The Handmaid's Tale

The ending of The Handmaid's Tale left many questions unanswered. This caused, as do most endings that leave the reader hanging, notable frustrastion among the students of our class. As much as I too hate an ending that doesn't tie up every loose end, I must admit that this time, I was satisfied. The ending Margaret Atwood chose to incorporate was consistent with the rest of the novel. Offred was, among the other handmaids (and arguably all women), subject to the superiority of men. It would not be a stretch to say that she was a sexual slave in her duties as a handmaid. The highest status for a women in Gilead is to be a Wife. The misogyny of the society is immediately apparent. Offred has no control over her future. Throughout the novel, she is subject to the whims and desires of the Commander or his Wife. Having no clue as to whether or not she will survive her final departure from her station (the Commander's house) is consistent with the rest of the novel. The issues to which Atwood alludes (For example, religion in society, women's rights, abortion, feminism, and misogyny) are actual issues in our own world. Unlike in books, real life issues cannot be solved with a creative ending, satisfying readers and removing the worry of the literary conflict from their minds. The problems adressed in The Handmaid's Tale, as I have said, real-life problems, are left unsolved for a reason. Atwood is reminding us that just as Offred cannot know her future, we cannot know the resolutions to these problems. She urges us to take advantage of our capability to make a difference. A fictional character cannot actually solve these problems, but we can. The ending Atwood chose gives the book a much more powerful meaning, leaving the reader with a mission on which to embark. It is a call to duty, not a simple conflict and resolution. It was not Atwood's intent to ensure the reader a good night's sleep, to allow them to forget the meaning of the work, or disregard it as irrelevant. In fact, it seems to have been her intent to instill a sense of indignation.

"I wait, brushed, fed, like a prized pig. Sometime in the eighties they invented pig balls, for pigs who were being fattened in pens. Pig balls were large colored balls; the pigs rolled them around with their snouts. The pig marketers said this was improved their muscle ton; the pigs were curious, they liked to have something to think about."

This passage is a clear stab at the treatment of women. In it, Offred compares herself to a "prized pig," alluding perhaps to society's view of women. She makes it obvious that women are portrayed as childish, stupid, and empty-headed unless occupied with such superfluous objects as a ball that is rolled around. She is not, of course, literally comparing herself to a pig, but she makes the clear statement that women are not held in much higher regard. I think this passage sums up the idea of women in the novel. It is stunningly degrading, and brings to light the horrors of the society in which Offred is living.

Though this book portrayed extremely real social conflicts (the oppression of women and the abuse of religion in government), I found the plot of the novel to be very unbelievable. The extremes to which the author went in order to bring these issue to light were atonishing. Though I would of course advocate women's rights and stand for equality of men and women, I do not believe that our society could ever become so oppressive. I believe that faith and love can outweigh the horrors that this society put on women, and I have a difficult time believing that religion could be used in such a manipulative way. In the past, religion was used in this way. However, the only reason that rule by means of religion perpetuated was the illiteracy and uneducation of the massive oppressed class. In our present society, that is to say, in a largely educated society which stands for freedom, such drastic changes are unlikely to occur. Though I am happy that Atwood's intention is to call people to duty, to encourage them to bring these issues into question, I believe the way she went about it would discourage people from taking action, because the plot is just so unconceivable.