Handmaids Tale Vs Fire Dwellers Essay Research

Handmaids Tale Vs. Fire Dwellers Essay, Research Paper

In the two books Margaret Atwood s The Handmaid s Tale, and Margaret Laurence s The Fire Dweller s, the protagonists are very different in character. However, both of these women lost their identity due to an outside influence. In each of the books we see the nature of the lost identity, the circumstances which led to this lost identity and the consequences which occurred as a result of this lost identity.

In the book The Handmaid s Tale by Margaret Atwood our main character (Offred) has had her whole world stolen away by the government of Gilead. This new society is sexually repressed, and is founded by religious extremists. Women are only used to produce children, and have no rights at all in the new world of Gilead.

In the book The Fire Dwellers by Margaret Laurence our main character Stacey MacAindra has been thrown into a life of responsibility. She has an uncommunicative husband who means well, but shows her no love. And four children who she feels are being ruined by her every action. She feels that life has much more to offer than the tediousness of every day routine.

The nature of Offred s lost identity is very drastic. Before the new religious group of Gilead took over the world she was a very normal every day woman. She did what was expected of her time and continued to do so after the take over. She had a husband and a daughter who she loved very much. But the new society which she lives in love is not permitted. If I thought that this would happen again I would die. But this is wrong, nobody dies from lack of sex. It s lack of love we die from. There s nobody here I can love, all the people I could love are dead or elsewhere . Offred also had the choice of free will before her civilization changed. But then slowly women began to lose all of their rights and were no longer allowed to have jobs or even to use money,

Sorry, he said. This number is not valid.

That s ridiculous, I said. It must be, I ve got thousands in my account.

It s not valid, he repeated obstinately. See that red light. Means it s not valid, (p.164).

In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from (p.24). Social class was not a racial matter before the take over; and each individual was treated equally. However, slowly people of high social groups became much more powerful. They were chosen as Commander s and the poorer individual s went to the Colonies; which were farming communities. Young woman were screened, and the one s with viable ovaries were used as Handmaid s; and became bedridden slaves. These Handmaid s had children for the infertile Commander s wives. They would be sent away to special schools where they were taught how to give birth; and also to obey their masters without question. You can always practice, said Aunt Lydia. Several sessions a day, fitted into your daily routine. Arms at the sides, knees bent, lift the pelvis, roll the backbone down. Tuck. Again. Breathe in to the count of five, hold, expel (p.66). The woman s lives were controlled by this society; and were taught to forget the society which they once lived. Things that once were, no longer existed.

In The Fire Dwellers, the nature of the protagonist s lost identity was very gradual. Stacey MacAindra was a very free-spirited girl who lived her life to it s fullest; before her marriage to Mac. So had no boundaries or rules to bide by. She never respected her mother s wishes; and commonly disobeyed them:

Stacey with tomato-colored mouth, regarded by mother more sorrow than anger. You are certainly not going to a public dance hall, dear. You wouldn t want to be the sort of girl that people wouldn t respect, would you. It a dance, Mother, for heaven s sake, not an orgy.

But once she was married she became a very obedient wife. When she was young she loved to be held closely by a man. Not necessarily in a sexual manner, but even just to be dancing closely was a wonder to her, Stacey Cameron in her yellow dress with pleats all around the full skirt. Knowing by instinct how to move, loving the boy s closeness, whoever he was (p.124). But because of the oath of marriage she was not able to do this anymore. Stacey Cameron went from an outgoing flirt, to Stacey MacAindra the mother of four children. As a child and teenager, Stacey loved children and was very creative. She often let her thoughts carry her to a far off land, where she was in complete control. However, after her children were born; Stacey s patience and creativity quickly diminished. She let her self get very worn down, and was too proud to ask her husband for help, If only I could get away, by myself, for about three weeks. Joke. Laugh now. The only time I can ever get away is when all the kids are in bed. And this period of rationed time is rapidly diminishing (p.159). Her entire life seemed to fall apart before her eyes; with her not even noticing.

The circumstances which led to the lost identity of Offred happened very abruptly. The first sign of change in her society was when her Constitution was suspended. It was said that it would only be temporary, but that was not the truth. People had no idea what to do; and looked anywhere for some kind of guidance. Eventually newspapers and television became very censored, for what was said to be security reasons. Then came the roadbl