The Handmaid's Tale Unorthodoxy Analysis

Unorthodoxy Through Characteristic Traits Is there unorthodoxy in our world? Are people killed for being unorthodox? Is there a certain group of people that are unorthodox and another that are orthodox? In The Handmaid’s Tale, a dystopian novel written by Margaret Atwood, Offred, the narrator, is confined to few rights just like the other females in the Republic of Gilead. As a Handmaid, Offred’s only job is to conceive a child with a Commander. During their daily walks, Offred and Ofglen discuss their unorthodoxy. The two realize they both disagree with the government in place now, and want to expose the truth. Offred and her Commander share time together, an unorthodox event, and Offred learns a little more information while being treated …show more content…
When Offred attends the Salvaging, the mass execution of unorthodox people, she is very disengaged. After the Handmaids participate in hanging the unorthodox people holding the rope that hangs them, they are asked to beat up a man that has raped a woman. All the women attack the man except for Offred who says, “I know that whatever he’s done I can’t touch him” (Atwood 279). Offred throughout the story spends time with the Commander, even though they are only supposed to be with each other during the Ceremony. When she is with the Commander she reads, puts on makeup, is given gifts, plays scrabble, and wears different clothing items, all which are unorthodox events. Offred also has sexual relations with Nick to try to conceive a child, which is another unorthodox act. Serena, the Commander’s wife, suggests, “Maybe you should try it another way… Another man… I was thinking of Nick” (Atwood 205). Offred agrees to the idea, but her and Nick’s sexual relations sparks feelings for one another, which is yet another unorthodox act. Offred speaks of her unorthodoxy with a few people, one of them being