Comparison Essay
From the first page of Persepolis when Marji does not understand the purpose of wearing the veil, it is clear that religious practices are used as a front for tyranny. Similarly, in The Handmaids Tale, the carelessly read, mandatory Bible readings reveal how religion has lost its sacredness and has become too much about controlling the people. Both The Handmaid’s Tale and Persepolis take place in oppressive societies that restrict freedom of religion; strict religious laws are the foundations of these two societies. The views of the religions and words from the sacred texts are distorted and used as instruments to control society. The oppressive societies limit the freedom of the people which inevitably causes rebellion.
Both …show more content…
The treatment of the handmaids as objects is justified by a misinterpretation of the Bible. Each month before the Ceremony, the Commander reads from Genesis, justifying and moralizing the crude intercourse that will take place. In order to emphasis the correlation between the Bible and the handmaids, they must wear white “wings”, and dress like nuns. Offred describes herself in her red uniform as a “Sister dipped in blood” (Atwood, 9). The Handmaid’s Tale is not a criticism of the Bible itself, but a criticism of how people and theocracies use the Bible for their own oppressive purposes. The control over clothing is also justified through religion in Persepolis. Marji describes the women who are “Guardians of the revolution… to arrest women who were improperly veiled. (Like me, for example)” (Satrapi, 132). Marji states that their job is to “put us back on the straight and narrow by explaining the duties of Muslim women” (Satrapi, 133). The guardians of the revolutions defend these restrictions of freedom by identifying them as responsibilities of Muslim …show more content…
From a young age Marji is told: “"If anyone ever asks you what you do during the day, say you pray, you understand?" (Satrapi, 75). Even though Marji has deep faith in God, she rebels by lying in order to meet the government’s requirements. To Marji faith is not reflected by the frequency of praying, but in her personal relationship to God. Similarly, the people of Gilead are unable to avoid disobeying rules because they are too strict. Though Offred shouldn’t, she notices Nick who “isn’t supposed to speak to [her]” trying to do so. The women of Gilead take the blame for the men’s crude behavior. During this time Offred remembers Aunt Lydia telling her, “Of course some of them will try… They can’t help it… God made them that way but He did not make you that way” (Atwood,
From the first page of Persepolis when Marji does not understand the purpose of wearing the veil, it is clear that religious practices are used as a front for tyranny. Similarly, in The Handmaids Tale, the carelessly read, mandatory Bible readings reveal how religion has lost its sacredness and has become too much about controlling the people. Both The Handmaid’s Tale and Persepolis take place in oppressive societies that restrict freedom of religion; strict religious laws are the foundations of these two societies. The views of the religions and words from the sacred texts are distorted and used as instruments to control society. The oppressive societies limit the freedom of the people which inevitably causes rebellion.
Both …show more content…
The treatment of the handmaids as objects is justified by a misinterpretation of the Bible. Each month before the Ceremony, the Commander reads from Genesis, justifying and moralizing the crude intercourse that will take place. In order to emphasis the correlation between the Bible and the handmaids, they must wear white “wings”, and dress like nuns. Offred describes herself in her red uniform as a “Sister dipped in blood” (Atwood, 9). The Handmaid’s Tale is not a criticism of the Bible itself, but a criticism of how people and theocracies use the Bible for their own oppressive purposes. The control over clothing is also justified through religion in Persepolis. Marji describes the women who are “Guardians of the revolution… to arrest women who were improperly veiled. (Like me, for example)” (Satrapi, 132). Marji states that their job is to “put us back on the straight and narrow by explaining the duties of Muslim women” (Satrapi, 133). The guardians of the revolutions defend these restrictions of freedom by identifying them as responsibilities of Muslim …show more content…
From a young age Marji is told: “"If anyone ever asks you what you do during the day, say you pray, you understand?" (Satrapi, 75). Even though Marji has deep faith in God, she rebels by lying in order to meet the government’s requirements. To Marji faith is not reflected by the frequency of praying, but in her personal relationship to God. Similarly, the people of Gilead are unable to avoid disobeying rules because they are too strict. Though Offred shouldn’t, she notices Nick who “isn’t supposed to speak to [her]” trying to do so. The women of Gilead take the blame for the men’s crude behavior. During this time Offred remembers Aunt Lydia telling her, “Of course some of them will try… They can’t help it… God made them that way but He did not make you that way” (Atwood,