"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.