"Well, we done the best we could with what we had. We was in a war. All we had was revolvers and horses."
In True Grit by Charles Portis, Rooster Cogburn compares and relates many of his experiences with those from when he was fighting in the Civil War. It was a major event in his life, and his loneliness that he experienced afterward shaped him into the alcohol-addicted hobo of a character that he has become. The war was a crucial point on Cogburn's timeline, however, because it also serves as the marshal's sturdy backbone for the grit that Mattie Ross believes him to posses. Without the pride for his nation, or at least for his state, he would not have the drive and ambition that he shows in the hunting down of Tom Chaney.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
True Grit Nine
"The wicked flee when no man pursueth"
Even when there is nobody coming after him directly, a man of sins will always be full of apprehension, despite the boldness that he shows on the outside. He will continue to run away from his past to simply distance himself from the events that occurred that have brought on his uneasiness. Charles Portis effectively embeds the first part of Proverbs 28:1 into his novel, True Grit. The proverb then continues, "but the righteous is as bold as a lion." The righteous has true courage; has true grit. They assume innocence and therefore have no need to be constantly looking around to make sure no one is coming after them for their mishaps. It is interesting to note that the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial has a statue of a lion in memoriam of those in U.S. law enforcement who gave their lives in the line of duty dating back to 1794. The memorial honors officers at the federal, state, and local levels. Perhaps Roooster and LaBeouf are similar men, and therefore really have shown that they have true grit.
"The lions represent the strength, courage, and valor of law enforcement officers and they symbolize the protective role of law officers." Protective role. Both men assume affectionate guardian roles to Mattie...
Proverbs 28:1, 1769 Oxford King James Bible, Authorized Version
Even when there is nobody coming after him directly, a man of sins will always be full of apprehension, despite the boldness that he shows on the outside. He will continue to run away from his past to simply distance himself from the events that occurred that have brought on his uneasiness. Charles Portis effectively embeds the first part of Proverbs 28:1 into his novel, True Grit. The proverb then continues, "but the righteous is as bold as a lion." The righteous has true courage; has true grit. They assume innocence and therefore have no need to be constantly looking around to make sure no one is coming after them for their mishaps. It is interesting to note that the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial has a statue of a lion in memoriam of those in U.S. law enforcement who gave their lives in the line of duty dating back to 1794. The memorial honors officers at the federal, state, and local levels. Perhaps Roooster and LaBeouf are similar men, and therefore really have shown that they have true grit.
"The lions represent the strength, courage, and valor of law enforcement officers and they symbolize the protective role of law officers." Protective role. Both men assume affectionate guardian roles to Mattie...
Proverbs 28:1, 1769 Oxford King James Bible, Authorized Version
True Grit Eight
"Nothing is free in this world except the grace of God."
Mattie gets a lot of her courage from the way she knew her father to be, as well as her instilled family morals. However, another crucial source for her grit comes from the Bible. Although most of the highly-mentioned characters posses true grit, Mattie's does not resemble that of anyone else. Because the sources of courage differentiate, so do the outcomes. For LaBeouf, he holds the code of the Texas Rangers to heart, which then becomes his ultimate source for where his grit comes from. Even Lucky Ned Pepper has grit, but that of a different variety. However, in Charles Portis's book, True Grit, it is a recognizable quality even if it never looks quite the same in each person.
Mattie gets a lot of her courage from the way she knew her father to be, as well as her instilled family morals. However, another crucial source for her grit comes from the Bible. Although most of the highly-mentioned characters posses true grit, Mattie's does not resemble that of anyone else. Because the sources of courage differentiate, so do the outcomes. For LaBeouf, he holds the code of the Texas Rangers to heart, which then becomes his ultimate source for where his grit comes from. Even Lucky Ned Pepper has grit, but that of a different variety. However, in Charles Portis's book, True Grit, it is a recognizable quality even if it never looks quite the same in each person.
True Grit Seven
"The chinaman is runnin them cheap shells in on me again."
While reading the book, True Grit by Charles Portis, one may be completely oblivious to the distinct- yet subtle- racism strewn about the text. It is curious that the book was published in 1968, yet did not bring up any major racial or sexist arguments. It is more viewed as a book about morals; of rights and wrongs in the criminal world. The characters take the minorities and women for granted in the novel. This manner evokes the subtleties of race and sex and how the white male is the utmost dominant figure in the human species.
While reading the book, True Grit by Charles Portis, one may be completely oblivious to the distinct- yet subtle- racism strewn about the text. It is curious that the book was published in 1968, yet did not bring up any major racial or sexist arguments. It is more viewed as a book about morals; of rights and wrongs in the criminal world. The characters take the minorities and women for granted in the novel. This manner evokes the subtleties of race and sex and how the white male is the utmost dominant figure in the human species.
True Grit Six
"I won't rest until Tom Chaney's barking in hell."
In Charles Portis's novel, True Grit, Mattie Ross exclaims that people must pay for everything in the world one way or another. After shooting Tom Chaney and thus avenging her father's murder, Mattie loses her balance from the force of the gun and topples back into a pit full of snakes. Mattie's bad karma makes her pay for her act of retribution by having a snake bite her arm. She ends up having to get it amputated. The pit, as well as the loss of her arm, is symbolic of how unjust and deadly revenge can be.
In Charles Portis's novel, True Grit, Mattie Ross exclaims that people must pay for everything in the world one way or another. After shooting Tom Chaney and thus avenging her father's murder, Mattie loses her balance from the force of the gun and topples back into a pit full of snakes. Mattie's bad karma makes her pay for her act of retribution by having a snake bite her arm. She ends up having to get it amputated. The pit, as well as the loss of her arm, is symbolic of how unjust and deadly revenge can be.
True Grit Five
“It is not important where he hangs, is it?”
“It is to me. Is it to you?”
“It means a good deal of money to me. Would not a hanging in Texas serve as well as a hanging in Arkansas?”
“No. You said yourself they might turn him loose down there. This judge will do his duty.”
“If they don’t hang him we will shoot him. I can give you my word as a Ranger on that.”
“I want Chaney to pay for killing my father and not some Texas bird dog.”
“It will not be for the dog, it will be for the senator, and your father too. He will be just as dead that way, you see, and pay for all his crimes at once.”
“No, I do not see. That is not the way I look at it.”
-Mattie and LaBoeuf
Mattie's character and attitude is specifically just so in order for the story to play out the way Charles Portis intended it to. If Mattie were not a stubborn girl, she may not have cared where Chaney hang, and therefore see no need to embark on the journey of hunting down Tom Chaney with Rooster and LaBoeuf. By portraying her as a rather headstrong, boyish character, Portis once again alludes to white male supremacy.
“It is to me. Is it to you?”
“It means a good deal of money to me. Would not a hanging in Texas serve as well as a hanging in Arkansas?”
“No. You said yourself they might turn him loose down there. This judge will do his duty.”
“If they don’t hang him we will shoot him. I can give you my word as a Ranger on that.”
“I want Chaney to pay for killing my father and not some Texas bird dog.”
“It will not be for the dog, it will be for the senator, and your father too. He will be just as dead that way, you see, and pay for all his crimes at once.”
“No, I do not see. That is not the way I look at it.”
-Mattie and LaBoeuf
Mattie's character and attitude is specifically just so in order for the story to play out the way Charles Portis intended it to. If Mattie were not a stubborn girl, she may not have cared where Chaney hang, and therefore see no need to embark on the journey of hunting down Tom Chaney with Rooster and LaBoeuf. By portraying her as a rather headstrong, boyish character, Portis once again alludes to white male supremacy.
True Grit Four
"[To the rat]... I have a writ here that says for you to stop eating Chen Lee's corn meal forthwith. It is a rat writ. It is a writ for a rat and this is lawful service of said writ."
Cogburn sees a rat eating cornmeal in Chen Lee's living quarters in the book True Grit by Charles Portis. Drunk and feeling the need to show off, he ends up deciding to shoot it. However, he ends up missing on his first try, and it takes two tries for Cogburn to hit his mark and kill the rodent, which is clever foreshadowing of a scene later in the book. Mattie is in the position to rid herself of her own rat problem- that being Chaney- where she has to take two attempts in order to kill him with her gun.
Cogburn sees a rat eating cornmeal in Chen Lee's living quarters in the book True Grit by Charles Portis. Drunk and feeling the need to show off, he ends up deciding to shoot it. However, he ends up missing on his first try, and it takes two tries for Cogburn to hit his mark and kill the rodent, which is clever foreshadowing of a scene later in the book. Mattie is in the position to rid herself of her own rat problem- that being Chaney- where she has to take two attempts in order to kill him with her gun.
True Grit Three
"Why, by God, girl, that's a Colt's Dragoon! You're no bigger than a corn nubbin, what're you doing with all this pistol?"
Rooster cannot believe the weapon that Mattie possesses; her father's gun, a Colt's Dragoon. In the novel, True Grit, by Charles Portis, the weapon that the character carries speaks a lot about the character himself. Rooster carries a pair of Colt 1851 Navy revolvers, a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, as well as a belt gun. His character is portrayed to be all show and no game; he brags yet does not prove immediately that he has the true grit that he boasts of. Having four weapons and two hands is a bit much. LaBoeuf carries a pretty gun with an ivory handle, which symbolizes him to be the "pretty boy with the pretty boy attitude." The trio is after the murderer Tom Chaney, who carries a Henry 1860, which he has crafted a scuzzy string holder for. Chaney himself is scum, so his weapon reflects that.
Rooster cannot believe the weapon that Mattie possesses; her father's gun, a Colt's Dragoon. In the novel, True Grit, by Charles Portis, the weapon that the character carries speaks a lot about the character himself. Rooster carries a pair of Colt 1851 Navy revolvers, a Winchester Model 1873 rifle, as well as a belt gun. His character is portrayed to be all show and no game; he brags yet does not prove immediately that he has the true grit that he boasts of. Having four weapons and two hands is a bit much. LaBoeuf carries a pretty gun with an ivory handle, which symbolizes him to be the "pretty boy with the pretty boy attitude." The trio is after the murderer Tom Chaney, who carries a Henry 1860, which he has crafted a scuzzy string holder for. Chaney himself is scum, so his weapon reflects that.
"19th century weapons for military and civilians", Pair-O-Dice Mercantile Historical Resources
True Grit Two
"Do you like being a marshal?" "I believe I like it better than anything I done since the war. Anything beats droving. Nothing I like to do pays well."
The marshal in True Grit by Charles Portis has been living a life full of nostalgia ever since the Civil War ended. He ruins his chance for settling down with a good family, and ends up turning to the drink to solve his depression for him. Unfortunately, being a marshal has its consequences for Rooster, and he is often in trouble for the amount of ruckus he causes and the number of men he has killed on the job. Often times, the author injects pathos into the novel, making the reader feel a certain pity for Cogburn. He is a character who feeds off of pride, obviously gained from fighting in the war, and often feels the need to fuel it. This is demonstrated in one instance when he and LaBouef shoot all the cornbread. However, when Mattie’s life is in danger, the two set their enormous amount of pride aside.
The marshal in True Grit by Charles Portis has been living a life full of nostalgia ever since the Civil War ended. He ruins his chance for settling down with a good family, and ends up turning to the drink to solve his depression for him. Unfortunately, being a marshal has its consequences for Rooster, and he is often in trouble for the amount of ruckus he causes and the number of men he has killed on the job. Often times, the author injects pathos into the novel, making the reader feel a certain pity for Cogburn. He is a character who feeds off of pride, obviously gained from fighting in the war, and often feels the need to fuel it. This is demonstrated in one instance when he and LaBouef shoot all the cornbread. However, when Mattie’s life is in danger, the two set their enormous amount of pride aside.
True Grit One
"I broke in to say, 'It is a personal matter.'
'Did you get your settlement?' said Mrs. Floyd, who could no more keep her mouth closed than a yellow catfish."
In Charles Portis's book, True Grit, a substantial amount of the scenes in which Mattie is staying at Mrs. Floyd's inn display how opposite Mattie is from the typical woman of the day. She chooses to not meddle in gossip, and avoids lace, frills and "shiny things," as Lucky Ned Pepper puts it. This is an extremely defining characteristic of Mattie, singling her out from the others of her sex, and helping her prove that she is capable of tagging along with Rooster and LaBouef.
'Did you get your settlement?' said Mrs. Floyd, who could no more keep her mouth closed than a yellow catfish."
In Charles Portis's book, True Grit, a substantial amount of the scenes in which Mattie is staying at Mrs. Floyd's inn display how opposite Mattie is from the typical woman of the day. She chooses to not meddle in gossip, and avoids lace, frills and "shiny things," as Lucky Ned Pepper puts it. This is an extremely defining characteristic of Mattie, singling her out from the others of her sex, and helping her prove that she is capable of tagging along with Rooster and LaBouef.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
Frankenstein Ten
"But I was enchanted by the appearance of the hut: here the snow and rain could not penetrate ; the ground was dry; and it presented to me then as exquisite and divine a retreat as Pandaemonium appeared to the daemons of hell after their sufferings in the lake of fire." pg 73
Pandaemonium, as the capital of Hell in the poem Paradise Lost, was created more beautifully than any human building ever constructed, over the course of mere hours by the fallen from heaven. Shelley subtly suggests that although the character refers to the sanctuary being similar to that of the capital of Hell, the opposing terms "snow"and "fire" separate them. Regardless of the separation, the idea is implanted enough in the reader's mind, thus associating the character with Hell.
Paradise Lost, John Milton
Pandaemonium, as the capital of Hell in the poem Paradise Lost, was created more beautifully than any human building ever constructed, over the course of mere hours by the fallen from heaven. Shelley subtly suggests that although the character refers to the sanctuary being similar to that of the capital of Hell, the opposing terms "snow"and "fire" separate them. Regardless of the separation, the idea is implanted enough in the reader's mind, thus associating the character with Hell.
Paradise Lost, John Milton
Frankenstein Nine
"You have hope, and the world before you, and have no cause for despair. But I- I have lost everything and cannot begin life anew." pg 12
Mary Shelley had an interesting tool to work with while writing Frankenstein and obtaining new ideas- her own life experiences. She never knew her mother, her sister committed suicide. Her father did not acknowledge his grandchildren as his kin (but then they died young anyway), and Mary's husband had left another woman, then pregnant, for Shelley. Soon after, that woman took her life also. Shelley had truly lost everything, yet could not begin life anew, except in the world of literature. Frankenstein could not begin his anew either, so instead created a creature that he could give life to.
The Things That Matter, Mendelson, 2006
Mary Shelley had an interesting tool to work with while writing Frankenstein and obtaining new ideas- her own life experiences. She never knew her mother, her sister committed suicide. Her father did not acknowledge his grandchildren as his kin (but then they died young anyway), and Mary's husband had left another woman, then pregnant, for Shelley. Soon after, that woman took her life also. Shelley had truly lost everything, yet could not begin life anew, except in the world of literature. Frankenstein could not begin his anew either, so instead created a creature that he could give life to.
The Things That Matter, Mendelson, 2006
Frankenstein Eight
"Under the guidance of my new preceptors, I entered with the greatest diligence into the search of the philosopher's stone and the elixer of life; but the latter soon obtained my undivided attention." pg. 21
Frankenstein has many roots based in the Arabic culture, and Shelley continues this pattern by pulling the elixir of life into the novel, which was sited in the Qur'an. The elixir of life is sometimes associated with eternal youth, such as in Harry Potter, but in this instance Shelley's intention was for it to be used in the creation of life. The stone to which Shelley refers to produces the elixir, which would be ideal to obtain. However, once the elixir touches one's lips, the drinker must rely on the potion to remain alive. It seems simply maddening that Victor would not have tried to use such an elixir on himself, gaining immortality in order to discover the unknown that he strives to find.
Qur'an (Al Khidr)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Rowling, J.K., 30 June 1997, Bloomsbury.
Frankenstein has many roots based in the Arabic culture, and Shelley continues this pattern by pulling the elixir of life into the novel, which was sited in the Qur'an. The elixir of life is sometimes associated with eternal youth, such as in Harry Potter, but in this instance Shelley's intention was for it to be used in the creation of life. The stone to which Shelley refers to produces the elixir, which would be ideal to obtain. However, once the elixir touches one's lips, the drinker must rely on the potion to remain alive. It seems simply maddening that Victor would not have tried to use such an elixir on himself, gaining immortality in order to discover the unknown that he strives to find.
Qur'an (Al Khidr)
Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, Rowling, J.K., 30 June 1997, Bloomsbury.
Frankenstein Seven
I was like the Arabian who had been buried with the dead and found a passage to life, aided only by glimmering and seemingly ineffectual light." pg. 31
Victor compares himself to the man in the story, The Thousand and One Nights. Shelley uses this link to bridge Victor to another human. He is commonly removed from the presence of other humans, similar to the man in the story. As a scientist, Frankenstein is able to insert life into the reconstructed body he has assembled. He has shut himself away, buried with the dead, always trying to reach the end of the tunnel.
Victor compares himself to the man in the story, The Thousand and One Nights. Shelley uses this link to bridge Victor to another human. He is commonly removed from the presence of other humans, similar to the man in the story. As a scientist, Frankenstein is able to insert life into the reconstructed body he has assembled. He has shut himself away, buried with the dead, always trying to reach the end of the tunnel.
Frankenstein Six
"Darkness had no effect upon my fancy; and a churchyard was to me merely the receptacle of bodies deprived of life, which, from being the seat of beauty and strength, had become food for the worm." pg. 30
The beauty and strength of the church, as Shelley writes, is contrasted with the worms hidden beneath the soil in the graveyard, gnawing at the fleshy remains of those buried below. Death is not full of strength or beauty; it is decaying and weak and sorrowful. Darkness usually appears in close proximity to Light, and in the human sense, people must be careful to misjudge others to which category they fall. First appearances have a way of hiding the most important characteristics of things.
The beauty and strength of the church, as Shelley writes, is contrasted with the worms hidden beneath the soil in the graveyard, gnawing at the fleshy remains of those buried below. Death is not full of strength or beauty; it is decaying and weak and sorrowful. Darkness usually appears in close proximity to Light, and in the human sense, people must be careful to misjudge others to which category they fall. First appearances have a way of hiding the most important characteristics of things.
Frankenstein Five
"There is something at work in my soul which I do not understand. I am practically industrious — painstaking, a workman to execute with perseverance and labour — but besides this there is a love for the marvelous, a belief in the marvelous, intertwined in all my projects, which hurries me out of the common pathways of men, even to the wild sea and unvisited regions I am about to explore."
Shelley connects Robert Walton to Victor Frankenstein, foreshadowing how the novel will unravel. Walton seeks knowledge as he sets forth on his ship to discover the unknown, which is primarily what Frankenstein attempts to do as well by creating his monster. Both men sacrifice living comfortably in familiarity in order to obtain the uncharted secrets of their respective fields. They also tend to steer away from normal social interactions with others, although both are lonely and in dire need for a mate. Eventually, the monster fits similarly into these descriptions.
Shelley connects Robert Walton to Victor Frankenstein, foreshadowing how the novel will unravel. Walton seeks knowledge as he sets forth on his ship to discover the unknown, which is primarily what Frankenstein attempts to do as well by creating his monster. Both men sacrifice living comfortably in familiarity in order to obtain the uncharted secrets of their respective fields. They also tend to steer away from normal social interactions with others, although both are lonely and in dire need for a mate. Eventually, the monster fits similarly into these descriptions.
Frankenstein Four
"I was wretched, helpless, and alone. Many times I considered Satan as the fitter emblem of my condition; for often, like him, when I viewed the bliss of my protectors, the bitter gall of envy rose within me." (92)
Shelley writes that the monster conceives himself to be a tragic character by comparing himself to Satan. He is snubbed by Victor, such as Adam was by God, although his ultimate hope is striving to be righteous in the eyes of his creator. The envy that the monster feels is similar to that of Satan; he is ignored by the person he holds in highest regard and eventually rebels against him.
Shelley writes that the monster conceives himself to be a tragic character by comparing himself to Satan. He is snubbed by Victor, such as Adam was by God, although his ultimate hope is striving to be righteous in the eyes of his creator. The envy that the monster feels is similar to that of Satan; he is ignored by the person he holds in highest regard and eventually rebels against him.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
Frankenstein Three
“I am alone, and miserable; man will not associate with me, but one as deformed and horrible as myself would not deny herself to me.” (171)
The Animated movie, Shrek parallels this quote of Shelly's. When the "ugly" ogre sees himself in the mirror, he wonders how a creature as beautiful as Fiona would ever be able to love him. Fiona, however, sees Shrek the same way, wondering if he could ever see beauty in her. What they both overlook is their own beauty, and the fact that they are looking at the same type of creature as themselves, just in a completely different light.
Shrek, 2001, DreamWorks Animation
The Animated movie, Shrek parallels this quote of Shelly's. When the "ugly" ogre sees himself in the mirror, he wonders how a creature as beautiful as Fiona would ever be able to love him. Fiona, however, sees Shrek the same way, wondering if he could ever see beauty in her. What they both overlook is their own beauty, and the fact that they are looking at the same type of creature as themselves, just in a completely different light.
Shrek, 2001, DreamWorks Animation
Frankenstein Two
“The different accidents of life are not so changeable as the feelings of human nature. I had worked hard for nearly two years, for the sole purpose of infusing life into an inanimate body…but now that I had finished, the beauty of the dream vanished….” (56)
"You can't always get what you want," is perhaps an essential motto to live by. Often times the hunt is more thrilling than the capture, and once a person obtains something, the value of that thing decreases immediately. Shelley imposes that her character is disappointed and unsatisfied with his result, despite the fact that during the whole process, he had seen a certain beauty in his dream.
Rolling Stones, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (Let It Bleed, 1969)
"You can't always get what you want," is perhaps an essential motto to live by. Often times the hunt is more thrilling than the capture, and once a person obtains something, the value of that thing decreases immediately. Shelley imposes that her character is disappointed and unsatisfied with his result, despite the fact that during the whole process, he had seen a certain beauty in his dream.
Rolling Stones, "You Can't Always Get What You Want" (Let It Bleed, 1969)
Frankenstein One
"I had been the author of unalterable evils; and I live in daily fear, lest the monster whom I had created should perpetrate some new wickedness."
Victor, as the monster's creator, resembles God in many parts of the novel by Mary Shelley. By creating men, God was the author of many unalterable evils. However, God does not have any flaws, and Frankenstein mentions that he lives in daily fear, which humanizes him again and brings him back down to Earth. Thus creates a strong theme of self-loathing throughout the remainder of the book for Victor.
Victor, as the monster's creator, resembles God in many parts of the novel by Mary Shelley. By creating men, God was the author of many unalterable evils. However, God does not have any flaws, and Frankenstein mentions that he lives in daily fear, which humanizes him again and brings him back down to Earth. Thus creates a strong theme of self-loathing throughout the remainder of the book for Victor.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
1984 Ten
"'You're only a rebel from the waist downwards,' he told her. She thought this brilliantly witty and flung her arms around him in delight." (156)
Being a rebel from the waist downward is obviously Orwell's way of alluding to the fact that Julia's way of rebelling is by committing sexual acts. Much like the chastity rings parents give their daughters these days, the sash that she wears for the anti-sex league protects her waist, and appears to restrain her. Thoughtcrime is the biggest crime in Oceania, yet Julia is not as extreme with her thoughts as Winston is. As before, Winston believes that society is already forgetting the old ways, and Julia is quite a bit younger than he. This connects to the theme that the younger generation is buying into the ways of the Party much easier, but there is still hope, as Julia proves.
Being a rebel from the waist downward is obviously Orwell's way of alluding to the fact that Julia's way of rebelling is by committing sexual acts. Much like the chastity rings parents give their daughters these days, the sash that she wears for the anti-sex league protects her waist, and appears to restrain her. Thoughtcrime is the biggest crime in Oceania, yet Julia is not as extreme with her thoughts as Winston is. As before, Winston believes that society is already forgetting the old ways, and Julia is quite a bit younger than he. This connects to the theme that the younger generation is buying into the ways of the Party much easier, but there is still hope, as Julia proves.
1984 Nine
"Then why are you sorry that you didn't do it?"
"Only because I prefer a positive to a negative. In this game that we're playing, we can't win. Some kinds of failure are better than other kinds, that's all." (135)
Julia could not comprehend that in the law of nature, the individual is always defeated. Orwell wrote that if Winston pushed his wife off of cliff, he would have, in a sense, defeated himself. The last line suggests that if failure is eminent, there is still a better way to chose. During the second world war, which had ended several years before the publication of 1984, Hitler didn't win the game he was playing. And in the end, because he knew that his death was upon him, he did not want anyone to have the sweet satisfaction of killing him other than himself. Throughout the book, Winston mentions killing himself, or he and Julia together once discovered. This is much the same deal. Death is failure, yes, but suicide may be a better route for them all.
"Only because I prefer a positive to a negative. In this game that we're playing, we can't win. Some kinds of failure are better than other kinds, that's all." (135)
Julia could not comprehend that in the law of nature, the individual is always defeated. Orwell wrote that if Winston pushed his wife off of cliff, he would have, in a sense, defeated himself. The last line suggests that if failure is eminent, there is still a better way to chose. During the second world war, which had ended several years before the publication of 1984, Hitler didn't win the game he was playing. And in the end, because he knew that his death was upon him, he did not want anyone to have the sweet satisfaction of killing him other than himself. Throughout the book, Winston mentions killing himself, or he and Julia together once discovered. This is much the same deal. Death is failure, yes, but suicide may be a better route for them all.
1984 Eight
"Freedom is the freedom to say that two plus two make four. If that is granted, all else follows." (81)
Orwell wrote that all else follows. That indeed, truisms are true, stones are hard and water is wet; that there is such a thing as gravity. But freedom is slavery, because the Party controls all that is real, all that is ordinary and accepted. If a person says they are levitating, who is to say they aren't if they convince someone else that they are? Who is to say that anything is physically impossible if the Party says otherwise? If four is divisible by two, than anything is possible. But without, this is only a foreshadowing of the punishment later on in the book.
Orwell wrote that all else follows. That indeed, truisms are true, stones are hard and water is wet; that there is such a thing as gravity. But freedom is slavery, because the Party controls all that is real, all that is ordinary and accepted. If a person says they are levitating, who is to say they aren't if they convince someone else that they are? Who is to say that anything is physically impossible if the Party says otherwise? If four is divisible by two, than anything is possible. But without, this is only a foreshadowing of the punishment later on in the book.
1984 Seven
"Under the spreading chestnut tree, I sold you and you sold me: There lie they, and here lie we, under the spreading chestnut tree." (77)
In Orwell's book, The Chestnut Tree Cafe is where the three rebels would hang out back in the day. A bar is a place to relax and kick back, which is completely different to the rest of the society of Oceania. Under the willow tree and in the grass, Julia took Winston ad Winston took Julia, which in the current government sold each other both to the ThoughtPolice in the end. It is ironic that their love is forbidden, such as when Eve took a bite out of the apple in the Garden of Eden. With the knowledge that something bad would happen if they continued, both Eve and the two lovers knowingly committed the crimes anyways. This leads the reader to assume that Winston and Julia will have consequences to pay, like Adam and Eve did.
Biblical Story
In Orwell's book, The Chestnut Tree Cafe is where the three rebels would hang out back in the day. A bar is a place to relax and kick back, which is completely different to the rest of the society of Oceania. Under the willow tree and in the grass, Julia took Winston ad Winston took Julia, which in the current government sold each other both to the ThoughtPolice in the end. It is ironic that their love is forbidden, such as when Eve took a bite out of the apple in the Garden of Eden. With the knowledge that something bad would happen if they continued, both Eve and the two lovers knowingly committed the crimes anyways. This leads the reader to assume that Winston and Julia will have consequences to pay, like Adam and Eve did.
Biblical Story
1984 Six
"'Who controls the past,' ran the party slogan, 'controls the future: who controls the present controls the past.'" (34)
Although, as Orwell stated in 1984, the people who control the past control the future, there is a gap between that and "who controls the present controls the past." The old-timers way back when (in the past) controlled the future that had yet to come. Once the said future was present, was reality, other systems were in control, and the ways of the future were no longer established by the people of the past. Then, those new people who were controlling at the present time could do whatever else they wanted to any other time period in the past. They had complete control of only the past, in fact, because they could shift events and forget others. People of a later generation would not remember what the truth really had been about the past, and we arrive at the fact that you can only truly control what has come before you, what has already and definitely happened. This slogan suggests, perhaps, that although Winston has these ideas of rebelling, he is by no means the one controlling the present, and although he wants to discover more about the past, never will.
Although, as Orwell stated in 1984, the people who control the past control the future, there is a gap between that and "who controls the present controls the past." The old-timers way back when (in the past) controlled the future that had yet to come. Once the said future was present, was reality, other systems were in control, and the ways of the future were no longer established by the people of the past. Then, those new people who were controlling at the present time could do whatever else they wanted to any other time period in the past. They had complete control of only the past, in fact, because they could shift events and forget others. People of a later generation would not remember what the truth really had been about the past, and we arrive at the fact that you can only truly control what has come before you, what has already and definitely happened. This slogan suggests, perhaps, that although Winston has these ideas of rebelling, he is by no means the one controlling the present, and although he wants to discover more about the past, never will.
1984 Five
"Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death." (28)
There is nothing worse in the life of Oceania that Orwell created than betrayal of thought, much like many believe in the world today that nothing is worse than death. However, as people commonly say and believe that there really are things worse than death, there are not many things worse in Oceania than being a criminal of thoughts, because that is all the system of government runs on. Winston does not believe in the government system, but pieces together that if there is thoughtcrime, it is eminent that there is death. Not only death, but elimination from existence of ever being alive. And that, Winston believes, is greater than death, which seems to be a major theme in the story, that everyone is trying to avoid death and the ThoughtPolice.
There is nothing worse in the life of Oceania that Orwell created than betrayal of thought, much like many believe in the world today that nothing is worse than death. However, as people commonly say and believe that there really are things worse than death, there are not many things worse in Oceania than being a criminal of thoughts, because that is all the system of government runs on. Winston does not believe in the government system, but pieces together that if there is thoughtcrime, it is eminent that there is death. Not only death, but elimination from existence of ever being alive. And that, Winston believes, is greater than death, which seems to be a major theme in the story, that everyone is trying to avoid death and the ThoughtPolice.
1984 Four
"Always the eyes watching you and the voice enveloping you. Asleep or awake, working or eating , in doors or out of doors, in bath or in bed- no escape. Nothing was your own except the few cubic centimeters inside your skull." (27)
God. That is who "Big Brother" seems to resemble in Orwell's novel, but in a much less spiritual way. He watches you at all times, and has ways of prying your thoughts out of your head, because of being somewhat limited to entry. People would make confessions in the old days about sins that they had committed and then were relieved. However, in Oceania, if people are discovered by Junior Spies or the ThoughtPolice of being atheistic or utterly against the "religion," then they are condemned. Some people that do not believe in the system pretend that they do, because of the judgment, whether it be God or the ThoughPolice.
God. That is who "Big Brother" seems to resemble in Orwell's novel, but in a much less spiritual way. He watches you at all times, and has ways of prying your thoughts out of your head, because of being somewhat limited to entry. People would make confessions in the old days about sins that they had committed and then were relieved. However, in Oceania, if people are discovered by Junior Spies or the ThoughtPolice of being atheistic or utterly against the "religion," then they are condemned. Some people that do not believe in the system pretend that they do, because of the judgment, whether it be God or the ThoughPolice.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
1984 Three
"BIG BROTHER IS WATCHING YOU"
For any Lord Of The Rings fan out there, how does this quote in Orwell's 1984 not make you think of the Eye of Sauron? It is forever keeping watch throughout Middle-Earth for the Ring, and has extreme power over Frodo while he is in possession of, and wearing the Ring. Big Brother, with help of the Junior Spies, ThinkPolice and telescreens, watches every move of the citizens of Oceania, waiting to catch them off guard and catch them for committing thoughtcrime. This slogan also brings to memory an old, patriotic guy pointing ferociously into the unknown in front of him... "Uncle Sam Wants You!"
Tolkien, J.R.R., The Lord Of The Rings, 1954-55, London.
For any Lord Of The Rings fan out there, how does this quote in Orwell's 1984 not make you think of the Eye of Sauron? It is forever keeping watch throughout Middle-Earth for the Ring, and has extreme power over Frodo while he is in possession of, and wearing the Ring. Big Brother, with help of the Junior Spies, ThinkPolice and telescreens, watches every move of the citizens of Oceania, waiting to catch them off guard and catch them for committing thoughtcrime. This slogan also brings to memory an old, patriotic guy pointing ferociously into the unknown in front of him... "Uncle Sam Wants You!"
Tolkien, J.R.R., The Lord Of The Rings, 1954-55, London.
1984 Two
"'Goldstein!' bellowed the boy as the door closed on him. But what most struck Winston was the look of helpless fright on the woman's grayish face." (24)
Even though they are related, Winston's neighbor, Mrs. Parson, is frightened out of her mind by her children. Orwell writes that with every generation farther away from the time before Oceania and the Party were conceived, it has in it people with stronger loyalty to their beliefs. And why shouldn't they? If no one is teaching the ways of the ancient world, then the way life is at the moment is ordinary, much like the idea that Aunt Lydia conveys in the Handmaid's Tale. Winston is afraid of the world continuing on and leaving the old one behind, and it is his belief that society should not change so much.
Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1986.
Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid’s Tale. Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1986.
1984 One
"War is peace, Freedom is slavery, Ignorance is strength."
This quote appears throughout the novel by George Orwell, most importantly at the beginning, which automatically sets the tone for the reader. It has been said and demonstrated many times before, that war is peace. War is peace because when one side rallies up against another, all differences on that one side are momentarily forgotten. But then, as history has proven, alliances within a country or nation can shift drastically against each other, as the U.S. demonstrated in the Civil War (1861-65). As long as anyone living could remember, Oceania had always been at war, with either Eurasia or Eastasia. Thus Orwell suggests that peace had always been maintained within Oceania.
This quote appears throughout the novel by George Orwell, most importantly at the beginning, which automatically sets the tone for the reader. It has been said and demonstrated many times before, that war is peace. War is peace because when one side rallies up against another, all differences on that one side are momentarily forgotten. But then, as history has proven, alliances within a country or nation can shift drastically against each other, as the U.S. demonstrated in the Civil War (1861-65). As long as anyone living could remember, Oceania had always been at war, with either Eurasia or Eastasia. Thus Orwell suggests that peace had always been maintained within Oceania.
The Handmaid's Tale Twelve
"Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" (52)
This quote, carved into Offred's room in the Commander's house, is Latin for "Don't let the bastards grind you down." Although the world in which Atwood has created has changed in an almost impossibly short amount of time, in less than a decade, one thing has stayed the same. Latin is a dead language; it is forever unchanging. Brought along for the ride, it is a piece that remains out of the old world; the way things used to be. And with the language comes the motto, used in both lifestyles to get people through their hard times. Although people have more freedom to before Gilead, they did not have as much freedom from, which brought forth many issues. For example, celebrities, such as Serena Joy, didn't have freedom from the press, from gossip and rumors. The phrase made Offred think about the previous Offred who'd hung herself, who'd let the bastards grind her down.
This quote, carved into Offred's room in the Commander's house, is Latin for "Don't let the bastards grind you down." Although the world in which Atwood has created has changed in an almost impossibly short amount of time, in less than a decade, one thing has stayed the same. Latin is a dead language; it is forever unchanging. Brought along for the ride, it is a piece that remains out of the old world; the way things used to be. And with the language comes the motto, used in both lifestyles to get people through their hard times. Although people have more freedom to before Gilead, they did not have as much freedom from, which brought forth many issues. For example, celebrities, such as Serena Joy, didn't have freedom from the press, from gossip and rumors. The phrase made Offred think about the previous Offred who'd hung herself, who'd let the bastards grind her down.
The Handmaid's Tale Eleven
"There is more than one kind of freedom... freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don't underrate it." (23)
In the days of anarchy, people were given the freedom to do things; America was a free country. Similar to the slogan in 1984, that "Freedom is Slavery", the Gilean government that Atwood created believes that by limiting everything in a human's life, they are giving the people freedom from things. Such as, for a Handmaid, freedom from the colonies. Without being too brought to the surface of attention, it is interesting to note that the system also gives women freedom from caring about looks, knowing how to read or even have a job or get an education. Although seemingly a loss compared to the way things once were, Aunt Lydia sees the value in it and reassures all of the Handmaids.
Orwell, George, 1984, Secker & Warburg, London.
In the days of anarchy, people were given the freedom to do things; America was a free country. Similar to the slogan in 1984, that "Freedom is Slavery", the Gilean government that Atwood created believes that by limiting everything in a human's life, they are giving the people freedom from things. Such as, for a Handmaid, freedom from the colonies. Without being too brought to the surface of attention, it is interesting to note that the system also gives women freedom from caring about looks, knowing how to read or even have a job or get an education. Although seemingly a loss compared to the way things once were, Aunt Lydia sees the value in it and reassures all of the Handmaids.
Orwell, George, 1984, Secker & Warburg, London.
The Handmaid's Tale Ten
"I look at the one red smile. The red of the smile is the same as the red of the tulips in Serena Joy's garden, towards the base of the flowers where they are beginning to heal. The red is the same but there is no connection." (33)
The smile is that of an unknown man with a white sack over his head that has recently been hung. The connection is made that the color is that of the flowers that Serena Joy tirelessly tends to in her garden. "The base of the flowers where they are beginning to heal" is a part of the tulips that have been mentioned at another point in the book by Atwood, thus the Handmaid's menstrual cycle has been once completed. As for "Serena Joy's garden," a garden is often times a slang term for a woman's reproductive organs, which hers wear a sad grin for lack of activity. In fact, the difference between her garden and the Handmaid's is that she has no way to connect with the Commander, or to present him with a child. Nonetheless, Offred sees her on many occasions throughout the book, tending to her garden, and especially to her tulips.
The smile is that of an unknown man with a white sack over his head that has recently been hung. The connection is made that the color is that of the flowers that Serena Joy tirelessly tends to in her garden. "The base of the flowers where they are beginning to heal" is a part of the tulips that have been mentioned at another point in the book by Atwood, thus the Handmaid's menstrual cycle has been once completed. As for "Serena Joy's garden," a garden is often times a slang term for a woman's reproductive organs, which hers wear a sad grin for lack of activity. In fact, the difference between her garden and the Handmaid's is that she has no way to connect with the Commander, or to present him with a child. Nonetheless, Offred sees her on many occasions throughout the book, tending to her garden, and especially to her tulips.
The Handmaid's Tale Nine
"Spring has now been undergone. The tulips have had their moment and are done, shedding their pedals one by one, like teeth." (153)
Spring is the time of year for awakenings; of birth and new life. Spring is also considered the prime years of someone's life to bear children. In Atwood's book, Offred realizes that her prime time is coming to an end, in both her menstrual cycle and her life, and that summer is beginning. The petals of her womb are shedding, and the tulips, meaning her child-bearing organs, have expired. The usage of "teeth" is used cleverly, in the sense that as people get older they are more prone to losing them, and, as stated in the New Oxford American Dictionary, they can be a genuine force or effectiveness of a body. Whether it is Offred, the Commander, or the both of them, one of those options is certain- one of them has lost their reproductive teeth.
New Oxford American Dictionary
The Handmaid's Tale Eight
"The tulips along the border are redder than ever, opening, no longer wine cups but chalices; thrusting themselves up, to what end?" (45)
The progression of the female menstrual cycle continues to take place in this quote by Atwood, by example of the tulips. "The tulips along the border are redder than ever" is a parallel to the lining in a woman's uterus before menstruation occurs. It is here that the body opens, readying itself for an evacuation. Described first as wine cups and later chalices, the uterus is filled with fermented liquid (such as wine is, and a wine glass would hold). It is interesting that tulips are chosen as the flower to represent the relationship that Offred holds with herself, and the one she shares with the Commander, because tulips, along with many other kinds of flowers, are given as a sign of love from one person to another. It is strange that there is no connection between that and the Handmaid and the Commander's relationship; there is no love, only a shared desire for a child.
Monday, September 5, 2011
The Handmaid's Tale Seven
The smell is of our own flesh, an organic smell, sweat and a tinge of iron, from the blood on the sheet, and another smell, more animal, that's coming, it must be, from Janine: a smell of dens, of inhabited caves, the smell of the plaid blanket on the bed when the cat gave birth on it, once, before she was spayed. Smell of Matrix (123).
Matrix is an interesting word choice for Atwood to use in this particular context. As the New Oxford American Dictionary states, the term "matrix" can be "an environment or material in which something develops; a surrounding medium or structure" which would no doubt be the womb. It is interesting that alternating definitions include "a mass of fine-grained rock in which gems, crystals, or fossils are embedded," as well as (in Biology) "the substance between cells or in which structures are embedded." The first of these two allude to the fact that the womb is carrying precious elements, while the second takes a more scientific approach to the situation. Regardless, the term "matrix" used above could indefinitely refer to any of these definitions. In their current situation, Handmaids would easily believe the baby in their womb was a rare gem.
Stevenson, Angus. New Oxford American Dictionary, Oxford University Press, August 2010
Matrix is an interesting word choice for Atwood to use in this particular context. As the New Oxford American Dictionary states, the term "matrix" can be "an environment or material in which something develops; a surrounding medium or structure" which would no doubt be the womb. It is interesting that alternating definitions include "a mass of fine-grained rock in which gems, crystals, or fossils are embedded," as well as (in Biology) "the substance between cells or in which structures are embedded." The first of these two allude to the fact that the womb is carrying precious elements, while the second takes a more scientific approach to the situation. Regardless, the term "matrix" used above could indefinitely refer to any of these definitions. In their current situation, Handmaids would easily believe the baby in their womb was a rare gem.
Stevenson, Angus. New Oxford American Dictionary, Oxford University Press, August 2010
Thursday, August 25, 2011
The Handmaid's Tale Six
"There are other women with baskets, some in red, some in the dull green of the Marthas, some in the striped dresses, red and blue and green and cheap and skimp, that mark the women of the poorer men. Econowives, they're called. These women are not divided into functions. They have to do everything; if they can." (33)
The similar wardrobes of the women in the world created by Atwood and known as Gilead strip them of of their individuality completely. At a glance, one could determine their purpose as well as their rank. The Wives wear blue, the Handmaids wear red and so forth. It is interesting that these colors are chosen for a number of reasons. Red represents birth and death, sex and vitality; achievement. It also represents maintaining physical energy and health, which is extremely important for the Handmaids. Blue is a color used to protect one's reputation, and is the least appetizing of any food color. The Wives generally tend to be middle aged and unappetizing. The term "blue blooded" also comes in to play, because it represents upper-class folks, of which the Wives are. In the American government, red and blue tend to battle it out quite often (red states vs blue states). And on the flag, Red represents valor and hardiness, while blue signifies justice, perseverance, and vigilance. The stars on the flag are like the silver stars above Serena Joy's bed, and they represent the heavens and all the good that people strive for.
The Betsy Ross Homepage
The Betsy Ross Homepage
The Handmaid's Tale Five
"Ordinary, said Aunt Lydia, is what you are used to. This may not seem ordinary to you now, but after a time it will. It will become ordinary." (33)
People are used to living a certain way, and are familiar and comfortable with their own culture. Because Offred and the other Handmaids at the time were old enough to remember life before Gilead, the changes that had occurred several years earlier were very unusual. Aunt Lydia prescribes that in time, the ways of the new world will become ordinary, maybe not for them, but for the other generations to come. At the time when that life becomes ordinary, the different and forgotten ways of the past become unusual and different, as the new ones once were for Offred. It all depends on the ways of life that you are used to; without ordinary, there is no unordinary. Atwood's novel poses an interesting question: What exactly is ordinary? It is what people believe to be, at the time, normal. It is interesting that Atwood would indeed pose such a question though, because it makes the reader believe that life will continue on in that manner; that every generation to come would become more and more used to the new ways of life. This however, is proven untrue by the historical notes at the end of the book.
People are used to living a certain way, and are familiar and comfortable with their own culture. Because Offred and the other Handmaids at the time were old enough to remember life before Gilead, the changes that had occurred several years earlier were very unusual. Aunt Lydia prescribes that in time, the ways of the new world will become ordinary, maybe not for them, but for the other generations to come. At the time when that life becomes ordinary, the different and forgotten ways of the past become unusual and different, as the new ones once were for Offred. It all depends on the ways of life that you are used to; without ordinary, there is no unordinary. Atwood's novel poses an interesting question: What exactly is ordinary? It is what people believe to be, at the time, normal. It is interesting that Atwood would indeed pose such a question though, because it makes the reader believe that life will continue on in that manner; that every generation to come would become more and more used to the new ways of life. This however, is proven untrue by the historical notes at the end of the book.
The Handmaid's Tale Four
"The tulips are red, a darker crimson towards the stem, as if they have been cut and are beginning to heal there." (12)
Atwood uses tulips here to signify a woman's menstrual cycle, with the red coloring of the flower representing blood. The tulips above represent the early stages in the cycle, in which the cork has been released and discharges have begun to flow. The tulip refers to the uterus, while the "darker crimson stem" is meant to be the tract leading from the uterus through which the menstruation travels. Being a Handmaid, this stage must always be difficult, because it is when they first know that they have not become impregnated during the last Ceremony. Atwood may use the tulip because it signifies love. Not love for the Handmaids, but love that would be given to the child if a Handmaid were to conceive.
Atwood uses tulips here to signify a woman's menstrual cycle, with the red coloring of the flower representing blood. The tulips above represent the early stages in the cycle, in which the cork has been released and discharges have begun to flow. The tulip refers to the uterus, while the "darker crimson stem" is meant to be the tract leading from the uterus through which the menstruation travels. Being a Handmaid, this stage must always be difficult, because it is when they first know that they have not become impregnated during the last Ceremony. Atwood may use the tulip because it signifies love. Not love for the Handmaids, but love that would be given to the child if a Handmaid were to conceive.
Friday, August 19, 2011
The Handmaid's Tale Three
"...and another plate with an eggcup on it, the kind that looks like a woman's torso, in a skirt. Under the skirt is the second egg, being kept warm. The eggcup is white china with a blue stripe."
Offred is brought a hard-boiled egg every morning on her breakfast tray. It could very well have been a fried, scrambled or sunny-side egg, but the shape of a hard-boiled, intact egg resembles that of a pregnant woman's stomach. Throughout Atwood's book, subtle reminders bring attention to what Offred is subconsciously thinking about, and thus re-hinting to the reader her purpose in life. The sight of the eggcup reminds her of a woman with child, her utmost goal in life. Over the course of the story, similar descriptions crop up, as if the mental game Offred plays with herself as a Handmaid will make her more fertile. It is also interesting to note that the "skirt" of Lady Eggcup is said to be white with a blue stripe, white being the color of purity and blue the color of the Wives attire.
Offred is brought a hard-boiled egg every morning on her breakfast tray. It could very well have been a fried, scrambled or sunny-side egg, but the shape of a hard-boiled, intact egg resembles that of a pregnant woman's stomach. Throughout Atwood's book, subtle reminders bring attention to what Offred is subconsciously thinking about, and thus re-hinting to the reader her purpose in life. The sight of the eggcup reminds her of a woman with child, her utmost goal in life. Over the course of the story, similar descriptions crop up, as if the mental game Offred plays with herself as a Handmaid will make her more fertile. It is also interesting to note that the "skirt" of Lady Eggcup is said to be white with a blue stripe, white being the color of purity and blue the color of the Wives attire.
The Handmaid's Tale Two
"The Commander knocks at the door. The knock is prescribed: the sitting room is supposed to be Serena Joy's territory, he's supposed to ask permission to enter it. She likes to keep him waiting. It's a little thing, but in this household little things mean a lot." (pg. 86)
In moments like this, it becomes clear who wore the pants in Serena and Fred's marriage before Gilead and the new way of life (the period of degradation of women) was established. In Atwood's book, Serena likes to abuse the little bit of power she is still able to maintain, possibly so no one thinks any less of her. It also builds and hypostatizes the tension between the couple. The last sentence hints that in the household that Offred lives, little things really do mean a lot, and therefore does a bit of foreshadowing of minor events. Later in the book, Serena decides to show Offred a recent picture of her daughter, as a reward for secretly trying to become impregnated by Nick. The Commander takes similar actions by rewarding Offred with old magazines after she'd spent the evening playing scrabble with him. And then he lets her use hand cream instead of the butter she saves from her meals. Perhaps minor details, but in the end, it was a minor detail like the lipstick Offred accidentally left on the clothing that Serena used to catch her.
In moments like this, it becomes clear who wore the pants in Serena and Fred's marriage before Gilead and the new way of life (the period of degradation of women) was established. In Atwood's book, Serena likes to abuse the little bit of power she is still able to maintain, possibly so no one thinks any less of her. It also builds and hypostatizes the tension between the couple. The last sentence hints that in the household that Offred lives, little things really do mean a lot, and therefore does a bit of foreshadowing of minor events. Later in the book, Serena decides to show Offred a recent picture of her daughter, as a reward for secretly trying to become impregnated by Nick. The Commander takes similar actions by rewarding Offred with old magazines after she'd spent the evening playing scrabble with him. And then he lets her use hand cream instead of the butter she saves from her meals. Perhaps minor details, but in the end, it was a minor detail like the lipstick Offred accidentally left on the clothing that Serena used to catch her.
The Handmaid's Tale One
"Every month there is a moon, gigantic, round, heavy, an omen. It transits, pauses, continues on and passes out of sight, and I see despair coming towards me like famine. To feel that empty, again, again. I listen to my heart, wave upon wave, salty and red, continuing on and on, marking time." (pg. 74)
With so many books out there these days about vampires and werewolves, one may automatically associate a sentence that uses "the moon" and "monthly" to be relating to the topic. Written in 1865, The Book Of Werewolves describes that lycanthropy becomes tangible at the full moon. In Atwood's book, The Handmaid's Tale, Offred could be perceived as Little Red Riding-Hood in her crimson frock during the Ceremony, a monthly ritual where The Commander becomes almost beast-like in his ways. The ritual has prophetic significance and is treated almost as an omen; if the Handmaids feel empty, again, again, and do not become pregnant, they are liable to get shipped off to the colonies. Perhaps this relation suggests how fragile the Handmaid's are, and how liable they are to be taken advantage of.
Baring-Gould, Sabine, The Book Of Were-wolves, Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1865
With so many books out there these days about vampires and werewolves, one may automatically associate a sentence that uses "the moon" and "monthly" to be relating to the topic. Written in 1865, The Book Of Werewolves describes that lycanthropy becomes tangible at the full moon. In Atwood's book, The Handmaid's Tale, Offred could be perceived as Little Red Riding-Hood in her crimson frock during the Ceremony, a monthly ritual where The Commander becomes almost beast-like in his ways. The ritual has prophetic significance and is treated almost as an omen; if the Handmaids feel empty, again, again, and do not become pregnant, they are liable to get shipped off to the colonies. Perhaps this relation suggests how fragile the Handmaid's are, and how liable they are to be taken advantage of.
Baring-Gould, Sabine, The Book Of Were-wolves, Smith, Elder & Co., London, 1865
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