Dystopia in Gilead and the World State

Paper Summary:

This paper discusses how Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World" and Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" both depict the characteristics typical of dystopian societies, which fail at achieving a Utopian world. The paper outlines the plot of both novels, explains the leitmotifs in dystopias and the purpose of dystopian depictions, and points out why Huxley and Atwood are successful at depicting dystopic worlds. The paper concludes that, apart from providing two magnificent illustrations of dystopic worlds, Huxley and Atwood highly achieve at fostering critical thinking in their followers.

From the Paper:

"The Gilead structure, as all dystopic systems, diminishes its inhabitants to the point of depriving them of their identity. In the "Red Center" people are stratified depending on their function within the Gilead totalitarian world. The redness of Offred's clothes suggests her role as a Handmaid; she will be one in charge of procreation. Thus, her identity is defined by her body, for she is just a "container", nothing more than a "two-legged womb, that's all: sacred vessels, ambulatory chalices" (136) . Then, her very concept of humanity has been distorted since she is defined by her bodily functions - and dysfunctions. The stratification of women into their different roles helps keep them in their respective controlled places. Rita, one of the Marthas who live at the Commanders house, shows no sympathy for Offred's situation but identifies herself with another Martha who has been accidentally shot. "

Sample of Sources Used:

• Atwood, Margaret (1986) The Handmaid' Tale .New York: O. W. Toad Ltd.
• Grolier, J (2000) The Multimedia Encyclopedia of Science Fiction New York: McGraw-Hill
• Huxley, Aldous (1932) Brave New World. Granada: Granada Publishing
• Marshall, Brenda. (1992). Teaching the Postmodern New York: Routledge.

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