"The Handmaid's Tale"

  Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" takes place in a futuristic dystopian society in which religious extremism has taken over. I very much enjoyed this novel due to the author's writing style, as well as the solid commentary on extremism as a whole made through the use of biblical allusions and satire. Because the novel is written from first person point of view, all feats the main character, Offred, encounters are much more relatable than if written from a third person omniscient point of view. As a female reader, experiencing these encounters through another woman's point of view makes the novel feel much more personal, and i felt much sympathy for Offred and agreed with her ideas on the people she engaged with and situations she lived through. Also, the sarcastic voice and use of irony throughout the novel to make a point about the stupidity of extremism made the "sensible" choices of a godless society based so heavily on religion seem all the more insane.
 Before the Ceremony begins, the household waits in the parlor. Serena Joy, the Commander's wife, comes down the stairs. "She's in one of her best dresses, sky blue with embroidery in white along the edges of the veil; flowers and fretwork. Even  at her age she still feels the urge to wreathe herself in flowers. No use for you, I think at her, my face unmoving, you can't use them anymore, you're withered. They're the genital organs of plants. I read that somewhere, once (page 82)." I appreciate this quote because in this short statement alone, the author has tied in a symbol of fertility (flowers),a strong satirical voice, and a nod to the fact that reading is no longer permitted for women in this society; all being reoccurring literary devices in the novel. Yet most importantly in this quote is the symbol of flowers. Flowers are a symbol of fertility, written about in several instances in "The Handmaid's Tale." Serena Joy is often seen wearing flowers, and she also grows them. There are also vases of dried flowers placed throughout the household. As the Wife of the home, Serena Joy is now too old to reproduce, rendering her generally useless in the eyes of Gilead. Yet she seems to cling to the idea of fertility, by growing flowers as if they were children, as she has none of her own. The dried flowers represent herself, as with age comes the end of her time for reproduction.
 Overall, I enjoyed "The Handmaid's Tale" very much. The society was an interesting concept, the use of flashback very effective, and the characterization of Offred made the reading experience much more personal.

"We"

 "We" by Yevgeny Zamyatin was one of the most frustrating reads I have ever endured. The concept of math being the foundation for all things was difficult for me to grasp, as I am not very mathematically inclined, and the trailing off of sentences mid-thought as well as the rapid switching of subjects made me want to bang my head against a wall. Although the use of trailing and switching was affective in making a point of D-503's own confusion and frustration with his changing thoughts on his society and of I-330, I found it near impossible to keep up. Yet the concept of a math-driven society can make much sense, as it would be very organized and neat, I was also upset with D-503's attempts to scientifically map out his emotions, and with OneState's use of math to create art and music. Art, music, and emotion are all far more complicated than mathematics could ever be, and far more spontaneous. Thus, the thought processes of the society was generally infuriating to me. Though I must say the author had many interesting single thoughts scattered throughout the novel that were much more enjoyable when taken out of context. One, for example, being the quote "There is no final one; revolutions are infinite." In relation to the novel, this is referring to the thoughts of rebellion and of past times lodged into D-503's brain by the thrilling I-330. As OneState is a society where all people are stripped of freedom and individuality, this quote seems to be the epitome of rebellion to exist in that society, as none are expected to have one's own thoughts. This quote is also very true for any society, past and present, when referring to either a revolution as large as the American Revolution, leading to an entirely new country, or the smaller Occupy Wall Street protests occurring today in an attempt for middle-class rights. Zamyatin slipped many universal ideas into a novel in which the society is focused only on itself.