C.) I really enjoyed The Handmaid's Tale because it had so much hidden meaning. I loved Atwood's use of diction and her style of writing and found that she did an excellent job of getting her point across. I enjoyed, once I understood the history of the novel and Atwood's opinions on feminism, searching for the numerous references she made throughout the novel directly to her stance on pornography and oppression of women and to the Bible. Her allusions and historical ties were definitely a credit to the story.
The Handmaid's Tale was not like any other story I have ever read; it was definitely unique. Although some aspects were very detailed and disturbing, Atwood really forced the reader to understand just how horribly oppressive the government was. The Ceremony, the Particicution, and the Salvaging were all difficult to relate to but they served their purpose in symbolizing the brutality of the Gileadean regime. Atwood also did an excellent job of making the reader feel for the characters. I know that by the end of the book I felt like I actually knew Offred and found myself angry that I did not know her ultimate fate.
Saturday, November 3, 2007
Handmaid's Tale-Quote
B.) "They look around, bright-eyed, cocking their heads to one side like robins" (Atwood 28).
This was most likely my favorite quote from The Handmaid's Tale because it was so simple but had such greater meaning. The way Atwood compares the Japanese tourists to robins is a symbol of the Japanese' freedom. The women are not tied down and forced into menial work or treated as servants; they are free to choose what they wear, who they marry, what they do..etc. There is nothing holding them down, no one has "clipped their wings", they are free to do as they please like a bird is free to take flight.
The American women, on the other hand, have had "their wings clipped". They are no longer free birds but are grounded by the government that keeps them down. The Japanese are 'bright-eyed and cocking their heads' because of how shocking and foreign the way of life is now in the United States. There is no longer equality or rights, we have progressed backwards, which must be very confusing to the completely independent Japanese.
Atwood also describes the tourists as 'twittering', another obvious symbol of the bird and free-will, whereas the American women hide their eyes in fear and shame. The stark contrast between cultures, in my opinion, was one of the most interesting scenes in the novel.
This was most likely my favorite quote from The Handmaid's Tale because it was so simple but had such greater meaning. The way Atwood compares the Japanese tourists to robins is a symbol of the Japanese' freedom. The women are not tied down and forced into menial work or treated as servants; they are free to choose what they wear, who they marry, what they do..etc. There is nothing holding them down, no one has "clipped their wings", they are free to do as they please like a bird is free to take flight.
The American women, on the other hand, have had "their wings clipped". They are no longer free birds but are grounded by the government that keeps them down. The Japanese are 'bright-eyed and cocking their heads' because of how shocking and foreign the way of life is now in the United States. There is no longer equality or rights, we have progressed backwards, which must be very confusing to the completely independent Japanese.
Atwood also describes the tourists as 'twittering', another obvious symbol of the bird and free-will, whereas the American women hide their eyes in fear and shame. The stark contrast between cultures, in my opinion, was one of the most interesting scenes in the novel.
Handmaid's Tale- "There is a Balm in Gilead"
A.) Along with the numerous biblical allusions contributing to Margaret Adwood's satire The Handmaid's Tale, was her reference to the singing of "There is a Balm in Gilead". Gilead in the Bible was marked for its fertility and richness, and credited with its excess of a special healing balm, hence the song. Gilead is an allusion to the handmaids for they both are linked to reproductive capabilities and hope, although the handmaids are not in fact very fertile or hopeful at all. The purpose of Gilead and the handmaids may be the same thing, but what they actually bring to society is not. The handmaids, in reality, bring despair for they generally do not conceive a child and when they do there is a large possibility that the child will not actually survive. They also hinder bonds between husband and wife for obvious reasons, plus they are absolutely miserable for they are basically being forced into prostitution. This is quite a different scene than that of the prosperous land of Gilead.
Atwood uses a pun as Moira refers to the song as "There is a Bomb in Gilead". This is sarcasm toward the Bible as obviously 'balm' and 'bomb' connotate very different things. Balm is a positive thing while bomb blatantly represents disaster and destruction. Balm brings hope, bomb brings hopelessness. The irony of the comparison between the two was meant to symbolize how this happily depicted society is an illusion created by the government; absolutely no one living in Gilead is truly content with their life.
Atwood uses a pun as Moira refers to the song as "There is a Bomb in Gilead". This is sarcasm toward the Bible as obviously 'balm' and 'bomb' connotate very different things. Balm is a positive thing while bomb blatantly represents disaster and destruction. Balm brings hope, bomb brings hopelessness. The irony of the comparison between the two was meant to symbolize how this happily depicted society is an illusion created by the government; absolutely no one living in Gilead is truly content with their life.
Anthem-a play on the stereotype
C.) Anthem was probably my favorite out of the books we have read so far this year. It was unique in that it depicted a futuristic society that has moved backward in time. Most plays on future societies involve new technology and advancements while Anthem displayed a movement back toward the stone ages. Knowledge and intelligence are no longer coveted possessions that we all aspire to achieve but a forbidden sin. Individuals no longer compete to be the best but are required to be exactly the same as every single other. This reverse from today's standards was interesting and something I had never really thought about.
When I pictured society in the future I always had a stereotypical view of culturally advanced people with new knowledge and improved technology that completely surpasses what we have today. After reading Anthem, I considered the possibility that we could in fact move in reverse and slowly approach what we were like in the beginning of time.
If wars and competition via nuclear power continue to engulf civilization, a society like this one is not too far-fetched. Anthem opened my eyes to a whole other direction that society could possibly be headed if something like a massive war were to destroy nearly everything. It's not hard to imagine the world's hunger for power and supremacy ultimately causing its demise.
When I pictured society in the future I always had a stereotypical view of culturally advanced people with new knowledge and improved technology that completely surpasses what we have today. After reading Anthem, I considered the possibility that we could in fact move in reverse and slowly approach what we were like in the beginning of time.
If wars and competition via nuclear power continue to engulf civilization, a society like this one is not too far-fetched. Anthem opened my eyes to a whole other direction that society could possibly be headed if something like a massive war were to destroy nearly everything. It's not hard to imagine the world's hunger for power and supremacy ultimately causing its demise.
Anthem-Quote
B.) "We do not wonder at this new sin of ours. It is our second Transgression of Preference, for we do not think of all our brothers, as we must, but only of one, and their name is Liberty 5-3000. We do not know why we think of them. We do not know why, when we think of them, we feel of a sudden that the earth is good and that it is not a burden to live" (Rand 41).
I found this passage to be very effective for it related Equality's lack of regret for his sin of loving one above all others. It is evidence that love wins, no matter what, in the end and love will always exist where people do. Love is overpowering and makes Equality forget all else, forget the oppressive rules of society, and be apathetic toward the punishments he knows may entail from rule-breaking. It also shows that Equality is different from the other members of society, he doesn't wonder at his new sin because he is indifferent to sinning; even when he was young and in school he sinned by preferring one career over another. Although I fail to believe that anyone actually could not be secretly hoping to be a scientist over a street-sweeper, Equality is more open and bold in his approach to knowledge.
Equality blatantly does not fit into the society in which he is a part of. He is in search of "true" happiness and knows he can never have that in a society that lacks love (because all are to be seen as precisely equal) and lacks knowledge (for knowledge leads to superiority). Such a mediocre standard of living is not tolerable to Equality due to the fact that he thinks on his own. He loves the Golden One because she stands out as different to him and he ends up being right in the end for she is not the typical, obedient and conforming subject.
He does not feel guilt or even the slightest remorse for preferring the Golden One to all other women because love, although he doesn't know that this is what he is feeling, makes him carefree and happy with the world. He says he doesn't feel like it is a burden to live when he thinks of the Golden One; he would take the punishment of preference if he had too because he simply did not regret breaking the rules in the name of love.
I found this passage to be very effective for it related Equality's lack of regret for his sin of loving one above all others. It is evidence that love wins, no matter what, in the end and love will always exist where people do. Love is overpowering and makes Equality forget all else, forget the oppressive rules of society, and be apathetic toward the punishments he knows may entail from rule-breaking. It also shows that Equality is different from the other members of society, he doesn't wonder at his new sin because he is indifferent to sinning; even when he was young and in school he sinned by preferring one career over another. Although I fail to believe that anyone actually could not be secretly hoping to be a scientist over a street-sweeper, Equality is more open and bold in his approach to knowledge.
Equality blatantly does not fit into the society in which he is a part of. He is in search of "true" happiness and knows he can never have that in a society that lacks love (because all are to be seen as precisely equal) and lacks knowledge (for knowledge leads to superiority). Such a mediocre standard of living is not tolerable to Equality due to the fact that he thinks on his own. He loves the Golden One because she stands out as different to him and he ends up being right in the end for she is not the typical, obedient and conforming subject.
He does not feel guilt or even the slightest remorse for preferring the Golden One to all other women because love, although he doesn't know that this is what he is feeling, makes him carefree and happy with the world. He says he doesn't feel like it is a burden to live when he thinks of the Golden One; he would take the punishment of preference if he had too because he simply did not regret breaking the rules in the name of love.
Anthem
A.) Allusions- Equality and the Golden One free themselves of society and start out on their own, in a new world somewhat, and can therefore be compared to Adam and Eve. God placed Adam on the Earth first, as Equality entered the forbidden woods on his own at first, and then created Eve as a companion for Adam, as the Golden One comes later to start a new life with Equality. Adam and Eve are banished from the Garden of Eden as a result of seeking more than they were allowed as Equality is condemned due to his discovery of light, something forbidden in this society for it represents knowledge. Eve can be compared to Equality in that they both lead the act that causes their banishment and Adam and the Golden One are similar in that they both follow their other in the sin.
The World Council that rules over the city and decides on what they are and what they are not allowed can be an allusion to God in that both have ultimate power and both are retaining knowledge from their subjects. God does not want Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge for he does not want them to have the same power and be on the same level as himself like the World Council does not want Equality to expose light for they are keeping society in the dark. The World Council denies Equality's discovery of this hidden technology in fear of giving the people too much power, in the form of knowledge, and therefore re-creating the world of the past which they had fought to destroy. Both God and the World Council can be viewed as suppressing their subjects in order to remain on a higher ground; to continue to be superior.
Both stories present a higher power and two unruly subjects who, one led by the other, digress from society in search of something more. The word anthem can be defined as a hymn of praise or loyalty, which may be sarcasm toward the Bible for obviously the main characters in Anthem were not loyal or happy with the society in which they lived.
The World Council that rules over the city and decides on what they are and what they are not allowed can be an allusion to God in that both have ultimate power and both are retaining knowledge from their subjects. God does not want Adam and Eve to eat from the tree of knowledge for he does not want them to have the same power and be on the same level as himself like the World Council does not want Equality to expose light for they are keeping society in the dark. The World Council denies Equality's discovery of this hidden technology in fear of giving the people too much power, in the form of knowledge, and therefore re-creating the world of the past which they had fought to destroy. Both God and the World Council can be viewed as suppressing their subjects in order to remain on a higher ground; to continue to be superior.
Both stories present a higher power and two unruly subjects who, one led by the other, digress from society in search of something more. The word anthem can be defined as a hymn of praise or loyalty, which may be sarcasm toward the Bible for obviously the main characters in Anthem were not loyal or happy with the society in which they lived.
Farenheit 451
A.) The lack of personal attachment to anything in this novel was both shocking and sad. Love and affection were completely replaced with sheer entertainment and all problems were ignored or swept under the rug. Montag and Mildred's relationship, for example, was absolutely horrible and yet Mildred carried on totally denying that she had a problem. When she attempts suicide, which happens several times, she acts as if it never occured and will not admit how miserable she truly is. Society is candy-coated and all of its dilemmas and unhappiness are glossed over with material possessions. Mildred would much rather continue living with Montag pretending they are a happy couple and watching her television programs while deep-down she is obviously extremely unhappy.
Beatty says at one point not to face a problem, to burn it. This policy is precisely what the whole community is living by: don't waste your time trying to work things out, ignore them or simply get rid of them. This futuristic world is marked by ignorance and lack of patience. People just do not want to deal with problems, everything must be solved quickly and easily. Beatty's words come back to haunt him when he is killed by Montag because Montag had a choice: face a problem or burn it, and he took Beatty's prior advice. This represented how eventually, when push comes to shove, ignoring everything and pretending it's all ok will just intensify the problem until it explodes. Beatty ironically ends up dying in accordance with his own policy of problem-solving.
B.) When I first read the back cover of Farenheit 451 I automatically assumed that I would find it boring but I ended up really liking it because it wasn't the typical futuristic/space-craft novel I expected. It was futuristic while not incorporating a ridiculous amount of new technology and getting too much into the technological aspect.
I found it interesting how detached society was due to the people's care only for entertainment. It was depressing how far removed they were from any emotion, there was no real love present, even between the married couples. Hardly anyone actually talked to each other; everything was run by TV or radio. I couldn't even imagine how scary a world like that would be today, but with so many new inventions and a sharp decrease in the need to communicate (via email, instant messaging, texting, etc.), it is not too far off from something that could occur. I took the novel as almost a warning from Bradbury of what could occur if we continue to decrease our need to communicate; his society was like an exaggerated version of what could possibly come.
Beatty says at one point not to face a problem, to burn it. This policy is precisely what the whole community is living by: don't waste your time trying to work things out, ignore them or simply get rid of them. This futuristic world is marked by ignorance and lack of patience. People just do not want to deal with problems, everything must be solved quickly and easily. Beatty's words come back to haunt him when he is killed by Montag because Montag had a choice: face a problem or burn it, and he took Beatty's prior advice. This represented how eventually, when push comes to shove, ignoring everything and pretending it's all ok will just intensify the problem until it explodes. Beatty ironically ends up dying in accordance with his own policy of problem-solving.
B.) When I first read the back cover of Farenheit 451 I automatically assumed that I would find it boring but I ended up really liking it because it wasn't the typical futuristic/space-craft novel I expected. It was futuristic while not incorporating a ridiculous amount of new technology and getting too much into the technological aspect.
I found it interesting how detached society was due to the people's care only for entertainment. It was depressing how far removed they were from any emotion, there was no real love present, even between the married couples. Hardly anyone actually talked to each other; everything was run by TV or radio. I couldn't even imagine how scary a world like that would be today, but with so many new inventions and a sharp decrease in the need to communicate (via email, instant messaging, texting, etc.), it is not too far off from something that could occur. I took the novel as almost a warning from Bradbury of what could occur if we continue to decrease our need to communicate; his society was like an exaggerated version of what could possibly come.
Friday, November 2, 2007
We--part c.
C.) Although I enjoyed We, I could not really get into the story. Zamyatin's use of stream of consciousness in the structure of the novel was somewhat confusing at times and I felt that a lot of what he was trying to say got lost in his style. I also felt that he incorporated too much technology into the society; he introduced too many foreign concepts and machines that were vague and generally unnecessary. I do not think the extent of technology presented was needed to convey the moral of the story: there is no, nor will there ever be, a perfect world.
All else aside, I did like the characters portrayed in the story. I-330 was the epitome of manipulation and was, in my mind, the strongest character depicted. Although I admired her strength and bravery throughout the novel, her selfishness and lack of concern while doing anything at all in order to get what she wanted bothered me somewhat. She seemingly had no remorse or even remote consideration for who she would hurt and who she needed to step on in order to execute her revolutionary plans. On the other hand, it can be argued that she was not indeed acting in a selfish manner at all because her ultimate goal was to save OneState from the oppressive Benefactor, but I still find it hard to accept the way she played D-503 and made him believe she truly loved him.
D-503 and O both represented the weakness and conformity of society. They both fell to the power of the Benefactor without question, completely in obedience. There was an obvious distinction in characters and the role they played in the novel. I also enjoyed the irony of D-503, after ditching O for I-330, ends up just being used by her.
All else aside, I did like the characters portrayed in the story. I-330 was the epitome of manipulation and was, in my mind, the strongest character depicted. Although I admired her strength and bravery throughout the novel, her selfishness and lack of concern while doing anything at all in order to get what she wanted bothered me somewhat. She seemingly had no remorse or even remote consideration for who she would hurt and who she needed to step on in order to execute her revolutionary plans. On the other hand, it can be argued that she was not indeed acting in a selfish manner at all because her ultimate goal was to save OneState from the oppressive Benefactor, but I still find it hard to accept the way she played D-503 and made him believe she truly loved him.
D-503 and O both represented the weakness and conformity of society. They both fell to the power of the Benefactor without question, completely in obedience. There was an obvious distinction in characters and the role they played in the novel. I also enjoyed the irony of D-503, after ditching O for I-330, ends up just being used by her.
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