The Handmaid's Tale

Date

1985

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Publisher

McClelland and Stewart

Abstract

The novel happens in a world where there is a clear distinction between certain groups of people, describing their characteristics, gowns, habits, and specific goals that they should aim to accomplish. It’s a dystopian book set in a near-future totalitarian society called Gilead, one that is based on strict religious principles and control, especially over women. The story follows the life of the main character, a handmaid which, due to her fertility, has the main goal of getting pregnant, just like the other handmaids mentioned throughout the pages. The pregnancy is, to them, the only way of salvation, and is seen as almost miracle-like. It follows her point of view, showing her thoughts and actions through the novel, as she reflects on her internal struggles with oppression, loss of freedom, and the desire for survival on the world she lives in. There are mentions of some occasional acts of rebellion and the creation of secret alliances, as well as the description of an underground group known as Mayday, which has that same word as their secret code that only people involved know about it. There are also flashbacks of Offred’s life before this regime, which highlight the problems with the present society. It ends in an unclear way, giving the reader the possibility of taking its ambiguity and imaging Offred’s destiny. It could either be a positive ending, with the option that it would lead to the fall of Gilead’s fall, or not, reminding the reader of how fragile freedom can be.

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