Context Flashcards
What is the importance of the Berlin Wall?
• Atwood originally began writing the novel in Berlin which was encircled by the wall. Cartee describes the wall as a “show piece for western capitalised merchandising”. The wall itself can be seen in the novel which showcases bodies of victims from Gileads far right beliefs.
Is the book unrealistic?
• although it seems far fetched the novel is actually based around events that have taken place in the present and past. She stated “I would not have put something in the book which I had not seen or heard before”.
• group hangings? Seen in earlier England. The cover ups? Religious attire for catholics, Muslims and victorians.
What is genesis 30?
• genesis 30 is a story within the bible which shows Jacob’s two wives using their female slaves as baby producers for themselves. This ought to warn readers about the dangers of taking the inherent document and applying every word literally. Thus can be proved through simply the roles of women and offreds experience as a handmaid with its consequences. Atwood prefaced the novel with 3 phrases. Genesis 30 being one of the
What is Johnathan swifts modest proposal?
• the satirical novel to ridicule the politicians, elites and landowners of England who did not see the poor Irish as a problem of human misery but rather as an inconvenience. This alerts readers that the satirical account is not a recipe for success - shown through swifts suggestion that the poverty of time could be alleviated by selling and eating Irish babies. It is a savage comment on englands legal and economic exploitation of Ireland. Its title has come to symbolise any proposition to solve a problem with an effective but outrageous cure. Atwood begins the novel with a dedication to the novel to frame how we as readers will view the text, categorising the object within.
What is the importance of the Sufi proverb “there is no sign in the desert that thou shalt not eat stones”.
• the dedication to the proverb in one of three epigraphs of the beginning of the novel state a human truth that we do not prohibit things that nobody would ever want. Seeing as all prohibitions are founded upon a denial of our desires. Again, this epigraph frames how we will view the text and understand how there will be options of small rebellions even if they seem detrimental to your situation.
