In life, not everything goes as planned. A successful person is able to adapt to circumstances and make the best of any situation. In the novel The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, both Offred and Moira display strength and the ability to cope with the difficulties of living in Gilead. The two handmaids are only valued for their reproductive abilities. Both characters have to abide by strict laws and the lack of freedom in the Republic of Gilead. To cope with the horrors of Gilead, Offred and Moira display acts of rebelliousness in order to gain a sense of control in their lives. Another coping method the two utilize is their intelligence and critical thinking ability in an effort to escape. Offred and Moira convey their coping mechanisms by adapting to the restrictive society in which they are forced to reside. Both characters handle the new ways of Gilead by finding some sense of freedom within their situations.
The sense of contumacy is common between Offred and Moira as they seek freedom and individuality in their lives. Offred dislikes the notion of living life merely as a disregarded handmaid. To remind herself of the power she used to possess, Offred looks two young Guardians in the eyes and shakes her hips as she walks by. For her "[this] event, a small defiance of rule, so small as to be undetectable, [are] such moments [that] are the rewards [she] holds out for [herself] such moments are possibilities, tiny peepholes" (Atwood, 21). She takes advantage of such rebellious acts to help cope with her feeling of being trapped in Gilead. Similarly, Moira displays signs of rebellion like Offred but in a more confident manner. Moira is unafraid of the consequences that can arise from her behaviors because she is more concerned about seeking freedom. Moira arranges private meetings in the restrooms with Offred since handmaids are prohibited from talking to one another. When they meet and whisper through the stalls, Moira reminisces about the good things in their past life, like the urge to smoke cigarettes again.
