Monday, November 22, 2010
Falling Women
In Atwood's novel "The Handmaids Tale," the notion of love has been twisted and warped since Gilead had been formed. In this excerpt Atwood shows Offreds reaction and connection to love as well as the doubts involved due to the horrible conditions that she is required to live in. Through the use of specific diction the mood of this excerpt is felt, while imagery and irony helps intensify the tone./
The diction in this excerpt clearly portrays the reaction of the commander to love as well as Offreds own feelings toward love. While Offred talks about love she expresses the opinion that love was inevitable by using “one way or another,” “it was the central thing,” “we we’re falling women.” The diction used to describe the commander’s reaction is also quite vivid as Atwood uses “sneered.” The reaction of both the commander and Offred displays that the world they live in does not have the same connections to love as it used to have. This diction also affects the mood of this excerpt because the it shows that the commander does not take love seriously while women (in general) were centered on it. Near the end of the excerpt, Offred beings to explain the negative side of love by comparing love to pain. This idea is very similar to the purpose of the handmaids and Gilead, the love if freedom and uncontrollable, while when they do start to control people they are no longer able to love, creating mutants./
When Offred describes those who have never been in love as, “mutant[s], a creature from outer space,” the imagery that is provided intensifies the tone because the audience can feel Offreds disgust and revulsion. This imagery is very effective because the reader pictures disfigured people, while the handmaids and people living in Gilead do not know what love is and have never experienced it. “The shadows in the sockets of his eyes darker and more cavernous than in day-time,” this imagery illustrates the doubt and fear the creeps into everything in the lives of the people that live in Gilead.
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By the way where there is a / it is the end of the paragraph. My blog is freaking out and wont put in paragraphs...
ReplyDeleteSamantha, you have a few interesting points that begin, but are never developed. Why is the use of "sneered" significant? What are the connotations? Why does Offred describe those who have never been in love as "mutants"? What does all of this have to do with novel as a whole? Are there fundamental questions of humanity at stake?
ReplyDeleteSneered is significant because of its connotation. The connotation of sneered is negative and this means that the Commander does not have the same opinion as Offred and also he does not have the same experiences as well as being completely converted to the mind set that the society that they are now living in wants.
ReplyDeleteOffred describes the people who have never been loved as mutants because it is a natural thing and to have never felt it is strange. This word also effects the rest of the novel because the society that Offred now lives in does not have love, they created a world of mutants.
Elizabeth pointed out an interesting question to me who do you think the mutants are? I agreed with her idea that they were probably feminists or strongly religious people. What do you think? Also don't they have love in this world such as the peoples love of god? You mention that the commander sneers when he talks about love do you think that this means he didn't marry his wife out of love?
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