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Summary: A concept of our society, framed in the future
Review: A fantastic piece of poetic prose which captures not only the horrors of a future society but also those of our own. Atwoods ability to cinematically describe events in such detail, allow vivid pictures of both characters and settings to form in our minds as we imaginatively read the text, and although often obscure Offred's perspective is made truely believable as a result of her lack of stimulants, and censored life. Although on first inspection this book appears to portray a depressing glimpse into a bleak future, on closer inspection we also see how it is a celebration of the resilience of the human spirit in adversity.This satirical account provides a moral messsage that we could all learn from, appreciate the freedom which we have at the present and never abbuse it.
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Summary: A frightful highly possible look at what could occur in the
Review: Atwood is a clever writer. I loved "The Handmaid's Tail." It was very well wtitten straigt from the narrator's point of view. I can see the events that occured in the book happening in our society. It is very simple to look at negative things and flip them around to appear beneficial to others. The book is somewhat frightening.
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Summary: I love this truly frightening book
Review: Just finished it for the second time. Read it around the time it first published also. Appreciated it more this time especially since the Republican Party has been taken over by right wing zealots. As for readers who are bothered by the fact that there is no closure to the story, that we don't know the heroine's ultimate fate remember the title of the book is THE HANDMAID'S TALE. Once Offred ceases to be a handmaiden there is no more to her tale. She creates a new life for herself. She's no longer a handmaiden but she also can't go back to the life she had before that. She is now a new person. The reader is no longer privy to her life. Since the book is written in first person, we know that Offred has changed the names of most of the characters in her story. This is to protect herself. She wants to leave an account of what happened but she does not want to become a martyr.
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Summary: This book left me questioning todays morals and standards.
Review: Margarat Atwood cleverly asks readers to question the future and the power that some people have over each other in her book "The Handmaids Tale". Offred, the main charector, left much to the imagination, and through-out the book I was forced to relate their circumstances to ours today. This book touched me, it is a very effective and painfull piece of writing.
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Summary: A dystopia --- Margret Atwood's 'The Handmaid's Tale'
Review: Margaret Atwood created a shocking example for the future : A dystopia. Atwood created the State of Gilead, a totalitarian state. In this state citizens are controlled and women are considered most important in their child bearing role. The story is told by a handmaid, who is supposed to become pregnant, her name is Offred. A few chapters are full of tension and shock, but if you think (during reading this chapters) that you will learn more about it, you will be disappointed. Every time Atwood puts chapters in, which calm you down again. The protagonist Offred, suddenly refers to usual things. For example after the ceremony scene, she tells about using butter instead of body cream. This behaviour emphasizes Offred's desensitised character. Lots of unbelievable things are normal for Offred. This shows that the totalitarian regime has full control and violates many Human Rights. But Offred rebels just in a little way. She is coloured with duality, her thoughts differ from her real actions. Furthermore two different societies are presented in contrast to each other. On the one hand the former `normal' society (as we know it nowadays) and on the other hand the Gilead society, but the development from a liberal society to a totalitarian regime is not described in detail. This shows, that it is not easy for Offred to get information. News channels are censored, most of the women are not allowed to write or read... The Historical Notes at the end of the novel still belong to Offred's story and give it somehow authenticity. I think `The Handmaid's Tale' is a well written novel, but you should not expect to get satisfied, because it is a warning and does not give you the feeling of release at the end. Just bare in mind that every gap and additional information (e.g. the Historical Notes) in Atwood's novel has it's function.
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Summary: I loved The Handmaids Tale!!! It was incredible!
Review: The Handmaids Tale is a very good book! I first read it in 6th grade, I am a college freshman, and I have read this book moe times than I can count. It is incredibly thought provoking and leaves with the desire to do something about our patriarcal society. I had the chance to meet Margaret Atwood when she was in Indianapolis. She is an awesome writer!!!
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Summary: A very helpful guide to understand Atwood's dystopic novel
Review: This review is actually of Mary Ellen Snodgrass' Cliff Notes for "The Handmaid's Tale" and not Margaret Atwood's novel, which is one of the few late 20th-century works for which there is a little yellow book. Snodgrass begins with a concise review of Atwood's life, background and published works. By way of setting up the novel, Snodgrass takes the rather unusual step of providing comments from various reviewers of "The Handmaid's Tale." Establishing it as work of speculative fiction that warns (predicts?) of a triumph of totalitarianism, Snodgrass puts the novel in the tradition of dystopian novels such as "1984," "Brave New World," "A Clockwork Orange," "Fahrenheit 451," etc. (all of which would serve as interesting analogs for students to compare/contrast). We are then provided a list of characters, a very useful time line covering the events in the novel, and a brief synopsis of the novel. In terms of Critical Commentaries, Snodgrass looks at the three epigraphs than open the novels and then each of the fifteen chapters and the "historical notes," offering brief descriptions and then commentary. Two of the strengths of her approach are that Snodgrass puts literary concepts in boldface and "translates" difficult words and phrases that are important in the novel. A Genealogy of Offred and Janine (Ofwarren) is included, along with a small map of New England. For Critical Essays, Snodgrass focuses on Literary Analysis (existential apologia, oral history, speculative fiction, confession, dystopia), over a dozen Literary Devices (simile, symbol, historical and cultural lore, literary allusion, parody, etc.), and the idea of women in "The Handmaid's Tale," as well as the traditional elements of themes and settings. She even offers 15 points of significant differences between Atwood's novel and the 1990 film version directed by David Ray (perhaps the most useful information for teachers who are using this book in class to have). Snodgrass' notes for Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" is an above average Cliffs Notes volume, because it does a nice job of putting the book in literary perspective as a dystopic novel, takes pains to define words/phrases for readers unique to the culture of Gilead, and integrates dozens of literary concepts into its analysis. "The Handmaid's Tale" has the advantage of being speculative fiction, what many students will insist on thinking of as "science fiction," which will entice more students to be interested in reading the novel, at which point I do not think they can help but be engaged by the world Atwood creates and the issues she raises. Snodgrass' notes will allow students to see it as "literature" as well.
Rating:
Summary: A very helpful guide to understand Atwood's dystopic novel
Review: This review is actually of Mary Ellen Snodgrass' Cliff Notes for "The Handmaid's Tale" and not Margaret Atwood's novel, which is one of the few late 20th-century works for which there is a little yellow book. Snodgrass begins with a concise review of Atwood's life, background and published works. By way of setting up the novel, Snodgrass takes the rather unusual step of providing comments from various reviewers of "The Handmaid's Tale." Establishing it as work of speculative fiction that warns (predicts?) of a triumph of totalitarianism, Snodgrass puts the novel in the tradition of dystopian novels such as "1984," "Brave New World," "A Clockwork Orange," "Fahrenheit 451," etc. (all of which would serve as interesting analogs for students to compare/contrast). We are then provided a list of characters, a very useful time line covering the events in the novel, and a brief synopsis of the novel. In terms of Critical Commentaries, Snodgrass looks at the three epigraphs than open the novels and then each of the fifteen chapters and the "historical notes," offering brief descriptions and then commentary. Two of the strengths of her approach are that Snodgrass puts literary concepts in boldface and "translates" difficult words and phrases that are important in the novel. A Genealogy of Offred and Janine (Ofwarren) is included, along with a small map of New England. For Critical Essays, Snodgrass focuses on Literary Analysis (existential apologia, oral history, speculative fiction, confession, dystopia), over a dozen Literary Devices (simile, symbol, historical and cultural lore, literary allusion, parody, etc.), and the idea of women in "The Handmaid's Tale," as well as the traditional elements of themes and settings. She even offers 15 points of significant differences between Atwood's novel and the 1990 film version directed by David Ray (perhaps the most useful information for teachers who are using this book in class to have). Snodgrass' notes for Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale" is an above average Cliffs Notes volume, because it does a nice job of putting the book in literary perspective as a dystopic novel, takes pains to define words/phrases for readers unique to the culture of Gilead, and integrates dozens of literary concepts into its analysis. "The Handmaid's Tale" has the advantage of being speculative fiction, what many students will insist on thinking of as "science fiction," which will entice more students to be interested in reading the novel, at which point I do not think they can help but be engaged by the world Atwood creates and the issues she raises. Snodgrass' notes will allow students to see it as "literature" as well.
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