Offred's issues

In chapter 11, The doctors offer to help Offred have a child. the doctor´s offer to Offred suggest the limits of totalitarianism and the inability to any state to control human society. The doctors references to the declining birthrate, and the visit of the doctor suggest that Handmaids exist to bear children in the world. In the extreme patriarchal world in this book, men cannot be called sterile yet the doctor says ¨Sterile¨. If woman was to fail at giving birth then she is label barren and no one blames the men for not providing a child for the women. I just don't know why people do not like the world sterile even though it exists. It may cause sexual activities that handmaid's should not be doing.

There is a universal need for children is central in the novel, in one way or another it motivates the characters in someone. But when the doctor offered to help impregnate her she gets scared but she wants to escape. In the Offred's world, all she wants to survive. Every since she lost her daughter when they were being chased in the forest. She remembers being physically restrained as they watch them take her daughter. I feel she does not want to go through that kind of fear again. But she also feels over powered by all the mean in the world. She hates facing menstruation every month because it meant failure to her. Her only function for her as a Handmaid is child bearing.

There is also a lot biblical references through out the book, like " Blessed are the meek", she suggests the women will rise up again their oppresses, but she also suggest that women glory comes from meek. Gilead likes to take the meaning of certain biblical text and just destroy them sometimes and turn them into something dark.


Comments

  1. Paige ShrevesNovember 5, 2017 at 12:52 PM

    I found this post to be very interesting with ideas that I wanted to further analyze. I also find this part very interesting. The people of this totalitarian society were not allowed to believe that men have anything to do with the declining birthrate. Yet, a male doctor is the only person who does not get executed for partially putting the blame on men. This idea then contributes to characters, Offred, feeling like a failure because the Commander possible is sterile. I also found the biblical references from the government to be interesting, mainly because they are fighting religious sects to maintain control.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

What We Hunger For: Deep Thoughts

"Just because you survive something does not mean you are strong." To be completely honest, this story was one that I could almost watch in my head. Perhaps part of that was because it was written vividly with strong imagery and diction; perhaps because I could see a reflection of myself in Gay's story. This year has been a transformative one for me, as I have learned to become more self-aware and acknowledging that there is immense power in naming our struggles. I am consistently told by my friends how "strong, courageous, and unfuckwithable" I am... which, I think, genuinely stems from my inability to be comfortable. I've survived too much. I've been exposed to and made it through too much... and apparently, the fact that I managed to make it "out" of those immediate situations is seen as strong. However, I am very thankful that Gay made the comment above. To me, I've always seen strength as how people cope with the long-term effects o...
Read more

A word is a word is a word

In "Bad Feminist: Take One," Gay opens up about her inner quarrels regarding her identification as a feminist. This is something I, too struggled with. At the time, the term was gaining a less than popular connotation, with a minority of the movement taking it upon themselves to spread their isolated belief that women rise above the equilibrium of society; they are superior to men and all men are inherently awful. It is easy to understand, then, why a young girl that does not share these extreme views and stereotypes may not want to be a placed beneath a spot light during such a tense situation, and would subsequently ditch the term. Ditching the term, for me at least, did not mean that I lost my way and would slowly evolve into the submissive, modest, and good woman deemed to be the ideal. Although, ditching the term is controversial and some may see it as a betrayal to the movement executed by a ‘ bad ’ woman. If the individuals remains true to their beliefs and conti...
Read more

Fifty Shades of Fantasy

I've never been too intrigued by all the 50 Shades of Grey concept. As a social work major, reading the first book in the series and watching the first movie with my aunt (yes- my AUNT...), all I could think of when I was exposed to that plot was the lack of focus on Christian's real need and outcry for help. The novel flips the 'usual' narrative of the woman being the victim and her inability to retain a healthy relationship, and shows us a man who seeks domination and control, which- some argue- is what women *really* want. I will not be the first to argue that point. In "The Trouble With Prince Charming," Gay references 50 Shades and how the author uses a disgusting sense of erotica that we can't help but be turned on by, to romanticise the idea of pure abuse, submission, and toxicity in the text. I will commend the story on one thing: Christian is adamant about consent. Mostly because it could result in a MAJOR lawsuit against him if ever interprete...
Read more