Thought box : Winston and offred walk into a bar…

Thought box: Winston and offred walk into a bar… • other appropriate questions and comments will be read/answered • PG13/R border • do not use student’s names • its supposed to be fun • the thought-box is meant to be anonymous • This is your chance to democratically participate by having your voice heard?

Journal #11: THT Biblical Allusions Learning Targets: • Students will be able to define and identify allusions in a text. • Students will be able to analyze, in writing, the purpose and meaning of allusions in a song. • Students will be able to analyze the purpose and meaning of Biblical Allusions in The Handmaid’s Tale.

The allusions to the bible in The Handmaid’s Tale can help us decipher the RIGHT answer! Is the handmaid’s tale anti-Christian?What do we know about the bible verses, theology, roots of gilead, and scripture contained in the novel?

What is an allusion? • Why do authors make allusions? • What makes a good allusion?

Allusion Definition a brief and indirect reference to a person, place, thing or idea of historical, cultural, literary or political significance. It does not describe in detail the person or thing to which it refers. It is just a passing comment and the writer expects the reader to possess enough knowledge to spot the allusion and grasp its importance in a text. • Why do authors make allusions? • What makes a good allusion? • How are allusions different than references?

Why do authors make allusions? • The use of allusions enables writers to simplify complex ideas and emotions. Additionally, allusions allow authors to create: • social commentary, • satire, • allegories, • IRONY • hidden thematic messages, • and other important purposes for their work.

“Why rappers love grey poupon” —Vox • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOgPk5T1xi0

“Why rappers love grey poupon” —Vox • https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOgPk5T1xi0 • What ideas does a Grey Pouponallusion, in Hip-Hop, mean? • Why does the video think rappers make Grey Pouponallusions? • What is the history of the Grey Poupon commercial? What does it represent? • How are Grey Pouponallusions related to social class issues in America?

Final Question: What is the effect created by Kendrick Lamar’s allusion to Grey Pouponin his song and video for “Humble”?? “I stay modest 'bout it, ay, she elaborate it, ay This that Grey Poupon, that Evian, that TED Talk, ay”

This **** way too crazy, ay, you do not amaze me, ay I blew cool from AC, ay, Obama just paged me, ay I don't fabricate it, ay, most of y'all be fakin', ay I stay modest 'bout it, ay, she elaborate it, ay This that Grey Poupon, that Evian, that TED Talk, ay Watch my soul speak, you let the meds talk, ay

A Few* Biblical Allusions in The Handmaid’s Tale • Rachel and Leah • Gilead • Jezebel • The men, according to their role in society, are called “Commanders of the Faithful”, “Guardians of the Faith”, who are the members of the police force, “Angels” or “Eyes of the Lord”. Bible Verses: • “Blessed are the meek” (who won’t inherit …) • "Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a man." (Atwood 194).

“Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a woman."  “Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a man.” (Atwood 194).

Satire, Biblical Language, and Ch 30 • There is a traditional Jewish prayer for men which thanks God for not having made them women: "Blessed are you, Lord, our God, ruler of the universe who has not created me a woman." • THESIS: Atwood ironically alters the prayer she alludes to, in order to show another way that the fundamentalist theocracy has altered biblical teachings to manipulate.(204) • The text in question appears as part of a sequence of blessings, found in the Talmud, that are meant to accompany activities that are performed in the course of waking up in the morning, such as opening one's eyes, stepping on the ground, getting dressed, etc. • For many, it expresses a quintessential misogyny that lies at the core of a patriarchal religion. • Contemporary apologists insist that it is not intended to disparage women or imply that they are inferior, but merely to express gratitude for the fact that men are obligated to perform more religious commandments.

Is The Handmaid’s Tale Anti-Christian? • Within the novel, the militaristic ruling class uses snippets of Biblical scripture and hymns to provide justifications for their policies and actions. • These Biblical excerpts are often just that: portions of verses, devoid of context, used in a way totally counter to their original intention. • “Blessed are the meek (who won’t inherit …)” • In The Handmaid’s Tale, the language of faith has been twisted and misappropriated for nefarious means, just as Ham’s disobedience was once used to justify slavery in the United States and as Hitler claimed his genocide was God’s will. • “resettlement had begun for the children of Ham” • Understanding the capacity that humanity has shown to use false piety to validate oppressionis a fundamental moral lesson in this novel

Determine when and why the Giledean Regime uses and abuses the Bible. • On the most obvious and superficial level, the Bible plays an important role in the naming of objects and people in the Republic of Gilead. • The men, according to their role in society, are called “Commanders of the Faithful”, “Guardians of the Faith”, who are the members of the police force, “Angels” or “Eyes of the Lord”. • The “Angels” are the soldiers of the army, and they have names like “Angels of the Apocalypse” or “Angels of Light”. Whereas the word “angel” suggests something innocent or holy, the “Angels” in Gilead fight in wars. #irony • The names seem to suggest that it is a religious war they fight. The “Eyes” are the secret police who are supposed to spy on the people in Gilead. “Eyes” is also taken from the Bible.

Task: Create a (Gallery-Walk) Presentation and an infographic/poster/chart that… • Highlights the Biblical Allusion in The Handmaid’s Tale and the context it appears in • Research and explain the real context, importance, and Meaning of the Biblical Allusion • Citation(s) • Explains how the administration of Gilead altered, appropriated, or misused the Biblical Reference and Why. • How is this propaganda? • Includes a thesis statement about Atwood’s allusion.

“Blessed be the silent. I knew they made that up, I knew it was wrong, and they left things out, too, but there was no way of checking.” (89).

show your understanding (turn in) • Explain whyThe Handmaid’s Tale is not Anti-Christian (and so what?) by interpreting Atwood’s/Gilead’s use of Biblical Allusion(s). • Complete the following statement as many ways as you can … • Atwood’s Social-Commentary is anti- ____

Is The Handmaid’s Tale Anti-Christian? • This book is only anti-Christian if you happen to believe that Jesus was all about wielding obscene levels of wealth and power against the meek. • Jesus was not about that at all. Just so that we’re totally clear. • This book is anti-radicals-who-use-faith-to-manipulate-and-oppress • The religious fundamentalist theocracy depicted in the book uses certain imagery found in Christianity as a tool to maintain militarily-enforced rules of society.

Just talk about how romans 13 was used to defend slavery….

Use 1-2 of these Biblical verses to justify or explain a specific Rule in Gilead (From their POV) • “For the eyes of the Lord range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him. You have done a foolish thing, and from now on you will be at war.” (Second Chronicles 16:9) • "Give me children, or else I die." (Genesis 30:1) • “For if the woman be not covered, let her also be shorn: but if it be a shame for a woman to be shorn or shaven, let her be covered. For a man indeed ought not to cover his head, forasmuch as he is the image and glory of God: but the woman is the glory of the man.For the man is not of the woman: but the woman of the man.Neither was the man created for the woman; but the woman for the man. For this cause ought the woman to have power on her head because of the angels. Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God. Judge in yourselves: is it comely that a woman pray unto God uncovered? Doth not even nature itself teach you, that, if a man have long hair, it is a shame unto him? But if a woman have long hair, it is a glory to her: for her hair is given her for a covering. (1 Corinthians 11:6-15) • About death as a punishment for adultery: “At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.” (Deuteronomy 17:6)

Thought box : Winston and offred walk into a bar…