Language as a Form of Power In The Handmaids Tale - Literature Essay Samples

Since the beginning of history, language has been the most important means of communication and development amongst humans. Because of languages enormous significance, manipulating it to control a large group of people is extremely effective. In The Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwood creates Gilead, an imaginary futuristic regime involving the complete stripping of freedom from women. Even though the new government employs armies of spies and guards to enforce its laws, the real power lies in the governments control of language. Atwood subtly incorporates the theme of language into every aspect of the story, demonstrating not only the influence it has over groups of people but also how its absence affects the main characters sanity. The novel begins with Offred, the main character and narrator, sitting in her stark, empty room at the Commanders house. Once a successful working mother, Offred is now merely a tool for reproduction. Like all other unmarried or lesbian women in the co untry, Offred must exchange her real name for the generic possessive title indicating which commander she services (Offred meaning Of Fred). With the loss of their real names, the women automatically begin to lose touch with their former lives and find locating friends and family nearly impossible. The government takes a major step with this law toward its ultimate goal of ridding women of individual identities and indicating their insignificance to men. In addition to mourning the death of her name, Offred aches for the abundance of reading material and conversation once so readily available. She spends most of her time sitting in her blank room where the only written word is the word faith embroidered on a cushion. The only times she can leave her room are to service the Commander and to go on her daily shopping outing with another handmaid, Ofglen. In anticipation of the handmaids encounters with each other, the government teaches them acceptable conversation and forbids any deviation from it. Offred recounts a typical conversation during her walk with Ofglen: The war is going well, I hear, she says. Praise be, I reply.Weve been sent good weather.Which I receive with joy (19).By limiting conversations to such meaningless remarks and pitting the two women against each other as spies, the government prevents the leaking of secrets and the formation of friendships or alliances. The elimination of casual conversation and relationships from the womens lives serves the government well; the women crave human interaction so much that they are willing participants in the various sex, killing, and religious ceremonies that they would never have participated in previously. The most important and perhaps most disturbing practice in Gilead is the Ceremony, when handmaids must visit their Commanders rooms and have sex with them in attempts to get pregnant. At the beginning of Offreds experience as a handmaid, she plays with language in her mind to distract he rself from the strange man on top of her: Household. That is what we are. The Commander is the head of the household. The house is what he holds. To have and to hold, till death do us part. The hold of a ship. Hollow (81). Offreds thoughts demonstrate her desperation to maintain some type of sanity; she struggles not to let her mental capabilities dwindle. After Offred lives with the Commander for some time, he secretly invites her to his room on a non-Ceremony night. Not knowing what to expect, Offred is shocked when the Commander asks her to play Scrabble with him. The word game is like a sensory overload for her: Larynx, I spell. Valance. Quince. Zygote. I hold the glossy counters with their smooth edges, finger the letters. The feeling is voluptuous. This is freedom, an eyeblink of itWhat a luxury. The counters are like candies, made of peppermint, cool like that. Humbugs, those were called. I would like to put them in my mouth. They would taste of lime. Th e letter C. Crisp, slightly acid on the tongue, delicious (139).The Commander takes full advantage of the power he holds over Offred through language. He turns her on by providing her with forbidden treasures like Scrabble and fashion magazines, while at the same time enticing her to continue to risk her life by returning to his room at night. Eventually he begins exploiting her sexually, even dressing her up and taking her to a whorehouse one night. The Commanders manipulation of Offred through reading materials represents yet another way in which the government controls womens thoughts and actions through language. In a society so accustomed to the freedom of speech, Atwoods futuristic view of civilization comes as a shock. She deftly constructs a terrifying regime grounded in the beliefs of different groups and political parties of our time and brings one of our most cherished freedoms under threat. Although critics most often discuss the novel as an attack on the religious right, it is equally a warning of the power language holds. Atwood effectively illustrates the extent to which the absence of names, speech, and the written word can affect ones mental health and control an entire society.

The New England And The Mid Atlantic Colonies Essay

This paper offers an inside look at how the New England and the mid-Atlantic colonies lived, out of the thirteen that settled, the different events that led to their upbringing, religious identities, and their day to day lifestyles. Rather, if it was a small difference that the colonist who lived in the same region were not living the same way their neighbor was, it may have also taken generations for the colonist to get things up and running, but along the way they learn what is needed to make their new living situation work. Introduction During the 17th and 18th century, many European countries were exploring, and at some point end up in the North America, later known as the New World. They were a total of 13 colonies each with their specific rules and traditions. Each different to the next, but most were looking for something that couldn t be in their home country, so they came here to find it. Even some of the land given as a gift and other sadly taken away from native people tha t were living here first. Also, not everything was fun and games, slavery, crime, and corruption was happening in the colonies. Sometimes, there weren t any ways of control everything that occurred, and there were also unfair laws that would take part by the government. The struggles that the people that lived in the colonist had to live through and experience are the reason why modern day America is the way it is.Show MoreRelatedNative Americans And The United States991 Words   |  4 PagesThe United States as we know it, since its beginning has been based on immigration. Native Americans traveled during the Ice Age through the Bering Strait and English settlers sailed the Atlantic. 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What Do You Value Most in a Friendship free essay sample

The value of friendship is something that few people take time to really appreciate. When you need a friend, you realize just how important it is to have a strong relationship to another person. value of friendship, good friends Everyone values friendships, but its especially important when you are a teenager and a young adult. A special friendship provides someone to talk to and hang out with, laughter, advice and so much more.There are so many things teens go through that good friends can help with.One value of friendship which many find extremely important is the companionship aspect of it. Whether you are hanging out with your friends in between classes or going to the movies with them during the weekend, you will find that having friends is a really great thing. Friends are companions who will keep you occupied and individuals who you can have a great time with all the time. We will write a custom essay sample on What Do You Value Most in a Friendship? or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page ConversationEven if you cant get together with your friends you can usually get a hold of them by phone, email or text messaging. Conversation, whether actual or virtual, is another value which people consider with regard to friendship. Everyone needs to talk and share their thoughts and feelings and friends are great in providing this for you. Good conversation usually equals a great friendship.Helping Hand When NeededFriends also lend a helping hand when it is needed. Every once in a while you will find that you have a problem which your friends can often help you out with. Whether it deals with a fight with your parents or boy/girl issues, your friends are there for you. This is a valuable trait when it comes to friendship. LaughterThose who have good friends will also find that laughter is a big part of the relationship. No one can make you laugh like your friends and laughter is so good for keeping your spirits up and making your day bright. You will find that the more good friends you have, the more laughter and happiness you will have in your life. Just keep in mind, though, that it is often quality of friends and not quantity of friends which make an individual happy overall.