Dystopian Themes (focus on tht and 1984)

Question 1

Name some common themes in dystopias:

Answer 1

Question 2

What are the main themes of The Handmaid’s Tale?

Answer 2

• Gender roles
• Religion and theocracy
• Fertility
• Rebellion .
• Love
• Story telling and memory

Question 3

What are the main themes of Nineteen Eighty-four?

Answer 3

• Totalitarianism and communism
• The individual vs Collective identity
• Reality control
• Sex, love and loyalty
• Class struggle

Question 4

Rebellion is a big theme in The Handmaid’s Tale. Every major character rebels in some way against Gilead’s laws.
How does Moira rebel in The Handmaid’s Tale?

Answer 4

MOIRA’s rebellion:
Unlike Offred, Moira refuses to accept her assigned role and attempts to escape the oppressive system.
Moira dresses as an aunt and
escapes the Red Center, her resistance shows the more aggressive side of rebellion.

Question 5

Rebellion is a big theme in The Handmaid’s Tale. Every major character rebels in some way against Gilead’s laws.
How does the Commander (and his wife) rebel in The Handmaid’s Tale?

Answer 5

THE COMMANDER:
Despite having the privilege of being a powerful, wealthy man, even the Commander rebells.
He desires a deeper emotional connection, and cares enough about Offred’s well-being to break the law and consort with her beyond his duties.

COMMANDERS WIFE:
The Commander’s Wife rebels slightly. She breaks the law when she sets Offred up with Nick in an attempt to make a family.

Question 6

Rebellion is a big theme in The Handmaid’s Tale. Every major character rebels in some way against Gilead’s laws.
How does Offred rebel in The Handmaid’s Tale?

Answer 6

Offred becomes a symbol of quiet rebellion, finding small, ways to resist, like using butter to moisturise her skin. As the book goes on to becomes more and more daring in her rebellion. She starts by disagreeing with the regime in her head to meeting the commander and sleeping with Nick.

Question 6

Rebellion is a big theme in The Handmaid’s Tale. Every major character rebels in some way against Gilead’s laws.
How does Nick rebel in The Handmaid’s Tale?

Answer 6

Initially Nick appears to conform to the rules of Gilead, we later find out that he is in secretive resistance movement and he also sleeps with Offred which is highly illegal.

Question 6

Rebellion is a big theme in The Handmaid’s Tale. Every major character rebels in some way against Gilead’s laws.
How does Ofglen rebel in The Handmaid’s Tale?

Answer 6

Ofglen works as a memeber of the underground, secret resistance Mayday.

Question 7

The theme of control is introduced in the first chapter. The handmaids are all put “in what had once been the gymnasium”.
“electric cattle prods” keep them there. What is the significance of this?

Answer 7

The Handmaids are kept locked “in what had once been the gymnasium”. “Electric cattle prods” keep them there. These were used in the 1960s by US police for riots.
Here the term makes explicit association between these women and breeding animals.

Question 8

Suggest a The Handmaid’s Tale quote that could be used when talking about imprisonment.

Answer 8

“A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze”

This quote talks about women sticking to their role inside the confinenment of societal boundies.