What Is The Theme Of Identity In The Handmaid's Tale

In Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, a woman by the name of Offred lives in a regime known as Gilead. Gilead is a totalitarian society that attempts to control all aspects of society. Offred gives the reader insight into Gilead by narrating her memories of her times as a Handmaid. As an entity, the novel encompasses an intricate definition of the family and the power structure of society. This structure is designed to critique the point of inequalities among people as a consequence from authority. Additionally, Atwood makes the claim for how religion serves as the driving force behind this regime, as the novel stresses the use of biblical readings and prayers for justification of power. She argues over the rights of sexuality, and shows the consequences of any attempts to restrict this facet of life. Lastly, Atwood attempts to explore is the importance of identity and dignity. She shows on various occasions in the novel that it is important to remind oneself about their identity in order to maintain hope. Out of these arguments Atwood attempts to make, the most important is her critique on the idea of power and identity. The theme of power has a trickling effect, which shows how power can result in the …show more content…
Several times in the novel the reader is offered descriptions of Offred’s ideals in her past life. For example, Offred talks about Luke several times. She elicits one particular example in Chapter 18 of Luke’s fate. She looks at him as either being shot, captured, or a part of the resistance. It is important to note that she believes in all three versions of this story. This serves as a mechanism for Offred to hold onto if she finds out about his wellbeing. The chances of Offred learning about Luke’s whereabouts are slim, but she still holds onto her memories, demonstrating a care and yearning for her past