becka grove is such a fascinating character to me. she's one of the sanest and most insane people in gilead.
she's self-aware of just how oppressed she is, and how oppressed all the girls around her are. and she seems to be the only one who is. no one but her really questions the deeply rooted misogyny in these forced marriages, so she's forced to carry that awareness not just for herself, but for everyone else. she's forced to feel the injustice for all of them because the other girls don't really question it. and is that not so lonely?
she's compassionate to her fellow girls who also don't have a choice. and she is so fucking angry at everyone who does. this is where her dislike for pearl girls stems from. they had freedom, the one thing becka has always yearned for, and they threw it away. they chose to sacrifice their freedom for what? to live in what becka would describe as a nightmare?
but the violence becka doesn't question. it's justice. of course that's not oppression. how could it be? you hurt someone, you go out of line, you pay the price. she's angry for herself, and she's angry for all the other girls who are punished without ever doing anything wrong, so seeing those who did something get what they deserve is cathartic to her. and when justice isn't served by anyone else, she will take things into her own hands. and she will serve it just as violently. it's self-righteousness in the most fucked up way possible. it's beautiful.
