Connections 2023
Structure/Setting :
Character
Power and Control
Religious manipulation
The Handmaid's Tale
Society based on biblical story of Rachel - Handmaid's are forced to have children for other couples
The Power
Allie is mistreated by her foster parents who took her in because of their 'Christian charity'. They then abuse her in order to fix her 'sins'.
A Woman is No Man
Religion is used to keep Isra in the house, and dependent on her husband.
The Handmaid's Tale
Men have all the power and control
Women have been stripped of their right to read and write, own property, have bank accounts, etc
The Power
The balance of power in the world has changed
Massive uprisings in places such as Saudi Arabia
Opposite to Handmaid's Tale - In Bessapora:
- men must have a 'female guardian.'
- "Any man who does not have a [female relative], to register him must report to the police station where he will be assigned a work detail and shackled to other men for the protection of the public."
- "No man may take money or other possesions out of the country."
- Men are no longer permitted to drive cars
- Can't own businesses
- Can't gather together in groups larger than 3 if a woman is not present
- Cannot vote.
A Woman is No Man
Isra has no power, in her family or her husband's home
Isra has no bank account etc. Can barely even speak English
She lives with her husband's family where she does a lot of the housework under the direction of her mother-in-law.
Characters who also have a lack of power but are still more in control
The Aunts in THM - women who either believe wholly in the new world order or see that pretending to benefits them. They have control over the Handmaids and are authority figures within society despite being women.
Fareeda in AWINM - Isra's mother in law. Also does not have her own bank account etc. However, she has power over Isra and Deya as the woman of the house. She favours another of her son's wives other Isra as this wife has given birth to boys while Isra has only had daughters.
Handmaid's Tale
Last chapter set in a University where a lecture is being given about Offred's story, her life and the events in it now nothing more than some historical event that they can hardly believe happened
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The Power
Last chapter is a series of emails between Neil, 'author' of this book, and Naomi, another author who he has sent it to in order to have her read and give opinions. We see how perceptions of gender roles have entirely changed between the events of the book and the time it has been written - for example, Naomi thinks that it's ridiculous that men could have ever been soldiers.
Random Note: Both The Crucible and The Handmaid's Tale were influenced by the Cold War
Allie, using her new power, then becomes Mother Eve, who uses a mixture of her power and religion to create an empire - complete with overthrowing a dictator and a drug cartel
The girls in The Crucible - as young women in this society, they have no power - they are either servants or wives. However, they have figured out how to have some control over the town -in the form of accusing others of witchcraft.
The Crucible
The girls use their religion against the other women in the town - Abby wants revenge on Elizabeth, and so accuses her of witchcraft
The Crucible
In the 1690s, it is men who have the power, however Abigail and her friends subvert this and gain some control over the society through accusing others of witchcraft
it is also used by those women accused to manipulate the courts into letting them keep their lives - they claim to have worked with the devil, then ask for god's forgiveness
Religion is used by the men such as Parris and Hale as a justification for sentencing all these people to death, as they are doing 'God's work.'
Tunde in The Power - as a man, he is now lacking power, however through his journalistic skill and prominence, maintains control in that he has the power to release information
Security of hierarchical power in society
Allie