context and the handmaid's tale (1 Viewer)

[cadylayne]

Hi
I'm currently studying English extension. We have to do an assesment titled "Context and the handmaid's Tale" (the book we studied). If anyone has done a similar prelim. assessment I'd appreciate some advice.

thanks
cadylayne

 

[SoulSearcher]

Taking a wild stab at it, I assume that you have to go into the context of the novel, what time in society the novel is set in, the views of society at the time tha novel was set in etc., and also the context of the author and the society they were living in at the time. I have not read the book, so I can't really help you further there.

 

[passion89]

Oh god, this is the best book I have ever read and hands down my favourite

The historical context centers around the height of the social conservatism that followed the freedom of the 70's. It was a major shift from this socially experienced freedom and (though not being felt globally) was increasingly appearing in Canada, Margaret Atwood's home country.

Also, women were unappreciated for long periods of time up until the woman's lib movement in the 60's (though women were still objectified a lot) and this fight for women's rights was still continuing long into the 80's. Margaret, being a female rights activist and spokesperson, was highly interested in these milestones in society and decided to write a dystopic novel about a woman's roles being far to domesticated and how a woman herself is only seen as an object in society.

I hope I have helped. PM me if you need more help