women are molested such as being forced into sex against their will and being forced to give birth to children after they have been gang-raped. All these are some of the critical speculations stated in the book, and therefore the author urges the current society to fight against them and live in a contemporary world which grants women their rights.

Work Cited

Atwood, Margaret. "The Handmaid's Tale." Everyman's Library Classics. 1986.