Language and Memory in TMHT
Links to Persepolis/ 1984
Both novels place emphasis on the concept of 'memory of the better past'. Both Offred and Winston describe their yearning for the past using evocative, highly visual imagery whereas their present recounting of events tends to be on the drier side.
Oldspeak/English in both cases is replaced by a more constricted variant in an attempt to control thoughts via language --> Newspeak/ biblical discourse.
Both regimes attempt to warp existing ideas by replacing words in order to further their agenda while persuading their citizens to continue to trust in them (Ignorance is Strength/ All flesh is weak)
Contextual Link: Rise of Christian Conservatism
The manipulation of religious texts by fundamentalists for personal gain is a recurrent theme in both the real-life event as well as in Gilead.
Basis: Bible is the word of God and therefore must be followed at all costs. Similar to the approach the theocracy in Gilead takes.
Purpose of Language and Memory as a theme in TMHT
Although actions and deeds can be controlled; minds and thoughts are not a system that can be easily dominated because people are not completely concomitant with the beliefs of the new realms. However. the theocracy in Gilead attempts to use language (biblical language, in particular) as a means of altering memory or creating new memories that fit in better with the ideals of their society.
To show the relationship between language and thought, as well as how warping either has a major effect on the other. It also highlights how language is used (and has been used, historically) as a means of control. Dystopian novels usually use language as a tool to evidence how warping it can lead to mass paradigm shifts socio-culturally.
Quote 2
“... cheering on this Commander’s Wife, the Wife of Warren.” [p. 126]
This one suggests that language is essential in forming and affecting the memory of the readers over the course of the book. Observing the use of the word “Wife” in this extract, one makes associations with how it has been used in the previous chapters.
Quote 1
From each, says the slogan… … needs. It was from the Bible… … in Acts.” [p. 127]: This is clearly a Karl Marx quote, but has been attributed to the Bible. This is not a mistake, but rather comes with the intention of showing how powerful language has been in determining the memory of the characters in the novel. In this heavily theocratic society, most learnings seem to have been derived from the Bible, or so tells us the context and plot.
However, those with authority in the novel (for eg. the Aunts) have become so convincing with their own words that these are the words of God that Offred, unhesitatingly mentions them to be of that source. This is clear because she makes no point of pointing the mistake out. Here, we know that due to how the Aunts use their words, Offred (and the other Handmaids doubtlessly) have faltered in their memories.
Readers remember “Ofwarren”, which was Janine’s signifier as her Commander (Warren)’s property, however, here the same words have been placed differently to change their meaning completely. By saying the Wife of Warren, Atwood separates “of” from “Warren”, immediately suggesting that unlike the Handmaids, the Wives are not the property of the men, and it is through word associations that Atwood plays on the memory of the readers.
Quote 3
“J.H. loves B.P. 1954. O.R. loves L.T.” [p. 123]: This type of interaction between language and memory is the most fascinating one because it shows the power they hold when combined together. To Offred or the characters, the individual letters of the phrase hold no meaning, for we have no idea who owns the initials J.H. or B.P. However, we have a date (1954) much older than the current setting of the novel and the style of writing is familiar to us (two lovers writing their initials with a heart sign between them).
This immediately makes several themes jump out at us and is powerful because it shows that language or memory alone cannot move a person, it is sometimes the combination of the two that is necessary. This can be linked to the “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” because while Offred does not understand a word of what is said to her, the written word is the only way anyone from the past can communicate with her and this attempt alone is what moves her.
Quotes + Complexities of the theme
Persepolis and THMT → Titles of the chapters (relevance and associations) → THMT (Birth Day, Waiting Room etc.) Persepolis (The Sheep, The Bicycle, The Vegetable etc.)
In THMT, Atwood’s descriptions and diction explain everything: the theme, the mood, her tone etc. In Persepolis, there is the use of visuals to do that (for eg. Ahmadi being cut into pieces). Words and visuals are two different types of language.
Word associations and connotations: In Persepolis, the words “revolutionary” and “demonstrations” demonstrated certain kinds of people whereas “Guardians of the Revolution” represented others. We see something similar in THMT with “Angels”, “Guardians”, “Aunts” and “Wives”. Names and their connotations have a lot to do with purpose and power.