The Handmaids Tale

A detailed Summary of The Handmaids Tale

The creation of Offred, the passive narrator of Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale,

was intentional. The personality of the narrator in this novel is almost as important as the task

bestowed upon her. Atwood chooses an average women, appreciative of past times, who lacks

imagination and fervor, to contrast the typical feminist, represented in this novel by her mother

Atwood is writing for a specific audience, though through careful examination, it can be

determined that the intended audience is actually the mass population. Although particular groups

may find The Handmaid's Tale more enjoyable than others, the purpose of the novel is to

enlighten the general population, as opposed to being a source of entertainment. A specific group

that may favor this novel is the women activists of the 1960's and 1970's. This group, in which

Offred's mother would be a member, is sensitive to the censorship that women once faced and

would show interest to the "possible future" that could result.

Offred is symbolic of "every woman". She was conventional in prior times, married with

one daughter, a husband and a career. She is ambivalent to many things that may s

are frequent. When an author causes the narrator to use past tense, the reader can generally

the atrocities that were executed during the Gileadian area.

believable. The "Historical Notes" chapter causes the reader to re-examine the book, both

conclude that the narrator knows the end of the story. This builds a sense of suspense. Using

the reader. On page 93, Offred is witness to Janine's confession of being raped. She doesn't

much in danger as other characters. Moira, her friend from college and the previous life, is

Approximate Word count = 956
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English

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