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The handmaidens role is to concieve and carry children. If they get to the age that they are no longer able to have kids then the government would kill them because they aren't useful anymore. When June goes to the doctors office the doctor offers to get her pregnant. She knows that it is against the rules but she can't help but think, "Give me children or else I die" (Atwood 68). It's understandable for her to think this because she must be scared for her life all the time.
Analysis
There is high security and and guards that are placed everywhere throughout the city. Handmaidens aren't even aloud to go on walks alone, they are always escorted. It makes sense that, "It isn't running away they're afraid of. We wouldn't get far. It's those other escapes, the ones you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge" (Atwood 8). The handmaidens are forced to consider self harm because it is their only escape. The government doesn't want this becausde they need the handmaidens to carry children.
Analysis
If June isn't able to fulfill her job as a handmaiden she will be killed
Government knows that handmaidens are not happy
This helps readers understand how terrible life was for handmaidens
They are too valuable to the government to even thinkabout suicide.
This shows the readers that there is no way out for the handmaidens because they only have two options, to concieve children or to die.
This gives the readers a glance at how scary this life is for June and other handmaidens and it helps the reader feel emotionally connected to the character because they feel bad for June.
As a teenage girl reading this in 2024 this makes me really mad. The government is trying to dehumanize these women by putting them in schools to teach them how to act a certain way. There is a girl who was raped when she was younger and all the handmaidens have been practically brainwashed so they convince this girl that it was her fault that she was raped. This is shown when the novel states, "'Her fault, her fault, her fault,' we chant in unison" (Atwood 82). This shows how disgusting a distopian society can be when they force everyone to form the same opinions and no one is aloud to think for themselves.
When June is walking with Ofglen she wonders if she is a real believer or not. She wants to hope that Ofglen doesn't believe that what the government is doing is right, but she knows that it is too risky to ask. The story states, "She may be a handmaiden in more than name. I can't take the risk" (Atwood 22). If Ofglen is a true believer and she finds out that June isn't it could end up very bad for june. Most likely with her death.
Analysis
The victim should never think being raped is their fault
Shows how conformity can be very disturbing
This will make the readers mad because the girl is the victim
The Handmaidens have specific outfits that they have to wear everyday. This includes red shoes, a long red dress and headwear that covers themselves from being seen. The novel explains, "The white wings are prescribed issue; they are to keep us from seeing, but also from being seen" (Atwood 9). The handmaidens aren't supposed to see the world around them because they aren't aloud to socialize and they are meant to be isolated from everyone else.
Analysis
Handmaidens aren't supposed to socialize with eachother
June in The Handmaiden's Tale helps the readers understand that she is constantly scared and is truly unhappy because she experiences scenarios where death is threatened, she has no family anymore, and she is only alive so that she can give birth to children.
Don't want them to start an uprising or fight back
Supposed to be invisable, ignored and isolated.