A Gileadean Society: Is it Fictitious or Not?.
As I was reading The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, I first perceived it as a dystopian narrative about a world where unrealistic things take place. I believed that the events in the novel could never occur in our society. Now that I have completed the novel, I can't help but think about our past and society today, only to compare and reveal the amount of similarities there actually are. The realism that some people have experienced or are experiencing what could be called a Gilead, is frightening in my eyes. The story of The Handmaid's Tale, in great depth, is a good representation of all the wrongfulness of our world because it portrays the inequality and mistreatment of women, many racist beliefs and actions, and the issue of slavery.
Today, there are places around the world where there are startling similarities of how women are mistreated in Atwood's novel. Women in the Republic of Gilead are given little to no rights. They are to obey what the men tell them to do, or their Aunts. But even the Aunts get orders from the men. When I say "women," I generally mean the handmaids of the Republic of Gilead. So in that respects, the women are not permitted to read, write, or participate in any type of extra-curricular activities. Some activities that they are restricted from performing are smoking, drinking, and playing the game of Scrabble. The handmaids must cover their bodies and faces almost completely with vales and wings. These two additions are a part of their everyday attire. Similarly, in Pakistan, Iran, and some South Asian countries, the complete covering of women's bodies is a strictly enforced requirement. The only part of the body exposed is the woman's eyes. Furthermore, in The Handmaid's Tale, the women such as Offred are forced to go through the devastation of "The Ceremony." These poor women can be used by their Commanders, which in our society is known as rape, and nothing can be done about it.
