AllThingsConsidered

Yea sure, he’s kinda depressing and isn’t the most optimistic guy, but he definitely gives it to you straight. No sugar coating, the man is real. His characters and story lines reflect this mentality of pessimism, and the fact that he considers this book “fun” is testament to his idea of fun. I loved the pictures, and the themes of mental illness and social inequality/cruelty are themes that haven’t been explored in many of the novels we have read, so I’m looking forward to the diving deeper into the annotations.

Kurt Vonnegut describes this novel as fun, and on the surface it is very fun. Who doesn’t like a good roast session. But his tone and mood remind me of that one guy who tells people not to chase their dreams or believe in hope, because you’re only gonna be disappointed in the end.

An example would be Kilgore Trout, this guy seems so real man. Kurt Vonnegut has had so much time to develop this character because of his presence in multiple books. The character development is tremendously elaborate, and this really contributes to the experience.

Dwayne Hoover - Midwest car dealer who reads Mr. Trout’s work. 

Aight, so this book is actually hilarious. Satire at it’s finest. The book is essentially about a man who writes fiction, but doesn’t make it big. Little does he know that there is a car dealer living in the Midwest that takes his fiction for real. The power of language is highlighted, as it shows how seemingly insignificant literature, awakens another man’s mind to the point where he starts to go crazy. It also has really cool pictures, which is quite refreshing.

I am part of the tribe of those that that are blended. We are constantly having to compromise from part of us, to fulfill the other part. In the morning we eat pancakes and drink coffee, while at night we have biryani or nihari with tandoori naan. Wearing a hoodie and a pair of joggers in class, and switching to a kurta-shalwar at the family dinner. Life is weird, constantly switching modes can be annoying, but it gives us an identity unlike any other, and allows us to switch lenses at any given moment.

Ceremony is hard to put together. The plot barely flows, and the first 50-70 pages are required to get into it. Ceremony isn’t one giant story, but a collection of smaller stories and incidents. All combining to create a narrative of a person who we kind of know, but is still mysterious. Describing himself in third person is just plain weird.,

In the beginning, when we first started talking about the book, we talked about the role of men in this society a lot, and then we realized that women played a larger role in the destructive society, and at this point we basically forgot about the commander. Even in our hotseat discussions every group was represented except the Commanders. I’d like to explore his character a little more, maybe even defend him, or atleast give him a chance to talk. Why was he not given a chance to give his full account on what he thought of Gilead? Did he really want this lifestyle?

Essentially I want a book that is not too plot-driven, without anything to talk about, and not something boring as hell but with tons of stuff to talk about. “The Handmaid’s Tale” gave us a ton to talk about, but in my opinion the story itself was a bit dry. Unfortunately, I wont be able to find a perfect one until I actually start reading, and for that to happen I gotta pick a book. Here are my choices so far: True Grit, Blood Meridian, Cat’s Cradle, and Breakfast for Champions. I’m leaning towards the last two, as the reviews for Kurt Vonnegut match what I’m looking for, and there seems to be a decent amount of criticism on him.

To Offred, Moira is a symbol of freedom and hope that she constantly ponders about. Throughout her flashbacks, she reflects on the times she was rebellious, how she did odd and quirky things, and her actions at the Red Center. Moira had what everyone else wanted, freedom, but was she really free? Yes, she had access to cigarettes and was able to indulge in desires, but just like all the other women in Gilead, she too was shackled. Becoming a jezebel allowed her, to an extent, be a person with wider boundaries. When Moira and Offred met in the bathroom at Jezebel’s, Offred was disappointed to hear the Moira had given in to the prostitution cycle. Offred held Moira at a pedestal, she thought of her as virtually inhuman and it pleased her to think about the possibilities of women. Atwood places Moira and the jezebels in the narrative as a symbol of freedom, but also shows the ceiling that women just aren’t able to surpass.

Why is Serena Joy constantly connected to her flowers? They are a symbol of hope that she keeps in her life. All Serena Joy longs for is a child, someone she can raise and look after, and as of now she doesn't own one, so in the meantime she tends to her flowers, a symbol of life and fertility. She is a character that Atwood doesn't allow you to like. You aren't supposed to like her. That fact that she oppresses Offred, and shows her an image of her daughter in a cruel fashion, illustrates the fact that Gilead is so bad because of people like her. Women oppressing women. The only time she seems to commit an act of kindness is when she allows her to sleep with Nick, and that too is so she gets the child, not Offred. The foundation of Gilead is dependent on the fact that people like Serena exist. On the outside it seems as if this society is dysfunctional because of men, but Atwood uses Serena to show us that the true issue lies within the community of women.

During the discussion, the Handmaid’s not only recognized this, but cherished it. They understood how valuable their rile is, and how they were essential to the existence of their society. Without them, there really was no hope for a future. At first glance, the Handmaids seem to have a terrible life, but after further analysis, they seem to have it better off then many other women.

Once again an example of the hierarchy of women, but in this case the Aunt’s are in a position of power, unlike the Handmaid’s or the Marthas. After the conversation yesterday, it seems as if the Aunt’s believe they are doing the right thing by training the Handmaid’s to be strong, but in reality are also acting out of fear of being punished for not doing their job, as assigned to them by Gilead. Confident in their actions, showing no regrets, the Aunts are not only powerful, but also scared. Everyone in this society is under one rule, and no matter where they are placed, the fear of being punished is the common denominator which unknowingly connects them all. 

As discussed in class, the Martha’s consider themselves to be the pillars of he household, the ones who are the most experienced and hold the divided classes together. Unfortunately, the comparison can then be drawn to slavery, where even though she may seek value and contribute tremendously, she can easily be replaced. She seeks to keep up a household that is constantly pushing down on her. She is angry, and is agitated due to these facts, but in a society where she, along with others, is never valued. Is she in deception in thinking that she is a a part of the “family?” I’d say she definitely hopes for more in a reality where she will always be less.

The Definition of mythology includes aspects of supernatural means and ideas. While there is nothing too obvious in regards to supernatural aspects. there are multiple symbols that can connect to the theme of mythology. The color red in regards to her dress alludes to fairytales and, she says “some fairy tale figure in a red cloak, descending towards a moment of carelessness.” William Bascom refers to mythology as “tales believed as true, usually sacred, set in the distant past or other worlds or parts of the world, and with extra-human, inhuman, or heroic characters.” The Handmaids Tale is set in a world not too distant from ours and tells a story from a different perspective that is unfamiliar to us. Many would argue that this story could become true, and the situation she is in could soon become a reality.

Even though, I still think it lacks certain things, such as multiple character development, to be a part of an AP Lit curriculum, I definitely saw improvements in the book when asked to praise it. I would probably find the opposite i fasked to criticize it.