Thesis Project

1. Thesis Project By: Haley Parent and Molly Kelly 

2. Thesis In “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, female characters struggle to maintain their identities in the oppressive Gilead society that forces them to conform to stereotypical female roles; the protagonist Offred rises above the conformity in both her obvious and subversive actions.

3. Obvious rebellion • Offred finds conscious ways to rebel against the Gilead society in her physical actions. • Playing scrabble with the Commander • Saving her butter from dinner and putting it on her dry skin • Reading the Latin etching inside the cabinet: “Nolitetebastardescarborundorum” (52) • Her secret communication with Offglen through “May day” and their walks.

4. Quote #1 “We play two games. Larynx, I spell. Valence. Quince. Zygote. I hold the glossy counters with their smooth edges, finger the letters. The feeling is voluptuous. This is freedom, an eyeblink of it. Limp, I spell. Gorge. What a luxury. The counters are like candies, made of peppermint, cool like that. Humbugs, those were called. I would like to put them into my mouth. They would taste also of lime. The letter C. Crisp, slightly acid on the tongue, delicious.” (Atwood 139)

5. Quote #1 Explanation • In the Gilead society, women cannot write or read and some words are banned – for Offred to be playing Scrabble, she is blatantly contradicting society’s edicts. • On a more basic note, she is wrongfully fraternizing with a man, something she should not do, especially since he is of such high standing.