Analysis of Hanmaid's Tale Ending

Alternativer Bildtext:

name of the event corresponds directly to the event that happens because the Handmaids execute someone and take an active part. Gilead uses different kind of stylistic devices to describe special events within their believe system. One stylistic device would be terms which are combinations of two different words to describe certain events. Moreover they use seemingly unfitting words to describe certain and also violent events but when one views the situation from their point of view those terms appear to make sense. Thus Gilead abuses the language to fit their ideology. Another example for the abuse oft the language would be the term "Prayvaganaza" which also is a combination of two words. In this case the words used are 'pray' and 'extravaganza'. The words are also a direct description of the occasions taking place as "Prayvaganzas" are mass prayer meetings which often celebrate mass weddings. Another example would be "Ritual" as a term for the sexual intercourse between the Handmaids and the Commanders. One could say that the use of this word is suppose make the sexual intercourse between the Handmaid and the Commander appear as something sacred although it is obviously a form of abuse because the handmaids have no choice other than participating. The "Salvaging" and the "Particicution" are a brutal climax within the novel as it presents violence in the worst possible way. Moreover those events are huge public events where all of the handmaids have to attend therefore those gatherings are in some way glorified which makes it appear even more brutal. Additionally the "Particicution" presents more brutality because the Handmaids are manipulated and forced to kill the men with their bare hands. Although those are not the only brutal scenes within the novel, as there is also constant abuse of the handmaids and the presentation of the dead people at wall, this scene shows the reader in detail a situation where some of the execution of humans is made into a huge event. Furthermore one gets to know the further circumstances that the handmaids have to endure: the burden to know that the only way to get rid of the rage and hatred that the handmaids feel for their oppressors is to kill a man as they have no other option to release their emotions. Besides they have no other option than participating because it might give the impression that they refuse to engage because they are part of a rebellion and are not true believers in the System. In addition the inhumanity of those events is even more evident as most of the men who are killed at those "Particicutions" are probably rebels who tried to help the Handmaids. Thus this does not only issues one of the most inhumane ways to die but also discourages other rebels to help because they could end up with the possibility of getting executed by the people who they tried to help. Hence those events show Gilead at it most cruel which also is a shown through Offred who explains that it is almost too painful to bear when explaining those events. The end of the book Ofglen is probably caught although Offred can not give any further information about this as she only can speculate. She theorizes this idea as Ofglen is replaced by a new Handmaid. She later gets the information that Ofglen commited suicide. Serena finds out that Offred had been out together with the Commander to Jezebel's. She demands an answer from Offred how she could do that and tells her that she is a slut just like the other Handmaid before her and that she will end the same. Offred starts to think about ways to kill herself or how she could harm Serena. She hears the van approaching and she realizes what will happen next. She regrets that she did not do something while she had the chance. Than she is taking by the men from the van not knowing for sure whether those people are part of Mayday or are Eyes. While all of this things are happening Offred does absolutely nothing and she is not an active participant she is rather passive. She is unable to act on thoughts she has which she later on regrets. It becomes clear that Gilead has stripped her of the power to react in any way possible and she is not able to save herself. At the end of the Novel her thoughts make clear that she is uncertain whether she is being rescued or if she is send to the Colonies. It becomes even more evident that she gave up and does not resist in anyway remaining unable to act upon her thoughts. She accepts her faith of not knowing what is going to happen next and that there is the possibility of getting killed or send to the Colonies. At that moment she is fully under the control of the system and lost her will to fight against the regime. The Historical Notes It remains a mystery whether Offred successfully escaped or not. One gets the information that Nick was part of Mayday and the Eyes but its is uncertain whether she managed to escape to Canada or England. Because if she was able it is surprising that she did not make her story public. It is explained that they tried to discover the identity of the narrator but were never able to find the real narrator thus we do not get any further information about Offred and her husband or her child and what happened after she tried to escape. Additionally they explain that the names used by Offred are probably pseudonyms to protect the identities of her loved ones. Moreover one gets the information that she apparently taped her whole story and that those tapes were smuggled to Save the Women societies in England. Furthermore her Commander Frederick Waterford was probably a leader in the earlier years of Gilead and was crucial in the building the ideology and the social hierarchy. He was seemingly sterile because of a virus. It is revealed that Waterford was killed in "one of the earliest purges" for owning pictures, books and having "liberal tendencies. Moreover one gets to know that the early Commanders felt too superior and took too many risks by breaking rules. In addition it is explained who was chosen to become a handmaid in the beginning of Gilead and that women who were in a second marriage or had non marital relationships became Handmaids. The children of those Women were taken away.