The Handmaid's tale

FAYOLLE Laurine

Terminale L

Synthèse : Thème 3 - Document 3

        The document I have choosen is The Handmaid's tale, it's a science fiction book written by Margaret ATWOOD. She is a Canadian author. It was published in 1985 in the US.

        In this book religious dominates the world, and organises castes. The women are divided in three parts. Those who have the most power are the « Wifes » because they have to dominate the House. The second are « Marthas » who have to maintain the House and cook. The last ones are « The Handmaind's tale » who only have to reproduce. The women who are considered too old or who are infertiles are in colonies where they have to work with toxics wastes.

All those women have lost their basic rights like write or read. Someone are separated from their families, so when it's the fact, they haven't trust in herselves and in other. The last group with the less of power are raped with the « Commanders » to reproduce so they totally lost they identities, they trust nobody and of course they suffer of that.

Because of pollution and toxics wastes the birth-rate is very low.

        Offred is the heroine of the novel, she is a « Handmaind's tale ». When the fundamentalist movement, the « Sons of Jacob » wanted to take power, she tries to run away with her husband and her daughter, but the political police stopped and separated them. After that, she tries to survive without them, with only the memories of the past. She is conscious of the situation but she can't do anything.

        The author denounces the harsh treatment of totalitarism.

        The novel seems topical with the return of fanatics. It calls back the rights and particularly women's right are frails.

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