Uhm. The Red Center. I hate that place. I haven't even been there, neither does it even exist, but I hate it! And the people that work there, the Aunts, the make me sick to my guts. No joke, true story, for real. The place is the epitome of somewhere to be brainwashed. They take things from the Bible and twist the words around so they can make the best handmaids.
Who would want to be one anyways? I think these women got the short end of the sticks, yennoe? First off, how did they even get the position of a handmaid? Were there certain qualifications that made you a handmaid, an Aunt, a Martha, etc.? How about the Commanders? Why couldn't Luke be a Commander with Offred at his side as a handmaid? Sure, they're young, but it's more likely that a younger male will impregnate a female? So why take the chances with a guy that's more than likely unsterile?
I think that this is the most unjust world and even though some women didn't have the best of lives (they were raped, didn't have a good childhood, bad parents, no friends, etc.,) it's a whole crapload better than the lives these women live now. They can't have a job, they are only used for certain reasons, they can't speak their minds, their thought for instead of using their on thinking, etc. So I'd rather take my chances of getting beat up for my money than not having my own life to live.
Sheryl, great ideas. So why do you think Atwood chose to create this society? What sort of criticism do you think he might be making about our own world?
ReplyDeleteThis world Atwood created may seem crazy to us but what if Gilead succeeded and the next generation knew nothing of the former world? If we had been the next generation, we would not question how the society works, it would a norm for us. We would just notice what works and what doesn't, find joy in some activities(if any is present) and dislike others and say that's just the way life is. People today in our present society also does this, unless a problem hits its boiling point and people raise awareness to injustice such as protesting for civil rights, we would just live on, ignorantly. Today, there are so many problems in the world but only a few actually take actions to make a change. Most just go on with their lives and fail to take responsibility just like Offred. Atwood probably created this society to point out this human flaw. We don't know what we have or had until it's gone. Atwood wants to prevent this and advises us to continue to be progressive.
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