Week Thirteen: The Handmaid's Tale



  This week we are attempting to distinguish between writing in genre and writing that may use elements of the genre. The novel I chose to read is The Handmaid's Tale written by Margret Atwood.

  It is set in a near-future new England, in a totalitarian, Christian theonomy that has overthrown the United States government. The novel is based on the journey of a handmaid named Offred. Her name echoes the commander, whom she serves. 

  When it comes to the question is it an important or necessary distinction or not, I would say it is not.
The Handmaid's Tale is a pretty good example that took elements of the genre. The story is dystopian, but it seems like also blend future fiction elements, such as the government. The government is completely powered by male and it is authoritarian, which reminds me many future fictions. Also, it took the elements from novels from a century ago. The whole social system and values are male-dominated, female lost their accomplishment on independence that they had, which seems like the society fall back to a primitive level. It is kind of satire that the set is in the advanced future but the human values fell back to hundreds of years ago. The blend of all kinds of elements makes the novel excellent, so it is not necessary to distinct genres. My experience of the text isn't affected by questions, because the story totally caught my attention.
 

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