The Two Sides of Offred

  "My self is a thing I must now compose as one composes a speech. What I must preset is a made thing, not something born."
          

      In this quote, Offred illustrates two contradicting messages about her position as a Handmaid. On one hand, she must act unattached due to the limits of the dress and lifestyle. The comparison of her life to the composition of a speech demonstrates this bleak tone by separating her thoughts and ideals from her body. She begins the separation by stating that her "self" is "a made thing", implying that she has been molded rather than developed naturally or "born".
 
      However, Offred doesn't seem to lose all of her hope. According to the first part of the quote, she must compose and preset herself. Fearing the effects on her unborn child, the officials of Gilead will not beat her into submission. She owns very little, but she still holds implicit power with every thought and slight movement that she makes, such as her accounts of her life and the Latin writing in her room that she doesn't show anyone. Gilead has pressured her into becoming a cautious Handmaid, but she still makes her own decisions, even if they are small and surreptitious.

       These two sides of Offred deepens her character. On the surface, she is a resource who must obey official authority. Under white wings and red dress, she holds tightly onto scraps of the past and aligning them with her present situation to preserve her individual power. The existence of these two sides shows readers of the Handmaids Tale the possible differences between the surface and the true nature of individuals.


Image courtesy of OWNI.eu
Quote courtesy of The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

In Der Nacht.....

          Today marks a gruesome day in fictional history. There were troubling times in Gilead as the Eyes and Rebels engaged in a stealthy trench warfare. On one side, Eyes wanted to contain the Handmaids and squelch the Rebels. On the other, Rebels took great risks to free the Handmaids. As I stand near the Wall, awaiting my "just" end, I shall recount the events from my perspective.

        On my first day as a Handmaid, I eyed everyone in the room suspiciously. Points were rewarded for surviving, and I couldn't trust a single person if I were to earn at least 20 of them; this was the objective the Handmaid's Mayday. The air was casual, and I spat out the greeting, "Praise be" to lessen anyone's suspicion. Recently, and tentatively, to be honest, I had become a Mayday Rebel. The day passed quickly in my furtive investigation to find any Eyes--- the treacherous fools--- and the first night came.

         As I feigned slumber in the classroom (I refuse to call it my classroom), I first tried to be furtive and peer through the gaps of my crossed arms as the music and patting began. As my head slowly rose, I counted three other unanticipated others who were valient enough to join my ranks in liberation. Just in case my fellow liberators have continued in their heroism, I will name them: Mophead, Flaxen, and Chestershire Cat. All four of us didn't know who to choose, so the first Handmaiden to select was a great risk. As I lowered my head and the night went on, I noted that only one person left. Even when I could hear the Eye music play, there was no audible sign of immediate execution. Praise be! We were successful.

          The next couple of days and nights went on just as smoothly as the first, give or take the dissappearance of an Eye (good riddens!). On the fourth day, however, I noticed that Flaxen was missing. Immediately, everyone noticed her absence. Sarah quickly figured out that a rebel must have been executed, and my blood rushed. I couldn't help but wonder if I could be discovered now that the number of Handmaids diminished. That night, as I rose with Chestershire Cat and Mophead, the group decided to chosoe another Handmaid to liberate. The music covered my steps, but I was still nervous when I woke Emily up. With a grin and an extended hand, she silently chose to become one of Us.

        After Emily joined, I began to gain confidence in my safety. Then, as I lied back down to rest, I realized that one of the Handmaids shifted to peak. Corina, a possible traitor or friend, had turned her head so quickly that I almost didn't notice. Just as I realized this, someone tapped my shoulder. It was a small tap, but it terrified me at first because it was during the rhythmic sound of Eye music. Looking over my right shoulder, I saw Derrel. What? "Are you an Eye?" she mouthed. For some reason, at that exact moment, I couldn't lie. Upon joining the Mayday Rebels I thought I could, but I just couldn't lie! So, in less than five seconds, I ended up where I am now, with a bag over my head and only minutes away from execution.

                   ****************************************************************

       At the end of the day, I don't have many regrets.  I learned that I should walk more quietly and that a certain extent of trust will always prolong my existence, since my fellow Rebels kept me alive longer than other Handmaids. However, I also learned from the experience that I shouldn't discount people who look nice (like Derrel) from having the boldness to passively murder me or sentence me to death. In the obscurity of the night, anyone can be merciless.

      Overall, The Handmaids Mayday was fun because I was able to live vicariously through the daily threat of persecution and death of the Handmaids. The thrill that I lived through during the class activity kept me interested with the plot of the Handmaids Tale by giving me more personal experience on the risks that Offred often tries to avoid. Now I have a deeper understanding of Offred's first person view.

Sewn Shut From Sisterhood

"Fraternize means to behave like a brother. Luke told me that. He said there was no corresponding word that meant to behave like a sister. Sororize, it would have to be, he said." Chapter 2; page 11

         The ownership of women by men is implied throughout the first four chapters of The Handmaid's Tale. In this dystopia, each Handmaid is assigned a name according to their individual husband, they are not allowed to read, and they are monitored by male dominated officials, such as the Guardians and the men in black vans. Succinctly, Offred's quote of the meaning of "fraternize" implies the social order of Gilead.

        Throughout The Handmaid's Tale, women, from the secured Handmaid's to the working Econowives, are clearly not allowed to socialize with one another; this parallels with the fact that sororize doesn't exist. The only existing word for sororize is sisterhood, but its "s" sound is passive in comparison to the clear sound of the "f" and "b" in fraternize and brother. Sororize doesn't have a position in dictionaries, just as every wife in Gilead cannot form friendships, but their guardians can fraternize. This quote illustrates through word denotation and connotation, the rift between the men and women in Gilead.

Image courtesy of ISP - Handmaid's Tale

        

On The Character Spectrum

      A previous English teacher once told me: "We study fiction for two reasons: entertainment and understanding". In retrospect to this quote and the Lions, Lambs, Serpents, and Angels Activity, I learned that fictional characters embody these reasons. The more complex the character is, the more the reader will have to dig into his or her reasoning behind certain views.

            On the spectrum of Lions, Lambs, Serpents, and Angels, I tentatively placed a dot that ended up sending me to the second quadrant group: Lambs and Angels. Speaking with other members, I realized that very few fictional characters fit into our group. This group was the smallest of the four, and my fellow "Lamels" and I could only conjure two representative characters: Elizabeth Lavenza from Frankenstein and PBS celebrity Barney the Dinosaur.

      Why were these two so perfect? Until her swift demise, Elizabeth is very passive, and proves to be too dainty for violence during the mourning of William Frankenstein. As for Barney, when looking past his ancient ancestry, one can account how he constantly teaches honesty and nonviolent resolution to his viewers. On the surface, these characters aren't very complex. The words simple, sweet, and kind come to mind when I analyze them.

      In fact, these characters can be just as easy to forget because of their simplicity. As a passive character, Elizabeth is overshadowed by the Monster's character development. After the Monster is created, she isn't considered in Victor's story until plot shifting events occur: William's death, Justine's trial, and her marriage to Victor. Barney the Dinosaur is made primarily to appeal to children under the age of twelve, so aside from those who grew up with his lessons, his popularity as a television persona has limits. This overshadow of benign characters suggests a passive view towards them. In literature and popular culture, Lamb and Angel characters fade in the background, while Serpents and Lions hold mass attention.

       On the Lion, Lamb, Serpent, and Angel spectrum, characters that lean towards Serpent and Lion have a tendency to more complicated to analyze. The Monster of Frankenstein, for instance, gives detailed account of its life before it murders Victor's loved ones. Along with its staggering strength, the monster is very capable in learning, but it is constantly rejected by humans. In light of its revenge on Victor, the Monster ironically mourns his death. Was the murderous plot solely for revenge towards humanity, or was it planned for a chance at some form of interaction with the Monster's sole father figure? If Victor didn't abandon the Monster, would anyone accept its existence? The violence and honesty it takes part in gives the Monster more character dimensions, thus making his complex nature more comprehensible to readers. In other words, readers are more likely to examine characters like the Monster than they would characters who are like Barney.

          Although the activity's spectrum does measure a large amount of fictional characters, there are certain characters that don't fit specifically on within the range that it provides. One example of such a character would be Humbert Humbert from Lolita. Humbert deceives everyone that he meets: he marries Charlotte Haze primarily to stay close to her daughter, Delores ("Lolita"), and he forces Delores to keep his affair with her a secret. He also displays his capacity for violence by attacking his first wife's lover before their divorce. However, once he meets Delores his violence dwindles the more that his character develops. From the beginning to the end of the story, Humbert is a dynamic character, so his nature keeps him from being pinpointed on the Lion, Lamb, Serpent, and Angel Spectrum.

           Overall, I learned that mediums of expression, such as literature and popular culture, can teach an audience as well as entertain them with certain character types. Additionally, the activity taught me how I could pinpoint characters by their complexity.
   
Image courtesy of A2 Psychology
       

Authority & Power In the Beginning: Act I

         In the sea, the ship of the King of Naples sways and tumbles. As the turmoil aboard the sea continues, the reader learns from Antonio and Gonzalo's conversation with the Boatswain that they are direct servants of the King. According to historical caste system, this places them above the seaman in authority.

         In Act I, however, they are trumped by the Boatswain. Annoyed with the presence of Antonio and Gonzalo, the Boatswain yells: "You are a councilor. If you can command these elements to silence and work the peace of the present, we will not hand a rope more. Use your authority. If you cannot, give thanks that you have lived so long and make yourself ready in your cabin for the mischance of the hour, if it so hap."
 
          The Boatswain is fully aware of his abilities as he says this. His Master has ordered him to take charge, and this gives him authority and power. He has authority because of his Master's order, but the power comes from the turmoil of the situation. In a casual, calm setting, the Boatswain would be low enough on the hierarchy to heed the King's men, and not vice versa. The storm knocks him into a leadership position, and shows the difference between authority and power: the context of the situation.

The Trove

Fresh air doth skip my trove this very night

Oaks halt the sand and stand against the waves

The leaves doth keep the gifts from any blight

No creatures cut the spot that sits in haze

Felicity spark in the hastening hands

Which lift the lid and find the treasure here

The opalescent bottles somehow stands

Dank oozing slugs and snakes that only jeer

Handled gently the bottles had no marks

The vile ablaze under moon's dull glow

Yet bites and scrapes spike him 'til trembling mars

His wants, his needs, and the intrepid goal

Elixir swigged 'til it rid of remorse

The poor man morph'd into a brain dead horse!

Mary Shelley (Sort of) Speaks

This blog is a revision of Journal #7: Orientalism:
 http://2013jamesa.blogspot.com/2012/10/journal-7-revision-orientalism.html



              As Frankenstein's monster continues to limn its secluded life, Orientalism begins to surface. European artists and authors are well known for amplifying the exoticism of Middle Eastern culture, and through the monster's eyes,  Mary Shelley expresses her own Orientalism views.

            One instance of this is the Turk's underlying plan to keep Safie from marrying Felix. The Turk goes along with the engagement only to appear as a man that is true to his word. Shelley also uses words such as "tyrannical" in context to the Turk. Shelley's usage of the Turk demonstrates the negative ideas that European cultures had of the Turks during the 19th century.

                    As the Turk represents the negativity, Safie represents the opposite. She is exotic to the monster, and the monster seems to show no disfavor towards her. Although she is very pleasantly mentioned, there are some implications towards her abilities that could negatively reflect the ideas that Europeans had of Oriental women. Safie's voice is described like music; there are no words and no dialogue from her in the passage. She is doted for her beauty, but she is slower in learning than the monster, which has only been alive for little over a year. The combination of exotic beauty and lack in intelligence implies that Shelley believed the women of the Middle East to be admired more as accessories than companions and contributors in their society.

             So what does all of this mean? This may just be a conjecture, but I believe that Shelley's usage of Safie and the Turk expresses gratefulness for the fact that she wasn't born in the Middle East.