In her novel The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood highlights women’s oppression and lack of freedom in Gilead as the female characters are forced to clothe themselves in specific gowns and unwillingly act as a submissive to the demands of their Commander. On the contrary, Thelma and Louise (1991) displays an epic journey of two women who have set off to escape the issues of their relationships, responsibilities, and problems at home and ultimately break away from the constraints of the world. Both works demonstrate freedom in 2 very different ways. However, the protagonists in each piece are similarly discriminated and disrespected by males on multiple occasions – using the women as sexual servants for both pleasure and reproduction. Throughout
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Regardless of the occasion, each woman’s body is covered from head to toe concealing every bit skin. Women are never to be seen undressed, even during doctor visits and required attempts to produce a child with the Commander. In the occasion that Offred or other handmaids disrupt these stringent regulations, they shall be punished fatally. This thematic lack of freedom is prevalent throughout the entire story. As stated in the novel, "There is more than one kind of freedom, said Aunt Lydia. Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don't underrate it" (Atwood 24). In Thelma and Louise on the other hand, freedom is conveyed quite differently. In the very first scene of the movie, Thelma is expected to ask her husband, Darryl, if she has permission to go on the trip with Louise. However, she cannot build up the courage to do so due to Darryl’s wrathful nature, and his overall lack of disrespect for Thelma. Instead, she chooses to go on the trip without his consent – fleeing from the lack of freedom she is experiencing. This differs dramatically already from The Handmaid’s Tale, seeing as though Offered never has the ability to escape her restriction. The remainder of the movie portrays Thelma and
Regardless of the occasion, each woman’s body is covered from head to toe concealing every bit skin. Women are never to be seen undressed, even during doctor visits and required attempts to produce a child with the Commander. In the occasion that Offred or other handmaids disrupt these stringent regulations, they shall be punished fatally. This thematic lack of freedom is prevalent throughout the entire story. As stated in the novel, "There is more than one kind of freedom, said Aunt Lydia. Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don't underrate it" (Atwood 24). In Thelma and Louise on the other hand, freedom is conveyed quite differently. In the very first scene of the movie, Thelma is expected to ask her husband, Darryl, if she has permission to go on the trip with Louise. However, she cannot build up the courage to do so due to Darryl’s wrathful nature, and his overall lack of disrespect for Thelma. Instead, she chooses to go on the trip without his consent – fleeing from the lack of freedom she is experiencing. This differs dramatically already from The Handmaid’s Tale, seeing as though Offered never has the ability to escape her restriction. The remainder of the movie portrays Thelma and