Margaret Atwood uses a variation of figurative language to reveal the underlying sexual and manipulative ways of the Commander’s desires. In the Handmaid’s Tale, Gilead is a society where power is imposed entirely from the top. Atwoods characters demonstrate that even if substantial power is taken away from them, they will find a way to manipulate others. Atwood compares positional power to warfare and animal confrontations and emphasizes reward power with sexual language. Figurative language is used to argue that in a society without sex, people use their own powers to intimidate others.
The Commander uses his power to intimidate Offred before the affair. The Commander is searching Offred’s room, as if checking out her territory. They are …show more content…
Offred exaggerated physical reaction proves to us that she enjoys these rewards from the Commander. “Staring at the magazine, as he dangled it before me like fish bait, I wanted it. I wanted it with a force that made the ends of my fingers ache” (Atwood 156). Atwood compares the magazine to fish bait to show that the Commander has the power to intimidate Offred as if she’s a fish. Offred seems to be enjoying his game because she has access to items she isn’t allowed to have anymore. The Commander’s positional power affords him “rewards” with which he can lure Offred. Luring Offred with rewards shows us that the Commander holds the power here. He’s luring her into his game by rewarding her with forbidden gifts. Theses forbidden gifts are what makes her happy because it reminds her of her old life, which is why she is luring even deeper into his game. “Fake it, I scream at myself inside my head. You must remember how. Let's get this over with or you’ll be here all night. Bestir yourself. Move your flesh around, breathe audibly. It's the least you can do” (Atwood 110). The Commander told Offred he brought her to Jezebels as a change and also because Offred asked what’s it like in the real world. In order for Offred to keep getting these type of rewards, she has to fake it and go along with his game. Offred pressures herself to keep seeing the Commander and faking it because she feels like she owes her for the rewards he has given her and also because she wants them to
The Commander uses his power to intimidate Offred before the affair. The Commander is searching Offred’s room, as if checking out her territory. They are …show more content…
Offred exaggerated physical reaction proves to us that she enjoys these rewards from the Commander. “Staring at the magazine, as he dangled it before me like fish bait, I wanted it. I wanted it with a force that made the ends of my fingers ache” (Atwood 156). Atwood compares the magazine to fish bait to show that the Commander has the power to intimidate Offred as if she’s a fish. Offred seems to be enjoying his game because she has access to items she isn’t allowed to have anymore. The Commander’s positional power affords him “rewards” with which he can lure Offred. Luring Offred with rewards shows us that the Commander holds the power here. He’s luring her into his game by rewarding her with forbidden gifts. Theses forbidden gifts are what makes her happy because it reminds her of her old life, which is why she is luring even deeper into his game. “Fake it, I scream at myself inside my head. You must remember how. Let's get this over with or you’ll be here all night. Bestir yourself. Move your flesh around, breathe audibly. It's the least you can do” (Atwood 110). The Commander told Offred he brought her to Jezebels as a change and also because Offred asked what’s it like in the real world. In order for Offred to keep getting these type of rewards, she has to fake it and go along with his game. Offred pressures herself to keep seeing the Commander and faking it because she feels like she owes her for the rewards he has given her and also because she wants them to