Are Dystopian Novels No Longer Predictions? 

By Marisa Silk, Staff Writer

The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood

Margaret Atwood, author of the dystopian novel “The Handmaid’s Tale”, claims she is “not a psychic. I was just looking at what was happening at the time”, and began to write a transcendent novel that contains relevance from 1986 to 2019, and on. “The Handmaid’s Tale” holds nothing back as it portrays society in the most brute light, and calls into question if Atwood may actually be a psychic. 

“The Handmaid’s Tale” is the story of the Handmaid, Offred, in the republic of Gilead. Her role in society is to lie on her back once a month, and pray that the Commander makes her pregnant due to society’s declining birth rate. As a Handmaid, only her ovaries matter. Everything else to a woman is stripped away, from reading to free will. Her past life of having a job, a family, a life, is only a distant memory now. The story tackles themes, such as sex, human rights, human emotion, rape, consent, and so much more. Offred’s story allows the reader to fully expand their mind to the possibility of a society that contains restrictions that strip away one’s humanity entirely. 

This novel consists of a truly blunt narration of Offred, the protagonist who tells her disturbing story with nothing to hide. The raw scenes of her and the Commander’s Ceremony once a month will make a woman or man uncomfortable. As I was reading, I truly had never felt such a discomfort like this before. Sometimes I had to put the novel down, and think about what I just read. My heart ached for Offred and the lack of choice she has in the matter of what happens to her body. However, this discomfort allows anyone to truly take in what is read and apply it to life. I feel that every woman and man should read this novel because of the impact it has both ways. Women can realize the sacredness of their body, and men can understand the respect that must be in place in the discussion of women’s bodies. 

The restrictions of the society call into question present-day themes of technology and control. Offred senses the government watching, and watching with a smug smile. She knows “because they were ready for us, and waiting. The moment of betrayal is the worst, the moment when you know beyond any doubt that you’ve been betrayed: that some other human being has wished you that much evil” when she tried to escape with her family before the society collapsed into what it is now. 

So many questions of human morality arise about the society for readers: How can a man do this? Can a government really strip away one’s humanity? Where is the morality within the society? Could this society become our own?  There are also many gray areas within the novel, especially when certain deaths occur and when motives are questioned. A life as a Handmaid causes a distrust in everyone because one misstep can lead to the government’s disposal of you. 

Offred contains dialogue that is written, unlike a typical novel. Her dialogue is fused with other characters’ dialogue and her narration, or in simpler terms there are no quotes around her dialogue with other characters. This is put in place by Atwood to show the power taken away by the Handmaids, such as their thoughts are not really their own. Offred’s lines are less important than anyone higher in status than her. Their words are less than others. At first, this may be confusing to some, but it only makes the structure of the novel that much more significant. Offred deals with so much that the light with her diffuses, as can be seen just through her dialogue. 

Offred is a relatable human being that wishes and wants all the same. However, the society she is in causes all that to be taken away from her. To keep her skin soft, she steals butter away from dinner, and holds it to warm it. Then she uses it as a moisturizer because these small things are what Handmaids look forward to. Their simple, repressive lives are only seen to themselves. Even the Commander tells Offred that “all we’ve done is return things to Nature’s norm”(Atwood 220), thus reflecting the stagnant ideas that men have on women from the dawn of time. 

As I was reading the novel, the one thing I kept looking for was the rebellion. I have read countless dystopian novels from Lord of the Flies, The Hunger Games, Fahrenheit 451, and so many more. There is always the common theme of rebelling against the society from our protagonist. However, in this novel I felt I kept waiting for Offred to fully break away from Gilead. There are only small moments of defiance that I come across, as I anxiously anticipate for her full divergence from society. The funny thing about Offred’s character is that she knows that she has these thoughts of rebelling, and takes anything she can get when it comes to rebelling against her society. The small things like stealing butter, meeting with the Commander, and more are her ways of rebelling. Her honest narration explains her pure, wanting thoughts, but how she only knows of this norm. It is also very relatable that she is a scared character and does not contain brute bravery. Her strength and bravery are subtle through her thoughts and narration. I have a great appreciation for Offred’s character as she understands her situation and place. If she were to revolt, it would not bode well for her or her family; her main goal is to survive like any one of us in her position. Atwood’s small details are the ones that count. The writing of this novel is unbelievably good, and needs to be experienced by all. 

Offred’s character has a truly poignant story full of hardship and determination. However, her story does contain the ups and downs that are expected a society with this nature, and the toll that her role has on her daily. Her mental state is comparable to someone within our own society. The isolation of being a Handmaid, and the violation of her body tends to cause her to want to give up. There are moments of great despair for Offred, and sometimes for her sake I believed that maybe she would be better off dead. This is something I have never wished for a character before, but with her life I wouldn’t blame her. There was never a time in this novel that I blame her for her actions, or look down upon her because, how can you? I admire Offred’s character so deeply because of her honest feelings and character development. As her story goes on, there are moments where anyone can compare themselves to Offred even under these conditions. 

There are continuous themes in the novel that intrigue audiences for generations, such as the feminist tone and religious connotations throughout. The Handmaids are derived from western religious iconography. The novel centers around women. Some have come to question Atwood about her intent, but she believes that she is only discussing “real life”. When people ask Atwood if it is a “feminist” novel, she believes it is “if you mean a novel in which women are human beings-with all the variety of character and behavior that implies-and are also interesting and important”. I believe this novel is an ode to women and their value within society. This explains why this novel has continued to grow in popularity as women grow in position of society, and how their roles continue to evolve over time. Women look to this story as their reason for fighting for their rights in the first place. 

This novel not only can teach someone about human nature, but also allow them to reflect on their own society. Atwood’s intent was to make people uncomfortable and scared that this could become our society. And the ironic thing is, she’s not very far off. Her writing continues to apply to society today as the Me Too Movement arises, along with segregation of people too. Only with discomfort can someone come to a realization and epiphany. 

This novel is a recommendation for everyone at a mature age. I believe it is necessary for every man, woman, and student to read this novel, so change can ensue in society. Dystopian novels have always set a foreboding message or scary concept of what the future could hold with technology or corruption of power. However, this novel caused me to question: when do dystopian novels stop being predictions, if they are expressing life in the present? All the pertinent themes in “The Handmaid’s Tale” reflect society in the past, present, and possibly future without change. There is mature content, so only students who believe they are ready for the emotional and intellectual toll it can have should read it. It is a novel that one needs to feel prepared to read it before they do, and you will be thankful when you do. 

My hope is that people can learn from Offred as I did. Her strengths, weaknesses, and honesty are the most relatable thing even though her circumstances are something I cannot even fathom. Anyone with a love for dystopian novels, or just a polarizing story in general will fall in love with this novel. It contains mind-boggling ideas that I still can't wrap my head around. However, with time I hope they begin to fall into place even more. The characters, plot, craft, and cliff-hanger ending of the novel by Atwood makes it an unforgettable story that has now transcended to the small screen. Atwood successfully has made an imprint on the youth of today with her story, as she did in the past as well. 

Her stand-alone novel has been transformed into film, ballet, opera, graphic novels, and a Hulu television series. The story of Offred has become the rallying cry for feminism and change in society. It has won countless awards as well. This novel is the definition of present-time, and I believe everyone should read it to take that all in. This story has been at the hearts of people for generations, and will be for generations to come. 

Atwood has just recently come out with a sequel for “The Handmaid’s Tale” called “The Testaments.” This novel will conclude the story of Offred that fans have been dying for since its publication in 1986. My next stop will be reading “The Testaments” because I have this hunger to know what has happened to Offred, and how this society has changed or if it hasn’t at all. I am also a firm believer in reading the work, before seeing the adaptation. With this, I will begin watching “The Handmaid’s Tale” Hulu series following my reading of the sequel. I hope you will all join in, and experience it all with me too because it is worth it. It is worth it for all of us to face something that might make us realize something about ourselves, or society. However, it brings us that much closer to become better people, better human beings, because of it.

The Handmaid’s Tale 

By Margaret Atwood 

Rating: ✫✫✫✫✫