Symbolism and Deception within Atwood's Work

Prompt: 

A symbol is an object, action, or event that represents something or that creates a range of associations beyond itself. In literary works a symbol can express an idea, clarify meaning, or enlarge literal meaning. Select a novel or play and, focusing on one symbol, write an essay analyzing how that symbol functions in the work and what it reveals about the characters or themes of the work as a whole. 

Margaret Atwood writes The Handmaid’s Tale following a woman known as Offred and her journey through a dystopian world where pollution has stricken many women with infertility. In Gilead. a new totalitarian society, the government “fixes” the issue of infertility epidemic by forcing fertile women to be a handmaid and to bear children of the powerful, rich men. In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood employs the color red as symbolism in order to convey the representation of power and violence within the society of Gilead, ultimately illustrating the consequences of extreme ideas within the government. 

Margaret Atwood initially utilizes the color red in order to demonstrate the violence that occurred at the mercy of the men. Handmaids of Gilead are to wear a red, modest dress that covers them neck down. The dress is the uniform of a handmaid, the outfit being the only thing they are allowed to wear as they follow orders of their commander. These orders are violent and dehumanizing to the women that lie within them because of belittling and dehumanizing actions that are taken place. Orders are along the lines of ritualistic rape, humiliation, and punishment of disobedience. The color of the handmaid’s red dresses is what represents them as inhuman to the society, which is what makes the people in charge feel okay with the violence their handmaid’s deal with in their new lifestyle. The red color of the blood on the other hand reminds the men of the truth of the handmaids; that they are in fact human. Offred, a handmaid of the Commander, a high government official, is placed in many situations of this scenario. Offred’s blood, as a victim, is spilled at during a ritualistic rape with the Commander but both of them have to do their job of society. Because her blood is drawn at such an intense dehumanizing moment, both involved are reminded of the life Offred is forced to live. Consequently, the color red being the same color of his blood symbolizes that even in the current world circumstances, Offred is still a real person with feelings just as much as he is. Therefore, the intense moment of violence instills the reality of Offred’s new life and that no matter the color of her blood, she will return to her red dress and still be at his mercy. 

Atwood moreover utilizes the color red in order to represent the symbolism of power it holds. The order of power is clear within the society of Gilead. In the new house Offred is forced to live in, Offred's is made aware of her place within it. First is the Commander, a complex man who knows he must hold his place in government to survive. His wife, Serena is a victim of the infertility epidemic and then Offred. Offred is found observing Serena’s garden, which is filled with red tulips. The tulips are a symbol of Serena’s control and superiority over Offred within their household. On one hand Serena feels threatened that Offred is able to provide her husband something she can not. On the other hand, Offred is still the one in the red dress. Because of the red tulips, Offred is forced to recognize the reality of her situation. Consequently, in the house where Offred is raped and enslaved there is still pretty, red flowers planted out in the garden planted by a woman with freedom. Therefore, the color of the tulips represents how powerless she truly is. The power dynamic within the Commander’s house is impartial to Offred’s journey of being a handmaid. 

Overall in The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood employs themes of power and violence by using the color red to symbolize Offred as a victim to the circumstances of the world around her in order to portray the consequences of a totalitarian government.  

Prompt: Many works of literature contain a character who intentionally deceives others. The character’s dishonesty may be intended either to help or to hurt. Such a character, for example, may choose to mislead others for personal safety, to spare someone’s feelings, or to carry out a crime. Choose a novel or play in which a character deceives others. Then, in a well-written essay, analyze the motives for that character’s deception and discuss how the deception contributes to the meaning of the work as a whole.

In the novel Wilderness Tips, Margaret Atwood writes several short stories depicting issues and feminist themes familiar to other works of Atwood. In Wilderness Tips, three sisters: Portia, Prue, and Pamela, and the husband of Portia: George, take a trip to a cabin in the woods to get away from the city. There is where Portia has to cofront her emotions with George’s history of adultery with her sisters in their relationship. In the short story Wilderness Tips, Atwood employs the character, George, who intentionally hurts Portia in order to gain power over her and her own sisters, ultimately illustrating the unpredictable nature of life and the importance of sticking up for oneself. 

Margaret Atwood initially recognizes George’s power over Portia by writing of his history of cheating. This close insight on the pain and tension Portia felt within their relationship shows the effects of George’s deception. George gains power over Portia knowing he cheats because he knows Portia won’t stick up for herself. As an example, throughout George and Portia’s marriage George had an on and off affair with Portia’s sister, Prue, through this affair Portia did nothing but step back and reluctantly allow it to happen. Portia allowed this cheating without confrontation allowing George to find his footing on the limits he could set within their relationship. Consequently, George knowing he sets the rules, his power over Portia strengthened and their marriage became one sided and strained. Therefore, Portia not attempting to confront George tightened the strain in Portia’s life as the story continued as her sisters, husband, and herself all took one trip together. Once the family arrived at the cabin, Atwood wrote to further push Portia’s limits to the edge. Specifically, when Portia confronts Prue on the betrayal of their sisterhood George takes a step further and sleeps with Pamela. Portia found devastation engulf her as the final strains of her relationships tightened. The feeling of devastation was so heart wrenching that Portia felt she had no choice but to drown herself in the lake. Because Portia finds George has cheated on her with both of her sisters, she finds herself questioning the morals in her family and the deceptions made by the people she loved most. All of the relationships in her life had been twisted into something she couldn’t bear to recognize. Consequently, this causes Portia to take her own life because she isn’t strong enough to stand up for herself and leave George. Therefore, George’s actions of intentionally deceiving Portia worked, giving George power stronger than the value of her life. 

Margaret Atwood moreover utilizes the power George has over Portia in order to demonstrate the power dynamic between a man and a woman in the 1960’s. The power dynamic between Portia and George is seen at the beginning of the story, where George isolates Portia from her friends and family. Because George isolates Portia, the manipulation creates a sense of dependence on George for Portia. Consequently, this reinforces the dominance that George has over Portia and how she will do anything to keep her husband happy. Therefore, George controlling Portia’s wellbeing by isolating her instills the amount of authority and power George will always have over her. George continues this power dynamic to illustrate this behavior as he sleeps with all three sisters: Portia, Prue, and Pamela. Because of the betrayal George orchestrated, both Prue and Pamela face emotional turmoil as they know the effects this will have on Portia. Consequently, their betrayal causes deep-rooted mistrust between them all knowing the depths they both went to hurt each other. Therefore, George’s deception of creating a situation manipulated by his hand, showcases his ability to use his power to control and influence the sisters. 

In the short story Wilderness Tips, the tragedy that occurred was due to George intentionally hurting Portia in order to gain power over her. The power dynamic between them  highlights the importance of sticking up for oneself.