The Handmaid's Tale

In The Handmaid's Tale, the idea of freedom is brought up time and time again in the context of a society where all citizens are stripped of their basic freedoms and placed in an environment of rigid control. An intriguing question which is raised throughout the novel in this: Is it better to have the freedom to do what we wish, even if it may cause destruction, or is it better to have another choose what is best for us? As Americans, we value our freedom greatly, and cling to the ideals of justice and equality- none of which can be found in Gilead. Their society attacks these ideals as worthless, and even harmful, chosing instead to create a societal structure which exploits women and restricts men as well, which is ironically, much worse than the problems which they sought to solve. In one part of the story, Aunt Lydia summarizes their skewed mentality, saying "There is more than one kind of freedom...Freedom to and freedom from. Now you are being given freedom from. Don't underrate it" (Atwood 24). Later in the story, Offred mentions that "Yesterday was July the 4th, which used to be Independence Day, before they abolished it" (199). The abolishing of Independence Day is symbolic of the abolishing of independence itself. The characters in this novel are not permitted to make any choices regarding their own lives, nor are they allowed to have any individuality or uniqueness. The mentality of this society is that people cannot obtain happiness on their own; they need authority figures to lead them to happiness by the creation of rules and restrictions. As human beings with free will, we know that happiness essentially cannot exist without freedom, and with freedom comes the ability to make mistakes and cause pain. Margaret Atwood conveys this idea in novel through the use of satire. The character of Moira exemplifies a desire for freedom and a rebellious nature. Moira refuses to conform and break under the pressure of her society no matter how they may try to oppress her. "Moira was like an elevator with open sides. She made us dizzy. Already we were losing the taste for freedom, already we were finding these walls secure" (133). At times, it the characters may feel that it is easier to give up their freedom and let someone else live for them when it seems that there is no hope of ever escaping or being happy again. Moira, however, exemplifies a basic human desire for freedom, independence, and individuality in her willingness to fight for these things, even to the point of risking her own life.

"No mother is ever, completely, a child's idea of what a mother should be, and I suppose it works the other way around as well" (181). This was my favorite line in this novel. This line really made me pause for a moment and consider just how true it is. One thing that struck me about this story is that there are very few lasting and true relationships involved in the plot- the nature of the society makes it virtually impossible. In a novel that was very difficult to relate to, this line really affected me and connected to my own life. The relationship between a mother and a child is one of the most beautiful and yet complicated things, and this line effectively captures that idea. I felt that this quote made an unrealistic story a bit more personal and emotional. I found this line to be refreshingly honest and insightful, and it made me think of my own relationship with my mother.

Overall, I liked this novel and I thought it was very thought-provoking. I'm not sure that this is a novel I would have chosen to read on my own, however, I think that it had many valid points, and it made them in a very captivating and convincing manner. Initially, the disturbing and violent elements of the plot line (and there were certainly plenty) made me strongly dislike this story. Though I still dislike those scenes, having read the whole story, I now understand how the author used them to make more of an impact, and as part of an exaggeration to make her main points. I like this novel because I feel that is raised a lot of questions that are very relevant to our world today- about freedom, about gender roles, religion, and other traditions, and about the need to question traditionally held beliefs. I like the way Atwood uses a very dramatic plot to reveal her views to the reader, rather than just coming out and stating them, and she allows the reader to question and debate these issues. Though I also didn't like the ending, which I felt was very anti-climatic, I can appreciate the style of the work as a whole and the themes that Atwood conveys.