A. Symbol: Red.
The color red is a consistent significant symbol that
appears throughout The Handmaid's Tale. Red is the specific color of the
cloaks that the handmaid's are obligated to wear. This color is strictly
reserved for being a handmaid which implies that red is a symbol of
reproduction, because that is the purpose of the handmaids, and the blood of
the menstrual cycle. For instance, the marthas do not wear red because their
role is to cook and clean and not reproduce. The color red is also a prominent
allusion used by Margaret Atwood. In The Scarlet Letter, Hester Pyrnne
wears a scarlet letter to symbolize her affair with Arthur Dimmesdale. The
color red stood for Hester's sin against her husband, culture, and beliefs. The
color red in the Handmaid's Tale relates to this allusion because the
handmaids are forced to endure the ceremony every month even though the
commanders are married and the handmaids themselves, like Offred, were married
in their old lives. The ceremony is committing adultery and the color red on
the handmaid's outfits symbolizes their role in the crime.
B. "Back on the earth, my mother, part of the crowd now,
and I can't see her anymore" (120).
This quote was significant to me and this novel because it
sets the tone for how Offred will forever see her mother. She was so used to
viewing her mother as a strong and independent woman who burned pornography and
embarrassed Offred with her feminist opinions. However, times changed, and
Offred is now forced to picture her mother working in the colonies and blending
in with "the crowd". This is a somber moment for Offred to tackle. It
is a moment of realization of the horrors of Gilead. When Atwood says "...
and I can't see her anymore", this symbolizes the moment Offred had when
realizing that she will likely never contact her mother again and no longer can
reach her if needed.
C. Personally, I thought this novel was very well-written and
brought forth a very pertinent point. However, I am disgusted by Gilead's
practices and values. I feel as though this book should be very well-known in
our society because it is a warning that portrays the terrors of having females
being "protected" and males holding a powerful dominance.
Traditionalists should take this novel into consideration because it literally
applies the traditional roles of the female gender to a futuristic society.
Atwood uses Serena Joy as a "has been" traditionalist who is now
forced to endure the consequences of her choices. Atwood uses exemplary
allusions and metaphors like the pen, the faith pillow, and Offred's mother to
amplify her feministic views. Atwood uses her literary techniques to force
readers to comprehend that practicing this type of society is treacherous and
should be avoided at all costs.
