Handmaid’s Tale is a novel that is set in the year 2195, it is written by Margret Atwood. The society in the novel refers to a lot of examples from the Pre- Gilead era. The main character Offred encounters several challenges that are revealed in the epilogue by Professor Pieixoto. Offred is a handmaid working in the Commanders house. The Republic of Gilead has looked down upon women. The people in the Republic have a strange constitution that class people in different capacities. Most affected people are women who are depicted as sex objects. We also find the effect of a mutation that changes the structure of babies. ‘Unbabies’ or ‘shredders’ are children in the novel who have anomalies (Chapter 33, Offred tells a story of how Janine gave birth to a deformed child). They do not qualify to be children. This makes the state of Gilead destroy them. Gilead women are expelled from socialization to ensure them concentrate on individual work (Chapter 1, Aunts and Angels patrol the women in the gymnasium). This degrades the women and makes them lose individuality as they contemplate on they could have reacted to men (Chapter 1, the former pitch is surrounded with barbed wires). This brain washing model has allowed the rulers to take the personality and self esteem of the citizens of Gilead. There are inhumane punishments for its ‘controversial’ law breakers. The effect of pollution, colonialism, nuclear, and male chauvinism is brought clearly by the anecdotes written by Offred (Chapter 38, a story about Moira being shown Colonies of Giliead and the effect of radioactive elements when she tried to escape by the help of Quakers).
There are important problems discussed in the novel that directly affect the 21st century. For example, religious fanaticism is evident in the novel (Chapter 38-44). The republic of Gilead allows religious fundamentalists to be integrated in the running of the Gilidean government (Chapter 34, there is an incident of the religious Prayvanganza, a public prayer ceremony for women aged fourteen years). The aftermath of this inclusion is oppression that needs amendments. These fundamentalists have renamed the Handmaids and given them a new identity (Chapter 1, Aunts and Angels). That is, their past has been erased and given new lives accompanied with different names (Chapter 44, Ofglen says that ‘I am of Glen’ hence attaching the names ‘of’ and ‘Glen’ to make ‘Ofglen’). However, this recreation of individuals allows the erased past to stalk and haunt them. For example, if one is discovered to have made a treacherous act of say, killing a baby, the aftermath is brutal. The punishment of such will be either sending them to colonies or to be killed and hanged in public for all to attest to the penalty of such treacherous acts (Chapter 34, catholic nuns are taken to colonies).
Another serious problem that is evident in the novel is feminism. It is mixed with gender conflict and the serious choice of the place of people in the society. Simply, the gender roles in the novel are depicted mysteriously. Women are suppressed, while the oppressive men are given a high status. The place of women in the society is to procreate. They are given different clothing where some disguise their faces and others show off their bodies. This degrades women. They are seen as sex objects and neglected by the Republic. A few of them are allowed to learn how to read and write. Many women like Offred are made to be handmaids and others to be their mentors.
The problems discussed above manifest themselves in the United States of the early 21st century. In the case of religious wrath, the rules should follow what the Bible says and no one should be forced. The gay marriages should be abolished. In the case of punishment which is harsh and inhumane should be rational and be of human nature. For proper application it should be incorporated in the constitution. Renaming of individuals after exoneration from court sentences should not be tied to the past of individuals and corrective punishment should be applied to people guilty of treacherous acts. This would avoid such cruelty caused by the Protestants. Dressing code should be revised to allow women to dress in modest clothes that should not infringe their rights and affect other people.
The other problem of gender roles conflict should be addressed in a broader perspective. The women in the novel are not allowed a chance to speak. They are not consulted before the passing of judgment, for example, Offred is forced to divorce, later forced to be a handmaid. Seriously, she is turned into a sex object. This redefines the place of a woman in the society. They are seen as procreation objects. Their role is to give birth to children and satisfy the needs of men. They are involved in the overall building of the nation. In the 21st century women were raped. We see prostitution, a significant aspect in the novel. Legislation should govern such and proper corrective measures are taken to victims.
In the case of feminism, I have been having various problems with the internet. The problems are online dating, pornography and social networks that blog different offensive messages on women. This is a problem that many have and is seen in the novel where offred describes having sex with Commanders wife. I call that pornography. We also see Offglen watching closely on women and Offred being reaped off her status as a woman and insulted. I am trying my best to be able to have a positive attitude towards women avoiding any negative influence from my peers. The influence from the Handmaid’s Tale peers made many have a low esteem towards having a strong opposition.
In conclusion, the novel has a futuristic approach and it highlights on the challenges that face many governments in the world. The country has a government that is formed from the pre-Gilead United States. The racists, unfair autocratic leaders, conservatives, and religious extremists are depicted in away that postulate the real present world. A computer era that is faced with nuclear proliferation, abortion, divorce, prostitution, lethal diseases, terrorism, and waste disposal problems. The problems they face are the same challenges we encounter. This should be a warning to governments, organizations, and individuals to watch closely on their way of life. This will improve our social relationships with individuals. Therefore, much attention should be underway to avoid indecent oppression on women and the human race at large as shown in Handmaid’s Tale.