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The Handmaid's Tale - Coggle Diagram
The Handmaid's Tale
Setting
The Handmaid's Tale is based in a suburban community in New England during an 'modern day' civil war, under control by the Republic of Gilead. It is also partially set in a repurposed high school used to train new handmaids. Women who are fertile are condiered very high value, no one can read, and the government censors the bible
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Figurative Language
Margaret Atwood does not use quotations in the entire text. She also uses sometimes random bold/unbold text. She uses lots of descriptions to describe the setting, characters, and other elements,
Genre
Dystopian fiction. Mystery, speculative fiction.
Author's Purpose
The purpose of the handmaid's tale could be to show that totalitarian religious governments can take over the united states.
Historical Context
The government is based on the 17th Century Puritanism. Also on the political climate of the 1980's, such as the cold war and west berlin/germany.
Dialouge
The author uses a lot of dialogue to display how people act in this new society. She uses no quotations though.
Buttered, I lie on my single bed, flat, like a piece of toast. I can’t sleep. In the semidark I stare up at the blind plaster eye in the middle of the ceiling, which stares back down at me, even though it can’t see.
Symbolism
There is symbolism everywhere in this book. Red appears constantly, and might be a symbol of life. there are the eyes, that represent constant paranoia and surveillance.
Characters
Offred- The main character of the book, told from her perspective as a handmaid. She could be considered a unreliable narrator. She was torn away from her daughter, mom, and husband. She is constantly thinking about rebelling. She is very reminiscent of how the United states used to be. she is 33 years old
Serena Joy- Wife of the Commander, does not like Offred. She used to be on the TV for singing religious music, she is infertile so she needs a handmaid. She mostly ignores Offred's presence.
Luke- is Offred's husband. She misses him a lot. Offred has no idea where he is at, alive or dead. He had an affair while he was married to his previous wife with Offred.
The Commander- The commander of Offred's household. He is older and takes a special interest in Offred, making her come to his quarters at night and play scrabble. She does not see him much at the moment.
Nick- Offred has some type of feeling for him, and vice versa. he is the commander's driver. Offred kissed him at night in the kitchen.