Quotes Flashcards
“Who shall conceive the horrors of my secret toil, as I dabbled among the unhallowed maps of the grave?”
The author’s use of the diction “dabbled” indicates pursuing something casually or superficially; whilst, the diction “unhallowed” implies that an object is profane, neglected and desecrated. These connotations link towards Frankenstein’s train of thoughts as he is aware of the immoral actions of creating life artificially through the autonomies of corpses.
“It was after the catastrophe when they shot the president and machine-gunned the Congress and the army decided a state of emergency. They blamed it on the Islamic fanatics, at the time.
“shot president” “state of emergency” reference to unstable countries in the present and past. People assume the US is a stable country with government separate from the military. Atwood tries to say that the US isn’t always safe and should not become complacent. “Blamed on the islamic fanaties” blamed through islamphobia. Atwood tries to create a villain / terrorist group as then people will unite together, wants to create a enemy.
“But a fatal prejudice clouds their eyes”
Metaphor of how clouds imply blindness / ignorance, as it implies that monster is based purely on his appearance and it cannot overcome his alienation as he is judged on his appearance and not on his actions, creates a feeling of struggle. Irony as the monster talks to a blind man as the blind man metaphorically has more sight as he is able to judge the monster for who he is as Shelley indicates how people act in a prejudice as she highlights how people who aren’t blind are more blind then blind people as they judge people based on their appearance, evident through the monster in society.
“Everything except the wings around my face is red: the colour of blood, which defines us”
“red / blood” symbolism of Handmaid’s role for lust as they are used as sexual objects. Metaphor through Ideals of conformity towards indoctrination imposed as she states that “defines us”, links back towards ideas that they are purely used as sexual objects. Links to violence as they are sexual victims.
Farewell, Walton!” Seek happiness in tranquillity, and avoid ambition, even if it be only the innocent one of distinguishing yourself in science and discoveries.
“avoid ambition” ironic as this is what Frankenisten pursued at the beginning of the book. His pursuit of ambiiton is hubris and he fails to self reflect when making the Monster when purusiang ambiiton for no reason at all. Characterisation as the tone is regret and shame due to his ultimate fault of ignorance. Shelley shows the audience of industrial revolution that rather than pursue progress, just needs to be content with what they have otherwise they fall into self destruction like Frankenisten.
“There are a number of things i could do. I could set fire to the house, I could bundle up some of my clothes, I could tear my bedsheet into shrips, I could go to the Commander”
Lexical sets of her final acts as it parallel to previous quote of Moira and how she does not go out in a glorious way as Offred wants her life to have some significance but fails to do so anyways. “Setting fire to the house” open rebelliousness to the house”. Fails to even “tear of her bedsheet into a rope” to suicide, reference to old offred but even fails to do that. Ironic as she has many ideas of rebellion but requires courage and bravery which she lacks which is why ultimately she does none of the things that she has mentioned above.
“you can join us” she says. “Us” I say. There is an us then, there’s a we. I knew it.
ALlusion “us” refers to Mayday which isn’t explicitly mentioned in the novel. Tone creates feelings of hope as the idea of an organisation fighithng for freedom is enticing to Offred. Ironic as she doesn’t follow up on this, show importance of taking action and to not be passive in a dystopian society.
“I was benevolent; my soul glowed with love and humanity: but am I not alone, miserably alone?”
Idea of nature vs nurture as shows the monster was once born good and innocent but turned hateful due to cruelty of society and lack of nurture from Frankenstein. Fundamental bit of irony due to realisation as the monster is actually the victim and Frankenstien is the antagaonist.
“You can only be a jealous of someone who has something you think you have yourself. Nevertheless I was jealous”
Irony of Serena Joy but Serena Joy jealous of Offred for being able to sleep with her husband. But Offred jealous of Serena Joy of being jealous of having a husband. Shows oppression between women in society as this is more ironic as they have tension with each other but not the society that has caused the greater issue of patriarchy.
“Don’t call me ma’am, she said irritably. You’re not a Martha”
Imperative through a command that she gives in “don’t call me’am” is because she is feeling threatened of her motherhood and fertility getting replaced, tension created between her and Offred. Even within the gender or women, there is still a power struggle due to lack of control overall; thus, we need to fight for control against other women, social hierarchy within women. Asserts control over everyone below her including handmaids and Marthas.
Does each of us have the same print, the same chair, the same white curtains, I wonder? Government Issue?
“same print” “same chair” “ same white curtains” shows handmaid programmes being a universal form of oppression and not individual issues. “Government issues” shows how they are tools used by the government. Implies lack of individuality and uniqueness, they only want handmaids to conform to whatever image they want.
I am thy creature: I ought to be thy Adam, but I am rather the fallen angel whom thou drivest from joy for no misdeed”
Adam is gods first human creation -> monster wants to be treated as human and a son with love and care. He sees frankenstein as god as he gave him life. Contrasts with “fallen angel” which is reference to lucifer, (he was once a angel but he overthrew god so he threw him out of heaven), fell from heaven to hell, which is why he’s falling angel. Lucifer was once in god’s prescence but not now in hell. Metaphorically monster feels like he’s in hell emotionally as he can never be in the presence of Frankenstein.
“We yearned for the future. How did we learn, that talent for insatiability?
We yearn for the future” irony through Offred’s character “yearn” implies desperation for something but she never does anything about it. The rhetorical question shows how unsatisfied she is with her life through the diction” insatiability”
“I demand a creature of another sex, but as hideous as myself: we shall be monsters cut off from all the world”
Juxtaposition: “we” - unity in the face of alienation giving a monster reason to live “cut off from the world”
Imperative: “Demand” gives a feeling of desperation due to his misery.
“The white wings too are prescribed issue; they are to keep us from seeing”
“keep us from seeing” indoctrination, metaphor as they are always limited from seeing the world through indoctrination. Also for men to not show lust towards the handmaid’s as they are sexual objects. “White wings” highlight innocence but ironic as they are victims of sexual assault through the role of being a handmaid.
