Behind every action, there is a driving force. Whether explicitly stated or hidden, there are reasons behind every single thing people do. In the Handmaid’s Tale, one of the most prominent motivators is fear. Fear of being caught by the eyes, sent to the colonies, or being punished by commanders and their wives is shared by nearly every citizen of Gilead. There are also individual concerns specific to separate characters. Overall, fear is the driving force behind the conformity and rebellion of characters throughout the Handmaid’s Tale.
All throughout the novel, the themes of conformity and rebellion are evident and impactful to the story. The Handmaid’s are put into a position of total helplessness, and they have no opportunity to interact …show more content…
Members of the society wear the same colors and clothes, they follow the same routines, the Handmaid’s even have similarly structured names. Modern day society is the opposite of this world, promoting the value of the individual more than ever and encouraging all people to express themselves in unique ways. Lack of this freedom takes a drastic toll on the Handmaid’s, Marthas, and even the characters portrayed as “bad” such as guardians and aunts. There are two prominent ways people chose to deal with these struggles of individuality: conforming or rebelling. The former is most notably demonstrated by Janine’s actions. Shortly after her admission to the Red Center, she showed her loyalty to the Aunts through an eagerness to give them whatever they asked of her. By proving her reliability to the Aunts and conforming to the individuality, Janine secured a safer standing in Gilead. While the reader will never undoubtedly know if she pretended or succumbed, the idea still stands that Janine responded to the suppression of individuality with apparent …show more content…
Both actions and thoughts are used, but the bulk of disobedience occurs in the characters minds. The eyes of Gilead can prosecute and punish for what they see, but ideas are private unless turned into actions. Offred, the Commander, Moira, and many others specifically use their memories for consolation. Offred constantly ponders the fate of her family and friends, playing out scenarios in her head and imagining ways she could get back to them. When walking down the street for errands, she thinks about the stores that used to line the streets and how their signs would call in the customers. Memories run through her mind like slides, taking her away from the oppression of Gilead and into a past world of freedom. The Commander thinks of the simpler times when love was valued as an important part of life, and when women could dress in whatever they desired. These thoughts separate the citizens from each other, providing and way for individuality without risking punishment. All of this is illegal. Nearly every idea that goes through their minds would result in a trip to the colonies, but nothing happens because the imagination is a safe place. By living in memories and thoughts, many of the characters in Handmaid’s Tale are able to defy Gilead without risking
All throughout the novel, the themes of conformity and rebellion are evident and impactful to the story. The Handmaid’s are put into a position of total helplessness, and they have no opportunity to interact …show more content…
Members of the society wear the same colors and clothes, they follow the same routines, the Handmaid’s even have similarly structured names. Modern day society is the opposite of this world, promoting the value of the individual more than ever and encouraging all people to express themselves in unique ways. Lack of this freedom takes a drastic toll on the Handmaid’s, Marthas, and even the characters portrayed as “bad” such as guardians and aunts. There are two prominent ways people chose to deal with these struggles of individuality: conforming or rebelling. The former is most notably demonstrated by Janine’s actions. Shortly after her admission to the Red Center, she showed her loyalty to the Aunts through an eagerness to give them whatever they asked of her. By proving her reliability to the Aunts and conforming to the individuality, Janine secured a safer standing in Gilead. While the reader will never undoubtedly know if she pretended or succumbed, the idea still stands that Janine responded to the suppression of individuality with apparent …show more content…
Both actions and thoughts are used, but the bulk of disobedience occurs in the characters minds. The eyes of Gilead can prosecute and punish for what they see, but ideas are private unless turned into actions. Offred, the Commander, Moira, and many others specifically use their memories for consolation. Offred constantly ponders the fate of her family and friends, playing out scenarios in her head and imagining ways she could get back to them. When walking down the street for errands, she thinks about the stores that used to line the streets and how their signs would call in the customers. Memories run through her mind like slides, taking her away from the oppression of Gilead and into a past world of freedom. The Commander thinks of the simpler times when love was valued as an important part of life, and when women could dress in whatever they desired. These thoughts separate the citizens from each other, providing and way for individuality without risking punishment. All of this is illegal. Nearly every idea that goes through their minds would result in a trip to the colonies, but nothing happens because the imagination is a safe place. By living in memories and thoughts, many of the characters in Handmaid’s Tale are able to defy Gilead without risking