The Handmaid’s Tale - Historical Notes Summary
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The Handmaid’s Tale Historical Notes Essay Question: The shift from Offred as Narrator to Pieixoto does two things: 1. It signifies Offred’s inability to have her voice heard. 2. It leaves the reader with the challenge of interpreting the authenticity of Offred’s narrative. In a 500-100 word essay explore the strengths and limitations of each. You must use the London Public Library website to find ONE article that comments on these issues and include 3 quotes from the article. The essay must be written in MLA style. Come see me for formatting is you have questions. Analysis of the Chapter: First off, to set the context of the final chapter, we have men of the academy interpreting the voice of Offred. Pieixoto is an academic, a man, a European, and even further, a sexist. As Offred symbolizes the fight for Gileadean women forced into sexual slavery, Pieixoto’s mocking use of the word “enjoy” in reference to the lecture truly reflects the undermining nature of his sexist interpretation. Each of the professors’ names mentioned in the beginning of the chapter personify a shift post-Gilead to a closeness to nature. The title “The Handmaid’s Tale” is not Offred’s. It is manufactured by the professors. “tail” – an example of Pieixoto making sexist jokes. This cheapens the story of Offred. “Underground Frailroad” is a sexist attempt at humor mocking the weakness of women. It is important to note that Offred’s story was found in a box of mixed tape cassettes. “…the tapes were arranged in no particular order, being loose at the bottom of a box; nor were they numbered. Thus, it was up to Professor Wade and myself to arrange the blocks of speech in order in which they appeared to go…” Offred was never an omniscient narrator. Names have been changed, pseudonyms have been used, people have disappeared or may have never existed.
Transcript of The Handmaid’s Tale - Historical Notes Summary
The Handmaid’s TaleHistorical Notes
Essay Question:The shift from Offred as Narrator to Pieixoto does two things:
1. It signifies Offred’s inability to have her voice heard.2. It leaves the reader with the challenge of interpreting the authenticity of Offred’s narrative.
In a 500-100 word essay explore the strengths and limitations of each. You must use the London Public Library website to find ONE article that comments on these issues and include 3 quotes from the article. The essay must be written in MLA style. Come see me for formatting is you have questions.
Analysis of the Chapter:
First off, to set the context of the final chapter, we have men of the academy interpreting the voice of Offred. Pieixoto is an academic, a man, a European, and even further, a sexist. As Offred symbolizes the fight for Gileadean women forced into sexual slavery, Pieixoto’s mocking use of the word “enjoy” in reference to the lecture truly reflects the undermining nature of his sexist interpretation.
Each of the professors’ names mentioned in the beginning of the chapter personify a shift post-Gilead to a closeness to nature.
The title “The Handmaid’s Tale” is not Offred’s. It is manufactured by the professors.
“tail” – an example of Pieixoto making sexist jokes. This cheapens the story of Offred.
“Underground Frailroad” is a sexist attempt at humor mocking the weakness of women.
It is important to note that Offred’s story was found in a box of mixed tape cassettes. “…the tapes were arranged in no particular order, being loose at the bottom of a box; nor were they numbered. Thus, it was up to Professor Wade and myself to arrange the blocks of speech in order in which they appeared to go…”
Offred was never an omniscient narrator. Names have been changed, pseudonyms have been used, people have disappeared or may have never existed.
The tapes were made inside the borders of Gilead, but after the Civil War and uprising.
Note the interpretation of “Salvaging” and “Particicution Ceremony”. Who coined these terms?
See the repetition of Pieixoto’s use of the phrase “guesswork”. What does this imply?
The ultimate fate of Offred is unclear, obscure. Why is this important to reflect upon?
“Our document, though in its own way eloquent, is on these subjects mute.” Why is silence interesting here?
What is the significance of the last line, “Are there any questions?” Last, but not least, please consider all of the information given in the Historical Notes and consider the importance of why Atwood would give the information to her readers.
