HISTORICAL NOTES Flashcards
What is the relevance of the Historical Notes taking place at the “Twelfth Symposium on Gileadean Studies” in 2195?
- Futuristic: utopia vs dystopia
- Learning was subverted in Gilead (use of Havard)- this is no longer the case. IT SHOWS GILEAD DIDNT WIN
Why is the male narrator Piexoto significant?
- Women’s story being told by a man- WHY
- Arrogance- his “extensive publications”
“We all enjoyed our Arctic Char last night at dinner, and now we are enjoying an equally charming Arctic Chair.”
- Pun- sleazy and sexist- micro aggressions towards women persevere
- Reducing Professor Crescent Moon to her looks and basic sexuality
Where does Piexoto echo the Commander in his language?
“my little chat”
Relevance of “The Handmaid’s Tale”
- Was given to it by a man (Prof Wade)
- We have seen Offred’s suffering first hand through this account, now its juxtaposed with a man making a phallic joke about “tail” - MALE VOICES DEMEANING
“The Underground Frailroad”
- Reducing women’s suffering to a joke
- Condescending and belittling
What is the relevance of the music tapes?
- There will have been a reason she chose these specific tapes but Piexoto glosses over them
- All the nuance is lost from Offred’s story
“the sensationalism of such stories”
- Disparaging: saying her tale isnt believable
“We must be cautious about passing moral judgement upon the Gileadeans.” + “Our job is not to censure but to understand.”
- Saying we have a temptation to feel superior to history and we should avoid this: ironic because this is what he does?
- Self righteous +ignorant for Piexoto.
- Also: innocent people were killed and tortured as a result of the Gileadean regime- they should have moral judgement passes onto them?
“there is a certain reflective quality about the narrative… It has a whiff of emotion recollected.”
UNDERMINING HER SUFFERING
3 Quotations that tie the Historical Notes to real world?
- “the infamous AIDS epidemic”
- “various nuclear-plant accidents”
- “Romania had anticipated Gilead in the eighties
