The Cautionary Narrative of Oppression in

The Handmaid’s Tale

By Margaret AtwoodSlide show created by

Michelle Montilluer-Housel

“He who allows oppression shares the crime.” - Desiderius Erasmus

Crimes against women and other minorities are long and varied , from stoning, hangings, starvation , while it remains relatively unknown the practice of female genital mutilation to young girls has been occurring for years. The practice of brutality continue even today all over the globe. Atwood in her novel presents to the reader a possibility of what could come if we are not vigilant….

A Brief History of the Feminist

Movement in the United States….

Starting with the 1800s, women wanted the freedoms and equality afforded to men and the suffrage movement was born.

By the 1920’s women had the right to property and the right to vote.

In the 1960s women starting pushing for more pay equality. Also Betty Friedan established NOW (National Organization for Women) .

Finally in the 1970s a rape crisis hotline was created. And Roe V. Wade was passed. No matter personal preferences, women should be allowed to have freedom of their bodies. From the 1970s through today women enjoy these hard won freedoms, but the fight is not over.

The Aunt’s and the Wives are the Handmaid’s wardens. Forced to pervert the sisterhood of womankind in the government's attempt to establish complete and total control over the female population.

The unknown of if you are being watched and who you can or can not trust.

Totalitarian governments….it is not just fiction….

“I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of freedom of the people by gradual and silent encroachments by those in power than by violent and sudden usurpations” -James Madison, Fourth US PresidentGovernments establishing complete and dominate control over their population has been happening since ancient times.Usually through the misguided notions of the general population that there is something "wrong”. With a belief that increasing government involvement will prevent further moral decay. Also such governments gain power from a society that is not monitoring the actions and policies being put in place.

Oppression can be found world wide. As long a women remain

aware and stand vigilant against those that would like to own our

minds and bodies, then Attwood’s dystopian future does not need to

become a reality. There is a massive amount of

media and reading that one can truly educate themselves about

such an important topic.

Links and References:

Conger, Cristen. "How Feminism Works." 17 February 2009. HowStuffWorks.com. <http://people.howstuffworks.com/feminism.htm> 30 July 2010.http://www.paintersforhumanrights.org/HR01.htmhttp://politicalpartypooper.wordpress.com/2008/12/29/throwing-my-shoes-at-oppression/http://timothyfacts.blogspot.com/2010/05/episode-ii-quick-survey.htmlhttp://www.zazzle.com/if_tyranny_and_oppression_come_to_this_land_tshirt-235521843636196538http://thinkexist.com/quotation/he_who_allows_oppression_shares_the_crime/203519.htmlhttp://www.floppingaces.net/2006/05/11/who-is-your-enemy/http://www.suppressedhistories.net/catalog/oppression.htmlhttp://atlasshrugs2000.typepad.com/http://childcarebyjudylyden.blogspot.com/2008_09_01_archive.htmlhttp://truthseekers.cultureunplugged.com/truth_seekers/2009/06/womanist-is-to-feminist-as-purple-to-lavender-a-story-of-resistance.htmlhttp://people.howstuffworks.com/feminism1.htmhttp://damsel.typepad.com/damsel/feminism/http://terrechartrand.wordpress.com/http://tbknews.blogspot.com/2007_10_01_archive.htmlhttp://people.howstuffworks.com/feminism4.htmhttp://people.howstuffworks.com/feminism2.htmhttp://jordanhoffman.com/2007/01/http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/booksblog/2007/dec/03/weekhttp://www.now.org/nnt/summer-2006/foremothers.htmlhttp://www.cbc.ca/arts/story/2004/09/24/handmaidreax040924.htmlhttp://listverse.com/2008/03/05/top-10-dystopian-films-you-havent-seen/http://thekeymonk.blogspot.com/2009_06_01_archive.htmlhttp://www.giantbomb.com/totalitarian-government/92-1618/http://zamatoelite.blogspot.com/2010_06_01_archive.html