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Significance of Men in The Handmaids Tale - Coggle Diagram
Significance of Men in The Handmaids Tale
Extract
Nick
"For the moment we're mirrors"
The concrete noun "mirrors" suggest that both Nick and Offred are feeling and acting with a shared thought, that they both are mirroring what each other want the most. Offred wants to feel loved again, just as she was when she was with Luke, and Nick is replacing him as a physical being as she pretends its him. For Nick, its explaining that he feels the same way, that he just wants to feel loved showing flaws in Gilead's society
Gilead is meant to oppress women but we see here the oppression that is controlling Nick. Although he can get away with a lot more than Offred possibly could, he is shown to be taking tremendous risks for himself in order to feel somewhat human.
The Wall, it shows that both men and women get prosecuted for stepping outside the rules. If Gileads society is meant to benefit men, its interesting that there are those still rebelling, including the commander himself, who fought for the society they have. Shows unhappiness as a trait of Dytopian novels
Only men in power seem to be able to get away with rebellion. As Nick is of a lower standing to them, it is far more dangerous for him to be breaking the rules because he has no power to save himself. Therefore he does reflect Offred as a mirror because both are powerless against the regime. This shows Patriarchy and highlights this as another form of oppression for all.
"As if pulled towards each other by a force, current, pulled apart also by hands equally strong"
the dynamic verb "pulled" in the simile suggest that this is the result of compulsion, where they have an irresistible urge to behave in a certain manner. Both starved of human affection, they find what they're looking for in each other, committing acts of rebellion. This relates to the quote Mirrors because they are mirroring what the other wants.
"Pulled apart also by hands equally strong" represents the society pulling them apart as well as their own desires to survive. The regime shows them to not belong together showing Nicks powerless against it, showing patriarchal power because the men are supposed to benefit from this, but nick isn't. He is in as much danger as Offred.
The Commanders message
"Hasn't he had enough of me?"
Rhetorical question shows how the commander is in power above all of this, how he can rebel without being caught and how he can easily manipulate anyone to his will because he is playing on their fears of being outcasted and killed.
Also represents Rebellion but also Oppression as Offred cannot do anything about it and must go otherwise she could be in serious trouble
"What does he mean by SEE?"
"see" being used as metalinguistic language represents also the power that the commander has over everyone. he expresses Offred's worries with her perception of the word "see". She doubts this is what the commander wants and its almost used as a safe cover word. This is both manipulative and oppressive as well as rebellious
Nick in General
Always is being rebellious. When he winked at Offred in Chapter 4 and again during Chapter 14 when he touches her shoe with his foot. Offred describes him in chapter 4 as having a low status and expresses how he "acts as if he doesn't care" "he is too casual"
Shows his arrogance against the system and how he is allowed to rebel almost because he isn't being watched as closely as the women. His low status reflects his starved of human attention and also how lonely he could feel but he is less frightened of the repercussions he could be faced with
This could be due to the fact that he is a man so he knows full well the things he could get away with but it also shows his lack of caring for what happens to him, that he could be so depressed in this life that rebelling gives him the excitement he needs, that he wanted this feeling and how if he does get caught, dying is better than continuing to live like this.
relates to the commander and the doctor and how they all feel that it is in there power to rebel and are doing it at the expense of women who they know full well would probably face a worser fate then them, how they could probably get away with it. they are exploiting women for there own excitement and entertainment as they are less likely to be caught.
The Commander
Chapter 23, the scrabble game
he says "pleasantly enough"
Shows the Commander is friendly and is non threatening. Its a falseness. It contrasts with what he is asking of Offred and what he is getting her to do. By giving Offred some normality, he is making her happy, giving himself more power which is what he probably wants, because he voted for the regime. It shows his falseness importantly, how he is a good actor and can manipulate anyone without trying to as he comes across as sincere.
"I'd like you to play a game of scrabble with me"
By giving something to Offred that is completely illegal, how the fact she cannot read, shows that he is really playing on her feeling for his own desires and perhaps trying to fill a hole in his own life that he didn't know he missed. Represents and links to the other points of how he likes to have power over women because it makes him feel powerful in himself.
"This is conspiracy"
Conspiracy is the act of doing something wrong or unlawful. In this case its Offred and the Commander doing something illegal but its more than that. Underneath it means that the Commander is conspiring against Offred although he isn't getting her into trouble but he is playing on her feelings which is immoral, especially since this is a very religious society
"i want you to kiss me"
The imperative verb "I want" shows how the commander is exploiting Offred and using her vulnerability to get the power and control he so desperately desires. To have a woman be completely dependant on him is something that gives him the power which is also oppression but also shows patriarchy
Construct of a fictional world
Alternate Reality
The handmaids tale is based on the What If of what if the right wing fundamentalist group got power. What if this was the result of declining birth rates in the US. What would it be like if elements of the past reappeared.
Semi relatable human senarios
Politics in 1980 America
Happened where the Salem witch trials took place
The People killed and pegged on the wall. Also related to the Berlin wall during the Cold War
A time of Patriarchy and was very religious
Bible controlled how people led there lives
Puritans wore very modest clothing and were strict at following the bible