A Handmaid's Tale

1. Why is reading dangerous?

 

2. Is this society stable or not? What is a destabilizing influence in it? is it enough.

 

3. Would the author agree with the following statement: "Women have more control over themselves, therefore, they are superior."

 

4. What does the quote "You arenow given freedom from. Don't underate it" mean?

 

5. Why do the Aunts change all of the women's names?

 

6. Power is kept in different ways. Some use drugs, some use force, some use consensus and common goals. How does this society keep women in check?

 

 

7. Why is Janine so hateful? Who in 1984 does she resemble

 

8. Is Serena Joy in power or out of power?

 

9. Often in this novel they comment that this is the most difficult generation. Why is this so? What other novels could this also be said in?

10. Offred makes a point of saying that she is not writing this down. Why is that important

 

11. Words can limit and can add new connotations. What words are used here that have new meanings? Why doesn't she explain all of them as the occur? "Salvingings," for example

 

 

12. What relation does the Sufi proverb (the epigraph) have to the book?

 

Handmaid

Homework 2

1. What is similar to two minutes hate?

2. What are four possible definitions of mayday?

 

3. Does she hate the Commander? Explain.

 

 

4. What does the latin phrase mean? Does it apply to her?

 

 

5. What does "Context is all" mean?

 

 

6. Does Offred fight or survive? Who is she similar to in 1984?

Handmaid’s

Group Test

The following is meant to be done in groups of four. A group of four is a particularly large group, so make sure you organize yourself correspondingly.

1. Make a test for this book: Include ten character matching, ten objects, ten quotes.

 

2. How do they control women? What tecniques are used?

 

3. Why were some of the women content to live the life they were living? (five para essay)

 

4. One critic has said that the loosening of the rules that occurred to Offred (cribbage, daughter’s photo, Nick) in reality bonded her tighter to the society. Explain.

5. How does this novel use Cixous’ principles of a feminine text?

6. What questions does the epilogue answer? What new ones does it pose? How is the world of the epilogue a "utopia"?

 

Handmaid Essays

Please answer one fo the following a neat, well-written essay. Please use one of the creative intros and or a creative conclusion. make sure you include a freewrite.rewrite.

1. How is the very structure and style of this novel different from a more typical novel, say Heart of Darkness or Siddhartha.

 

2. Is Offred a heroine? Discuss

 

3. Compare the ending of this novel to that of 1984. How are they different? Why are theys o different?

 

4. Anti-Utopian novels are generally used as a call to action. Is that true here or doe sthis novel have another point? Discuss its goals.

 

5. Is thereader meant to take the final section seriously or not? What might Atwood consider important in the final section. Explain.