There are all kinds of experiences and theologies that inform this practice, some more . 1984 focused on force/control vs BNW's focus on manipulation/emotion. 1984 and The Handmaid's Tale critical quotes. Both the novels '1984' and 'The Handmaids Tale' provide warnings of how each author sees certain problems in society leading to dystopian states. 5 Deception The return to 'traditional values' in the Gilead society is a deception which masks a bleak reality of totalitarian oppression and brutality. Offred IS A HANDMAID in the Republic of Gilead, where women are prohibited from holding jobs, reading, and forming friendships. Students can track elements of the dystopian society of The Handmaid's Tale as they read. Alias Grace - Main Theme. Atwood, who is famous for depicting themes of betrayal and treachery through the creation of strong and vulnerable female characters, produces a vivid set of possibilities with the women of The Handmaid's Tale. Every loved one is taken away from them—husbands, children, parents, etc. Gilead, which was once the United States changed due to mass infertility and environmental disaster. Themes of The Handmaid's Tale - CliffsNotes Caffeinelestina. In-depth explanations of The Handmaid's Tale's themes. In the dystopic society of Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, the government controls the environment that the populace lives in, and therefore, controls the emotions and lives of its inhabitants. This builds the reader's anticipation that citizens like Winston and Julia will one day unite to revolt against the state for repressing their basic desires for human connection and contact. A white, wide-brimmed bonnet and a red cloak have come to mean one thing: women's oppression. Handmaid's Tale and 1984 | Gender and Technology Spring 2009 How does a character such as Offred define herself in a world that defines . The novel is entitled The Handmaid's Tale, not A Handmaid's Tale, so although we can never be entirely sure of the identity of this Handmaid - or, as Pieixoto points out in the Historical Notes, of her existence at all (even allowing for the fact that she is of course an invention of Atwood's) it is clear that we are .