“The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood
Being a woman in the Republic of Gilead
I’d been really wanting to read this book for some time. Written by the successful Canadian writer, Margaret Atwood, I’d seen it around a lot — in bookstores, on the train, in book reviews, in online posts. I also started hearing about the many awards that the TV series — based on the book — started to receive since it premiered in 2017…but that’s another story (the show is actually really good, too).
I have to admit that although this is a good book, writing about it isn’t easy, as there are many things that really got me thinking and it has been difficult to pick which ones to write about.
The story is told by its main character, Offred, a woman who lives in the fictional Republic of Gilead. Gilead is the result of a coup in which the President and the Congress of the United States were all assassinated, the Constitution was suspended, and a new restrictive theocratic dictatorship was put in place instead.
In an era in which births are declining, women have been deprived of all kinds of freedom — such as the freedom to read, write, or even make their own money. They all still have a role in society, though, depending on their social status, age, marital status, and whether they are capable of having children or not. Many of those who are fertile — like Offred — have been turned into handmaids.
Handmaids are assigned to the homes of elite government officers (known as Commanders) whose wives are unable to have children. Every month, they endure a “Ceremony” in which their Commander tries to get them pregnant; once they succeed and a baby is born, handmaids have to give her up as she now belongs to the Commander and his wife. Handmaids are then assigned to a new posting shortly after.
As part of their role, handmaids go grocery shopping in pairs every day — they are not allowed to speak much to each other, but they walk together — always under supervision of the Guardians. It is on these daily walks and through her walking partner, Ofglen, that Offred learns about the underground movement called Mayday, which is the key to how the story unfolds.
As Offred tells readers her story, they learn about her past life and all she’s lost: her husband, her daughter, her mother, her career, and even her name. She longs for the past and can hardly believe her life has changed so drastically. As the story unfolds and through her memories, readers get a clear idea of what Offred’s life is now and what it used to be. Because writing is forbidden to women, Offred finds a way to leave her tale behind. The hope that there’s someone who will get to know her story and believe that she is in fact telling it to someone keeps her going. Doesn’t everyone need something to believe in to get them going through difficult times?
By the way, “Offred” is not her real name (readers don’t actually get to know her real name). Offred means she is “Of-Fred” — that is, that she’s the handmaid assigned to a Commander named Fred. In a similar way, there’s Ofglen, Ofjoseph, Ofwarren, etc. This naming strategy alone can give readers an idea of what life in Gilead is like.
The ending was a surprise to me — I won’t spoil for you, but I have to say that it was completely unexpected. As I kept reading, and when I had only a few pages left, I still had no clue about how it would end.
I liked that the story includes several situations that got me thinking, and a key one was about freedom. There is an interesting concept mentioned in one of the chapters: “There is more than one kind of freedom. Freedom to and freedom from” (Atwood). In the story, because of their value of being able to give life, handmaids are protected and are free from any kind of disrespect from men (e.g. on the street); however, they have definitely lost their freedom to live their lives as they wish.
What I liked most about the book is the way it is written. This is not a story with a “regular” narrative — remember Offred is telling the readers the story. And she does it in a way in which she frequently switches between the past and the present — giving readers a glimpse of what she has lost, what she has while living as a handmaid, and simultaneously showing readers how important it is to value life and who we all have in our lives today.
If you’re looking to read something different, this is a book you should definitely read. Its sequel — The Testaments — is now on my TBR pile… stay tuned for that review.