Compare the ways in which your two chosen texts present human weakness. You must relate your discussion to relevant contextual factors

Through the presentation of the handmaids and the monster as inhuman, the relative weaknesses of humans are explored in both texts on personal and societal levels

Humans are presented as weak in their lack of empathy

The monster's emotional and empathetic nature is used as a counterpoint to Victor's lack of empathy as Offred's understanding and feelings for the commander are a counterpoint to his misunderstanding of her

the monster is able to feel affinity for the de lacys , and empathise with their lot despite their treatment of him


  • had been accustomed, during the night, to steal a part of their store for my own consumption, but when I found that in doing this I inflicted pain on the cottagers, I abstained and satisfied myself with berries, nuts, and roots which I gathered from a neighbouring wood // puts them above himself.

  • metaphor / all allegory of the ass and the lap-dog


    -Felix darted forward, and with supernatural force tore me from his father, to whose knees I clung, in a transport of fury, he dashed me to the ground and struck me violently with a stick. I could have torn him limb from limb, as the lion rends the antelope. But my heart sank within me as with bitter sickness, and I refrained.


  • even after the fact they are described as "beloved" to him

vs Victor, who, despite having a loving family deprives the monster of one, triggering his violence, and still sees self as superlative - You may easily perceive, Captain Walton, that I have suffered great and unparalleled misfortunes

That something not even human, alive for just a few days can experience the depth of empathy and attachment that the monster can for the cottagers - "What did their tears imply? Did they really express pain?", question marks showing desire to understand and empathise vs victor's


"I had selected his features as beautiful. Beautiful! Great God!" declarative exclcamatorys, illustrating his inability and lack of desire to understand the creature, and judges him on his looks.


He might have spoken, but I did not hear; one hand was stretched out, seemingly to detain me, but I escaped and rushed downstairs. - action for connection misinterpreted as fear

"I am poor and an exile, but it will afford me true pleasure to be in any way serviceable to a human creature." - Those considered less than human (???) themselves are able to emphasise

Offred and the handmaids, despite being treated as less than human are not only expected but able to emphathise with those who show none for them

Context: tabula rasa and wether human nature is learned or intrinsic// interesting that something not even human is able to do what human's cannot, revealing flaw

dehumanising treatment of the handmaids: Atwood's use of real world examples, specifically nazi germany - removal of names in favor of a designated signifier, forced into easily identifyable clothing, state sanctioned rape . Dehumanising

And yet are continually expected to be selfless and put the needs of the regime above their own


  • "try to put yourself in their place", and show empathy for the wives, who are hostile to them // re: the violence of attacks with knitting kneedles, and "they can only strike us with their hands" or whatever
  • Offred is able to sympathise with the commander despite his own hand in her misfortune "if must be just fine, it must be hell, it must be very silent", and pitying presentation of "like you mean it", as "that is a reconstruction too" she chooses to present it in this way

However, the commander is unable to emphathise with the handmaid's plight, or even of women - "There was nothing for them any more" - vs "so they feel now? ...yes they do"(ambuguity if they is refering to everyone or to him), Better never means better for everyone, only for him and thats all that matters

His actions that could compromise her "you could get me transferred. to the colonies, you know that" // complete lack of understanding of her situation "butter... thats very clever"

the actions of offred and the monster reveal the human flaw to absorb society's evils

Frankenstien's monster, knows rejection as soon as he's born " I had hardly placed my foot within the door before the children shrieked, and one of the women fainted. The whole village was roused; some fled, some attacked me, until, grievously bruised by stones and many other kinds of missile weapons" + observation of the structures of society he becomes violent " I had seen blooming and active in health, stretched on the grass livid and motionless; the print of the murder’s finger was on his neck", "the black mark of fingers on his neck", intensified later to " The murderous mark "//

description increases in violence, comment and counterpoint on the idea that society is civilising

ROusseau: His early work argued that the development of civilisation had actually led to a decrease in happiness, and that humans should live instead in a state that was as close to nature as possible.
-the monster who is so connected with nature that it bring him calm "gentle light stole over the heavens and gave me a sensation of pleasure.", he is corrupted by exposure to human society

Handmaids despite being almost at the very bottom of the paramid of power (marget atwood's context and description of Gilead), adopt it's teachings to a certain extent

"Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what you are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary." the inevitability of adapting to society// feeling that she is empty in accordance with the teachings of gilead "I am not a ship without a cargo, a chalice without wine an oven ... minus the bun"

Post Modern ambiguity "This is the heartland, and I'm leading a truely pampered life, may the lord make us truely greatful, said aunt lydia"