Handmaids Sociological Context

Question 1

What are the 3 core beliefs of the Puritan religion?

Answer 1

Original Sin
The Prowling Devil
Irresistible grace

Question 2

What is Original Sin?

Answer 2

Everyone has descened from Adam and Eve who were the original sinners so we have all inherited their sin.

Question 2

What is the prowling Devil?

Answer 2

This force threatens anyone who is susceptible to any sinful temptations. A constant presence looking for vulnerable souls.

Question 3

What is irresistible grace?

Answer 3

God’s forgiveness and love yielf protection from the devil. We must full embrace him in order to secure his protection.

Question 4

What are the 3 additional Puritan beliefs?

Answer 4

Perseverance of the Saints
Manifest Destiny
Backsliding

Question 5

What is the perseverance of the saints?

Answer 5

Puritan = saint. Saints can overcome anything through God’s grace. Life is meant to be a struggle.

Question 6

What is Manifest destiny?

Answer 6

This is the belief that Puritans are superior and God has given them the divine right to rule all of North American, ridding it of Paganism.

Question 7

What is Backsliding?

Answer 7

If you sin, this is backsliding to the devil, you are rejecting God and were never a ‘real’ Puritan.

Question 8

What are 2 other Puritan beliefs?

Answer 8

Religious conformity
Practicality over pleasure

Question 9

What is religious conformity?

Answer 9

Once they settle into New England, they forced everyone to subscribe to their religious beliefs.

Question 10

What is practicality over pleasure?

Answer 10

Things that induce pleasure are most likely going to lead you to sin. To avoid this, Puritans lived very minimalist lifestyles.

Question 11

What are the Puritan views on women? (4)

Answer 11

Second-class citizens
Were not allowed to interact with the community - especially men they were not married to - or their government.
Restricted from buying, selling or suing in a court of law. Also could not call for a divorce.
Were seen as ‘culturally inferior’ - had to follow their husband’s orders and were inferior to their male children.

Question 12

What are other Puritan views on women? (3)

Answer 12

Were expected to take care of their children’s physical needs - food, love, health. Father expected to do discipling and faith guidance.
Unmarried women had to follow their father’s orders, however widowed women inherited some of their husband’s rights including buying and selling and full control over their children.
Banned from speaking in church, or for giving their own theological interpretations of the Bible/ Christian principles.

Question 13

Why were women treated badly by Puritan communities?

Answer 13

In the Bible, Adam and Eve were the creators of Original Sin. But, Eve’s sin was greater because she persuaded to eat the fruit from the forbidden tree. This story suggests that women are more vulnerable to corruption.
Due to this, women were still perceived as more susceptible to sin and as bearers of corruption and they had a heavier burden to carry.

Question 14

Why is Evangelicalism relevant?

Answer 14

Because Puritanism doesn’t exist anymore it has evolved into Evangelicalism.

Question 15

What are 3 Evangelical beliefs?

Answer 15

Homosexuality is not only sinful but the cause of many social problems.
They see it as their duty to preach the word of God in order to convert non-believers into Evangelical Christianity.
Against abortion and support adoption agencies and social support agencies for young mothers.

Question 16

What are two other Evangelical beliefs?

Answer 16

They promote virginity pledge among young members who are invited to commit themselves to sexual abstinence until Christian marriage.
Young adults and unmarried couples are encouraged to marry early in order to live a sexuality according to the will of God.

Question 17

Why is the Old Testament relevant?

Answer 17

The Puritans followed the Old Testament version of the Bible.
In the Old Testament, God creates the world and almost immediately regrets his decision to create human beings.
He regularly tests his people and punishes those fails - and almost everyone fails.

Question 18

What was the birth dearth? (2)

Answer 18

It refers to the declining fertility rates observed in many modern industrialised nations.
White people would be displaced by ethnic minorities if they didn’t start having children.

Question 19

How is the birth dearth relevant?

Answer 19

If repeated attempts at conception are unsuccessful, or the resulting children repeat- edly born dead or deformed, the Handmaid is eventually exiled to third world colonies.