tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post8158155264540882589..comments2024-03-28T10:10:43.453+00:00Comments on ImageNations: 81. The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret AtwoodImageNationshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comBlogger24125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-69763879289049808212011-07-04T07:43:22.155+00:002011-07-04T07:43:22.155+00:00Oh! Great. My first Atwood, Oryx and Crake, was eq...Oh! Great. My first Atwood, Oryx and Crake, was equally interesting. Now I want to read every Atwood. My next, if I get it, would be The Year of the Flood.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-42706333151826798212011-07-03T19:44:19.288+00:002011-07-03T19:44:19.288+00:00I agree- it's something everyone shoudl read. ...I agree- it's something everyone shoudl read. It was my first Atwood and hooked me on her writing for life!Marie Cloutierhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14938166831865436287noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-52922444883199742452011-06-11T09:45:01.100+00:002011-06-11T09:45:01.100+00:00@Geosi, that's the thing... let's discuss@Geosi, that's the thing... let's discussImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-76303647715077034812011-06-08T17:55:03.476+00:002011-06-08T17:55:03.476+00:00Thanks Anna... it's a great novel though.Thanks Anna... it's a great novel though.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-20340130876416654262011-06-08T17:41:59.231+00:002011-06-08T17:41:59.231+00:00I read this book in college and then again about a...I read this book in college and then again about a year ago. I thought the story was creepy and scary and not a world I would ever want to know. It really does seem like an issue of power and control. And I also see it as a man vs. woman thing to some extent, given that Offred's name was "Of Fred." So the names alone indicate who is in power.<br /><br />Thanks for the thoughtful review!Annahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08046635675540466183noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-34868625874757054582011-06-06T17:58:00.618+00:002011-06-06T17:58:00.618+00:00Enjoying the discussions here and have already add...Enjoying the discussions here and have already added to my wish list. Thanks.Geosihttp://geosireads.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-8316472519878660642011-06-03T16:47:57.687+00:002011-06-03T16:47:57.687+00:00@bibliophiliac... I read an interview of hers at t...@bibliophiliac... I read an interview of hers at the back of this novel where she stated that as a Victorian novelist she believes that novels should be a form of social examination. And for this she had done well per the two books I have read.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-44140790037544363512011-06-03T16:43:20.574+00:002011-06-03T16:43:20.574+00:00@Kinna, thanks. Yes but don't you think one wo...@Kinna, thanks. Yes but don't you think one would be terrified if one know of alternatives?<br /><br />Coming back on Saturday... thought it would be Friday but had to attend to something...ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-56519831139590684362011-06-03T01:57:04.360+00:002011-06-03T01:57:04.360+00:00I read A Handmaid's Tale years ago and it is s...I read A Handmaid's Tale years ago and it is still vivid in my mind. I also really liked Oryx and Crake. I have liked her more realistic novels as well. I always have the sense of watching a sharp mind at work when I read Atwood. Her books tell a story, but they also make an argument.bibliophiliachttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15495943887513443615noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-74488712866936916102011-06-02T22:40:48.619+00:002011-06-02T22:40:48.619+00:00I read this in my teens when it first came out. I...I read this in my teens when it first came out. I, like Amy has said, was promptly terrified of Gilead and what it represented. Remains one of my favorite books. BTW, you can be born to a place and only know that place and still be able to find it terrifying. Interesting discussions. And when are you coming back?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-63171328810516193302011-06-02T21:40:49.759+00:002011-06-02T21:40:49.759+00:00@Parrish Lantern, Yes. the topic she chooses is in...@Parrish Lantern, Yes. the topic she chooses is interesting. I would also love to read The Blind Assassin.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-9544492704676314362011-06-02T21:39:24.358+00:002011-06-02T21:39:24.358+00:00@Zibilee, glad I brought this long-read novel to y...@Zibilee, glad I brought this long-read novel to your attention again.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-22228252243671430552011-06-02T21:38:18.791+00:002011-06-02T21:38:18.791+00:00@Richard, I am yet to read a mediocre Atwood.@Richard, I am yet to read a mediocre Atwood.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-32925055656107780902011-06-02T21:37:04.229+00:002011-06-02T21:37:04.229+00:00@Amy, I agree with you on all points raised. I als...@Amy, I agree with you on all points raised. I also agree that the novel isn't necessarily men vs women type. However, I have read enough of this type of novels to find it to be 'cheap'. Atwood isn't cheap and she has a way of projecting my inner fears. <br /><br />I agree that the novel isn't also about the weakness of women and the wickedness of men but about the inequality present in our cultures. But how many times haven't such inequalities been attributed to the workings of men? The very moment we talk of inequalities our minds project towards something caused by men. Don't we? May be I am wrong.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-14962234010089361272011-06-02T19:43:19.924+00:002011-06-02T19:43:19.924+00:00not yet read any Atwoods yet,have Blind Assasin on...not yet read any Atwoods yet,have Blind Assasin on my TBR, but she seems to have a large following amongst bloggers so was interested in your post.<br />thanks@parridhlanternhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12793548943992250238noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-52115426229116617732011-06-02T15:20:50.304+00:002011-06-02T15:20:50.304+00:00I loved this book and read it many moons ago. I th...I loved this book and read it many moons ago. I thought that Atwood did a particularly good job in creating her dystopian world, and I think it's high time that I read this one again. Thanks for the fantastic review, Nana. You have made me really excited to pick this one back up off the shelf and give it another go!Zibileehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07443338685890187334noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-27428752104351420572011-06-02T14:02:37.683+00:002011-06-02T14:02:37.683+00:00Interesting post, Nana, especially its part in you...Interesting post, Nana, especially its part in your reaction to your feeling that it was "like landing on Mars blindfolded" after some of your travels! I've heard that there are really good Atwoods and really mediocre Atwoods, so it's nice to hear that you think she's a must read in general. Cheers!Richardhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01746599416342846897noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-16069398663703522782011-06-02T13:21:49.402+00:002011-06-02T13:21:49.402+00:00I don't think it's about men vs women, it&...I don't think it's about men vs women, it's about being in positions of power relative to others. No things aren't perfect now but Atwood was showing a scary possible future (that in many ways mirrors current situations and shows how easy it could be to end up like that) where women are back to being nothing but property with no rights or autonomy. Of course that is terrifying in any way - no people should ever be property or slaves of any kind, whether sexual or any other form of slavery.<br /><br />Equality is equal rights. When men and women have the same rights and responsibilities and chances in life, then I will agree with you that things like affirmative actions which force people to recognize their internal stereotypes and prejudices are unnecessary. As it is, our systems privilege certain groups over others be it racial, gender, nationality, or other. It is not conscious evil, it is simply how we were raised and combating our prejudices is something that literature can definitely help with - and through dystopias like this is one way to show the extreme cases which makes us think about how these things could happen and see the little cases.<br /><br />Again it's not about the wickedness of men and the weakness of women, it is about the inequality present in cultures and systems. No one would say that men are all evil and women are all weak and this and other novels don't play that up but rather show how our prejudices can lead us astray in crazy ways.Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18102250492155489672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-19816966490056935982011-06-02T13:19:03.270+00:002011-06-02T13:19:03.270+00:00@Stefania I thought I was the only reader left to ...@Stefania I thought I was the only reader left to read this. When you get to read it let me know your opinion of it.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-65904072767853520552011-06-02T13:04:07.520+00:002011-06-02T13:04:07.520+00:00@Sarah I'm yet to read an Atwood that did not ...@Sarah I'm yet to read an Atwood that did not set my mind thinking or amplified my secret thoughts. But then i've read only two out of her many writings.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-84947942152749557792011-06-02T13:00:12.956+00:002011-06-02T13:00:12.956+00:00@Amy it's easy to say it's terrifying. Wha...@Amy it's easy to say it's terrifying. What makes a thing terrifying? Comparison. So let's eliminate it and assume that within the universe only Gileadexists. Imagine you were born within such a place. Would it be terrifying? What makes us sure that our current lives aren't terrifying? Have we compared it with all possible scenarios available? Everything is good or bad in relation to another thing. We mustn't see things in such close perspective. Besides, the men weren't monsters out and out to destroy. As symbolised by Commander's character they were weak and found their position not necessarily enjoyable. What is sex without love but another daily chore or an addiction to be satisfied. Yes, this is not a 'good' place to be but only because it is a negative deviation of something we know of. Sometimes we are more quick to accept all the changes science is making. Like cloning. Gene splicing can lead to this too. See? The only thing Atwood did was to put this Utopian in the hands of religion and making men responsible for it. As is most done in such novels. Besides, it's common to find examples of theocratic countries where men are the rulers. But then we find that even in such societies women are making strong statements in their. I am one who don't fancy affirmative actions, promoting one thing at the expense of the other to create equality. Equality is equality not dis-equality. Hence, i general don't fancy novels that play too much on the wickedness of men and the weakness of women.ImageNationshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06021414643103601330noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-43514544383276810972011-06-02T12:26:40.375+00:002011-06-02T12:26:40.375+00:00Interesting, I'd love to read this. I love dys...Interesting, I'd love to read this. I love dystopian novels.Stefania - The Italian Backpackerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02208023950547260256noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-10137422730278230602011-06-02T10:47:59.817+00:002011-06-02T10:47:59.817+00:00Interesting perspective and review. I think it'...Interesting perspective and review. I think it's easy to see the difference here between your review and that of most women - we all see it as terrifying and believe that Atwood wrote it as a terrifying dystopia, definitely not as any kind of 'good' place! Glad you enjoyed the book :)Amyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18102250492155489672noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29803016.post-22762655631615022692011-06-02T10:31:13.368+00:002011-06-02T10:31:13.368+00:00I love Margaret Atwood sometimes, and get cross wi...I love Margaret Atwood sometimes, and get cross with her sometimes, but THE HANDMAIDS TALE is great. I'm glad you enjoyed it!Sarah Normanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05145876806604726875noreply@blogger.com