Accountability: The Handmaid's Tale

Hello!

The sprint is in full flow and as a result of this I have listened to 'The Handmaid's Tale' by Margaret Atwood in full. I've marked the task as 'Done' on my board! Look! It's green!



To give an update on my burndown board and stories/tasks for the sprint, yellow on the board indicates a story, blue represents in progress and the green is done.

So, what to do now that I've completed something within the sprint? Well, I thought a way I could demonstrate this would be to write my thoughts and ideas on 'Handmaid's Tale'. I realise that this is not going to be for everyone however I feel as this blog acts as a way I can relate my progress to you I think it's justified. To everyone only interested in agile and scrum check out tomorrow's update, and if you get the opportunity be sure to pick up 'The Handmaid's Tale' if you haven't read it. For those interested,  spoiler-laden impressions follow.

In,
3,
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Man, that's a messed up and terrifying book.

Ok, so for a brief overview of 'The Handmaid's Tale' we find ourselves in a militant dictatorship located in North America following the fall of the United States government after the death of the President and Congress. This in itself would lead to interesting questions regarding power trying to fill a vacuum, however the narration of Offred lends a personal voice to the people and gives insight into the republic which emerges from the ashes of the USA.

Offred is a captivating character and I was truly engaged with her story throughout, in a way I felt like her story was being narrated in an almost Tim Burton aesthetic. By that I mean that everything seems similar but at the same time the humdrum and perceived normality of the day to day life in the Gilead Republic is where the terror truly lies.

The way that the Japanese tourists view the Handmaid's in the same way tourists view outdoor museum attractions shows that the world rolls along outside Gilead. This scene was worrisome and crushing for Offred with the contrast between the perceived relaxed women of other cultures and the ultra conservative restrictions placed on the Handmaids.

The gender politics in the book are striking and still to be addressed in modern society. The way the community slowly saps away the rights of women following the fall of the government for the perceived common good to the ultimate fate of the handmaids and (un)women in the system is terrifying, not only in the actual actions, but the mundane way it happens and becomes accepted so quickly.

Atwood couldn't have known how striking it would be 30 years after it had been written, but the perception of the right wing Christian extremists killing an entire government in a staged terrorist attack to blame Muslims is so very relevant today. The book has much to tell us about gender politics and reproductive rights today, suggesting that some people are only allowed to have children based on their role in society alongside judging the value of a working or middle class woman on her ability to produce or rear children. Atwood wants to change the view of gender interplay, by objectifying women directly to their biological base and chauvinistic fantasies, reducing women to sex objects to titillate (men) or mothers to raise new children, she shows what could happen if feminism does not adapt and counter threats forcefully and with passion.

The final chapter that breaks down the Gilead Republic is an interesting retrospective that contrasts the horror of the regime against 'modern' perceptions. The juxtaposition truly shows what an archaic nightmare the Gilead regime was. 

Was it a delight to read? God no. Challenging as hell, uncomfortable to read and at times just plain creepy. However it was important that I did read it and I'm truly glad I did. I'm also anticipating a new film version in the next 5 years, I imagine Charlize Theron as Serena Joy, Ellen Page as Moira and as for Offred, lets say Amy Adams.

The next post is unlikely to be a book review, but will update how I've worked to burndown through my stories,

Thanks for reading,
AT