The Handmaid's Tale ending - Essay Example

The Handmaid’s Tale Ending Rationale This ending is attempted to be written in line with Atwood’s postmodern ambiguity, when the historical commentary only blurs the sense and authenticity of the narrative. It is stylized as a middlebrow Internet article covering the Handmaid’s commentary to her tale. In The Handmaid’s Tale, the same type of ending is an innovation: the dystopian system is presented from outside, not within its “impenetrable” boundaries. The speaker named Pieixoto withdraws from any judgment or one-sided description of it.

The only sure thing the reader is left with is merely emotional impression: hence, Gilead is inside, it is a state of mind. This broad understanding of the significance of the book needs to be considered in the context of such processes of the 80s as the proliferation of Christian fundamentalism and the corresponding radicalization of feminist movement, which seem to be seen by Atwood as depending on each other. This ending reinforces Atwood’s treatment of mind and body. The main fear of the heroine is that next generations will never know about any alternatives.

In her hierarchy of values, the main one is love overlooked by the Commandor’s regime (Atwood, 2011, Ch. 34). Love is only possible when it is chosen, not imposed. For the cruelest actions, humans first assume that a subject with free will is just “it”. This individual freedom is not limited to soul, it is also related to bodily, sensuous world: promiscuous sexual life is shown as able to make people more humane (Atwood, Ch. 41). This differentiates Atwood’s account of love from the first wave of feminism represented by Beauvoir, who, according to the interpreters, places transcendence above the obsolescence of body (Morgan, 1986).

The following ending makes bodily existence meaningful by sacrificing it to the transcendence of text. Essay The Handmaid’s Tale Ending More details about the breathtaking Gileadean story Most of the devoted followers of This Incredible History probably remember the heartbreaking tale of Gileadean handmaid Offred that was discovered and commented by profs. Pieixoto and Wade two years ago (wanna know what this Handmaid’s Tale is all about? Hurry up to follow the link to our 19th issue: [link]).

A woman taken away from her family to sustain the reproductive needs of Frederick R. Waterford, one of the Sons of Jacob Think Tanks, “Offred” is finally carried away in a notorious black van by a pair of… Eyes, the loyal spies of the regime? Or the followers of Mayday, the underground resistance movement? Read in the following digest. Also, do not miss an excerpt from the original text that shades light on the true place of Jezebel’s in the system. The most recent evidence was found out in the inheritance of Hiroshi Amitihara, supposedly related to the Japanese ambassador visiting Gilead shortly after the approximated time of Offred’s captivity.

This short written notice artfully hidden in a piece of lingerie (Mr. Amitihara’s wife refused to clarify which one) was bequeathed for scientific inquiry, and the team of historians has already started working. “This is a true wonder that we still have this evidence, given that it was inscribed with an old eyelash on a thin piece of paper”, they say. “However, this time, there is no doubt about the authenticity of narrative referred to as The Handmaid’s Tale”. The Amitihara family seems to be happy to finally get rid of the confusing legacy.

They report that the garment was found in one of the farthest shelves of Hiroshi’s room, and it was only for the discovery of the notice that put the end to the family’s tension. The letter contains a detailed description of the place where the tapes with Offred’s diary had been kept once. The author, this time named Bunny, supposedly a new pseudonym, tells the truth about the unbelievable circumstances of the production of this recording: “Eyes or not – I have given up guessing. In some respect, they were eyes anyway.

In these times, you can’t be sure about your own identity. They kept me locked in the attic, brought me food, the rest is unimportant. They especially depraved of my Commander. Finally, I figured out that the recordings I made were supposed to be used as some evidence against him. I became unaware of time, now out of not only sharp objects but also enough light to see the scratches on the walls. From the only window of my shelter, I could only see that several men (dressed as Guards) passing the building every day under different occasions.

That is why, I was told, the lights were not appropriate. Their suspicion was justified by the attack one night, when the house was set on fire. Luckily, I managed to survive by remaining on the attic as long as I could. When the roof was falling, I noticed a tree nearby and jumped as far as possible; that was successful. I knew that I only had one attempt. Since the recordings were hidden in a different place, it occurred to me that I could spend this life at least on one meaningful thing, and I rushed to change the place of their concealment.

So Moira-like, I thought, smiling. I have never seen Moira, Nick, or Luke until this day. I suppose that the people taking me away from the warm embrace of Serena Joy were not Mayday or fully Mayday. They seemed to be serving another Commander that envied the position of “my” Commander. Still having no contacts with Mayday, I did not try to cross the border and found my way into this “club”. As the place is near, I keep an eye on the recordings. Sooner or later, they will send me to the Colonies, as they do with every “worn out” woman here.

No chances to save these cluttered boxes, but this gives my life a new strange sense. I keep myself to keep my words. I am trying to eat and sleep enough. This is so ironic. Dear Unknown Guest, I don’t want you to be reading this story. I cannot know your side”. Now, this is it: the conflict inside the highest level of Gilead hierarchy, the future of women at Jezebel’s… The historians have heard a really new word about Gilead. Thanks, Bunny, it was worth doing. Who knows what other mysteries is hidden in the underwear from Jezebel’s?

Just wait for our next post about the weirdest souvenirs from Gilead’s time! It is always better to admit your nostalgia than to face away. References Atwood, M., 2011. The handmaid’s tale [e-book]. Boston: Houghton Mifflin. Available through: http://libgen.info/view.php?id=729233 [Accessed Jan 3, 2013]. Morgan, K. P., 1986. Romantic Love, Altruism, and Self Respect: An Analysis of Simone de Beauvoir. Hypatia, 1(1), pp. 117-48.