Survival in Words: Why Offred Survives in "A Handmaid's Tale"

Paper Summary:

This paper examines how the Gileadean society assimilates and controls its inhabitants by controlling language in the novel by Canadian author, Margaret Atwood. This paper uses a New Critical theory to examine the text of "A Handmaid's Tale" to explore what makes Gilead so effective, and why Offred is able to survive and escape when others, who seem to be stronger, cannot.

From the Paper:

"Another division of communication is the auditory or spoken. The Republic of Gilead, like any other changing society, developed its own specific vocabulary that works effectively to assimilate a people into the culture. The vocabulary ranges from the names of certain events like Prayvaganzas, which are mass weddings, to Salvagings, which are executions, or particutions, which are also executions, but ones in which the Handmaids are able to participate. The vocabulary extends to the names given to the class distinctions within the society: Marthas, Handmaids, Commanders, Guardians, Angels, Aunts and Eyes."

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