Handmaid's Tale information for data sheet (AP lit)

Handmaid’s Tale
Data sheet information
Author Basics
Author Margaret Atwood
Lives in Toronto,Canada
Wrote many works including poetry, essays, journalism pieces and novels including another popular favorite called Cat’s Eye
Atwood was born in Ottawa in 1939.
She holds graduate degrees from Radcliffe and Harvard.
Novel Basics
Published in 1983; made into a movie in 1990
Genre: a distopian, futuristic novel (opposite of a utopian or perfect society)
Setting: Republic of Gilead (Cambridge, Mass); in a dissolved United States well into the future; the religious right has taken parts of the country while areas of rebellion and outcasts are still held, such as is Detroit



Locations
Red Center: where the handmaids are trained/brainwashed
Jezebel’s: a nightclub for commanders where women don’t necessarily follow the societal rules
Colonies: places in the former US that are still “uncivilized”; women are sent here if they are infertile and cannot help society advance. Here they are called “unwomen.”

Characters
Offred: literally she is “of Fred”; she is a handmaid whose job is to produce a baby for the Commander and his wife; she had a child and a former love (Luke)
Serena Joy: Commander’s wife; infertile; former singer
Commander: the head of Offred’s household
Nick: chauffer and handyman in the household; possible helper or harmer or Offred; a low level Guardian

Characters
Moira: a friend of Offred; feminist; escapes from Red Center
Aunt Lydia: a trainer of the handmaids
Janine:another handmaid; becomes Ofwarren; has a baby and is envied for her pregnancy until baby is deformed and called an “unbaby.”
Ofglen: another handmaid; Offred’s shopping mate; member of underground Mayday organization
Characters
Cora and Rita: Marthas in the household of Offred
Luke: once had an affair with Offred; had a daughter together; divorced and married Offred; tried to take her and the child to Canada but was caught; she has never seen him again
Professor Pieixoto: gives a lecture in the year 2195 in the book’s epilogue; he has supposedly found and transcribed Offred’s journal
Thematic Ideas
Women’s bodies are not human but political
When people sit back and allow events and politicians to change society without check, society can destroy others and destroy certain members of a society.
Words, language, books speaking all are important aspects of a society and should not be regulated by government.
What started it?
Society in Gilead changed somewhat quickly as the religious right took over. Women were taken out of jobs, no longer allowed to hold property or bank accounts and stopped from reading. Signs were put up so women didn’t have to read; money now is simply a picture of the item.
Women’s roles include being married to the elite, handmaid’s whose job it is to bear children, aunts who help educate and various other household only jobs.
Symbols (Think and determine what they mean.)
Colors (red in particular) The habit of a handmaid is red to symbolize fertility but the costume is totally covering, resembling a nun’s habit but yet their whole job is sexual as red is also a color of lust and adultery.
Education/Harvard University: it is now the detention center; the yard the location of the hangings and salvagings
Eyes: the secret police; however the symbol itself suggests that government is all encompassing, watching everyone at all times (think Big Brother is watching….)