Religion, Faith, hope, belief Flashcards
Gilead
a theocracy- a government when church and state are combined
religious language
Martha- a new testament kitchen worker
stores like Milk and Honey - milk - nurturing also biblical. Land flowing with milk and honey - ‘promised land’ - propaganda utopian connotations.
old testament
especially is the justification for many of Gilead’s most savage characteristics
job as a Handmaid
based on biblical precedent of Rachel and Leah, where fertile servants can act as surrogates to allow infertile women to have families.
biblical quotes
many are twisted to justify and moralise the actions of the government
Aunt’s prayers
Offred knows that the prayers of the Handmaids in the Rachel and Leah centre aren’t in the bible but as reading is forbidden she has no way of checking. Disinformation.
penalties
salvagings and executions are the penalty for biblical sins like adultery, but Offred knows that some are executed for resisting the government.
not a criticism of the bible
a criticism of the way people and theocracies use the bible for their own oppressive purposes
theocracy
any opposition to them are not just dissenters but heretics too, which gives the government enormous power
But people will do anything rather than admit that their lives have no meaning. No use, that’s it. No plot.
‘You [Winston and Julia] are prepared to commit murder?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘To commit acts of sabotage which may cause the death of hundreds of innocent people?’ ‘Yes.’
1984
‘They can make you say anything – anything – but they can’t make you believe it. They can’t get inside you.’
1984
‘Reality exists in the human mind, and nowhere else.’
THMT -
Such songs are not sung any more, especially the ones that use words like free. They are considered too dangerous.
1984 -
We shall meet in the place where there is no darkness
