Handmaiden’s Tale

Discussion in 'Survival Reading Room' started by Motomom34, Apr 27, 2017.


  1. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    Last night HULU premiered Margret Atwood’s Handmaiden Tale, a dystopian novel written over 30 years ago, has people talking and thinking. People are saying that it struck hard and was a great portrayal of the book at first then veered, the producers did say that today’s world shaped their adaption of the novel. On dystopian books list, Handmaiden’s Tale is always in the top ten. HULU revealed the first three episodes of Handmaiden’s tale and this show has caused a stir.



    Here is snippet of the wiki- description of Handmaiden’s Tale
    The Handmaid's Tale - Wikipedia

    Handmaiden’s Tale set off twitter- many praising the show while saying it was scary, some relating it to our current administration and others wanting to once again bring race into things-

    As a lover of dystopian novels, Handmaiden’s Tale has been on my to-be-read list for a few years. Maybe the release of this new TV series will finally inspire me to read the novel. One of the reasons that I failed to read the novel is because it always sounded so dark. Dystopic fiction is not usually light reading because with many novels I end up thinking, this could happen.

    My son just read the book in high school and I have a feeling he did not grasp the true message. I know that some schools have banned the novel. Has anyone read Handmaiden's Tale or did anyone watch the premier last night?
     
  2. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    No on both and it will stay that way.

    The only reason this (story?) is once again on the rise, as stated, is owing to the loss of the libs to keep control of the levers of power. This screed hit the bookstores in 1985 (Reagan Admin) and was touted back then as a warning about the new and soon-to-take over Christian fundamentalists. (Boogy, boogy, boo)

    By 2000 the meme had changed to Christian Taliban (See Dictionary of Contemporary Mythology William Harwood 2002)

    This seems to be an attempt (again) at undercutting any non-liberal administration that seeks to limit liberal lunacy.

    Sorry for the politics @Motomom34 - the book it self is basically political screed aimed at "fundamental Christians" and while I am no fan of many in that collective, they do have the protected Rights, under our Laws, to practice their beliefs.

    Just as political correctness seeks to steer (and ultimately control) the common language, this TV presentation is just another arm of a hydra that is consuming the US culture and attempting to morph it into something unrecognizable... Which is ironic, considering the book details the need to control language to control the women in the book..... IOW, George Orwell writ small and very badly.

    YMMV
     
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  3. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    LOL! @DKR, I like how there was no hesitancy in your answer. But I do like to question these things. I appreciate the history you gave of when the novel was written, Ms. Atwood is a Canadian and wrote this novel of the United States becoming a totalitarian theocracy. I question if people reading the novel and novels like this, are they missing the message- it could happen to you. If we are to believe that Handmaiden’s Tale is a novel written with a liberal slant, then why would liberals embrace such a novel as scary alarming etc and yet give up such freedoms, letting the government take care of so many aspects of their life?

    I do think it shows how differently one novel can be interpreted in many ways. The novel makes me think to keep my eyes open, be wary of deception by the government. Limit powers and power to the people is something that must be maintained. Yet someone from the opposing view could see this novel as I need the government, the one of my choosing to protect me. I find it interesting that some think that certain people will protect the rights of people when protecting your rights is your own duty.
     
  4. DKR

    DKR Raconteur of the first stripe

    Maybe it was just projection on her part - but the book specifically tells of a military coup that installs the new power structure. Nobody gave up anything, it was taken by force.

    So, not just anti-Christian and decidedly anti-military as well. I guess it was 1985 after all.

    Still, she had and has the right to write and publish in the US. I choose not to contribute to her income.
     
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  5. Ganado

    Ganado Monkey+++

    I'm still scratching my head over the wiki explanation of the novel...... how did they make the jump to our current political situation? I've read the book and it has more to do with control and propaganda seen thru the eyes of a woman with no choices. And ultimately how she as an individual handles her situation

    This fits the Clinton administration more closely than Trumps. But overall it's a giant stretch to equating it to today's politics.
     
  6. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    @Ganado
    Here you go.....

    This is the opening to the Guardian's article on Handmaiden's Tale:
    The Handmaid's Tale is timely. But that's not why it's so terrifying | Jessica Valenti

    I find it interesting that this book, a classic in the dystopic genre can have such differing views of what it is saying. But after thinking about it, it makes sense. I recall during the Obama years, 1984 the novel was talked about. People were sure Obama was going to open a Ministry of Truth and rewrite history. Well actually Obama did because the Stars and Bars, the flag and its history was changed, from a symbol of the South to a symbol of racism.

    1984- conservatives threw it out as where we were headed under Obama and when Trump was elected, the sales of 1984 soared as the liberals bought the book because they were sure... actually I am not sure what they thought but they bought the book because they interpreted something that I probably would not have. Having said all that above that probably does not make sense, I find it interesting that depending on the times, the situation, the state of the world; books that are viewed in one light can be interpreted in another.
     
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  7. Legion489

    Legion489 Rev. 2:19 Banned

    I read the book "back in the day" and all I remember about it now was how unimpressed I was with it at the time. Sort of like the unreadable (or watchable) drivel called "THE ROAD".
     
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  8. duane

    duane Monkey+++

    Read the book when it came out and the only thing that came to my mind was that it must of been a modern interpretation based on being one of the women in the Ottoman Sultan's harem. Christian replacing Muslim and fiction replacing reality. As I understand their writings, not too different other than being written large, than the way most women are treated in many countries even today.
     
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  9. Tully Mars

    Tully Mars Metal weldin' monkey

    Have read the book, have it on audible. Didn't watch the show, but probably will catch up when we have time.
    It's a book, that a person may or may not like. I don't believe in banning any book even if I feel that it would be better served as toilet paper. Banning books is just a first slip down a long slope. Look back on governments that have banned/burned books and tell me what came next??
     
  10. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Book burning often shortly precedes people burning....:(

    From [​IMG] to
    [​IMG]in several short years. :(
    Via:https://readtiger.com/img/wkp/en/Ohrdruf_Corpses_Eisenhower.jpg
     
    Last edited: Apr 28, 2017
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  11. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    What an interesting post. I had not thought of the Christian/ Muslim aspect. Women to serve, breed and have a lower value in their society. Wow.
     
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  12. mysterymet

    mysterymet Monkey+++

    Yeah the Libs say this is mirros trump's admin but really by supporting the islamisation of europe and the world they will force this to become our reality. It is definitely similar to the treatment of women in islamic societies.
     
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  13. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    Yes, I have read this and have it in my library. It didn't do much for me so read it and forgot about it. And, the gist is exactly as you stated, 'Women to serve, breed and have a lower value in their society." I have no idea of the current political aspects tied to this which I would consider to be pure, 100% tripe.
     
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  14. chelloveck

    chelloveck Diabolus Causidicus

    Thank you for starting this thread @Motomom34, I've a couple of copies of the Handmaid's tale kicking around, and it has motivated me to find one and read it. The thread has stimulated some unsurprising discussion: In some senses it's like watching a bone being fought over in the SM culture wars cockpit...
    -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    @DKR.....It may not follow that reading Margaret Atwood's novel will contribute to her income....I believe the novel may be available as a free download....read The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood free online-Best free books or The-Handmaid’s-Tale.pdf | Dystopia
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    For those who couldn't be bothered reading the whole novel, there's always the Spark's Notes option....(Caution: The notes may contain spoilers) SparkNotes: The Handmaid’s Tale
    or....
    https://www.greatbooks.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/HandmaidsTale_guide_final.pdf

    An adaptation of the Handmaid's tale was also released as a movie in the 1990's https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Handmaid's_Tale_(film) which may be available for streaming via Netflix Watch The Handmaid’s Tale 1990 Full Netflix | Watch Movie Streaming Online

    For those with more high brow performing arts tastes, (possibly very few here) adaptations of Atwood's novel have been performed as a ballet The Handmaid's Tale debuts as ballet in Winnipeg, a stage play ,No Cookies | Herald Sun, a radio play, http://media.blubrry.com/radiodrama...odramarevival.com/podcasts/rdr-podcast190.mp3, and even an opera...OPERA REVIEW; Eerie Echo Of Present In Futurist Fantasy

    As to the major premises of the Novel, well, many of the ingredients already exist within American society; fortunately not at sufficiently toxic levels yet, to see a work of speculative fiction play out quite as Atwood had described that a possible future might become.
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2017
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  15. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    I love this discussion, it has really made me happy because I feel like we have had a true book discussion, monkey-style. It gives me hope that we could have a book club and maybe discuss a different dystopia novel and rip it to shreds or praise it.

    Thanks for the links @chelloveck for people who want to read or learn more about Handmaiden's Tale
     
    chelloveck likes this.
  16. Bandit99

    Bandit99 Monkey+++ Site Supporter+

    In fairness, I think this story/book would have a more personal meaning to women in our forum because it is about a woman and how she comes to start questioning authority and her status in society. However, it could relate to any diverse or specific clan, creed, race or gender individual(s), it just so happened that Margret Atwood choose women. Where Orwell (1984) choose to cover the general population, Atwood choose to cover a specific portion of it which made for an interesting read.

    @Motomom34 "It gives me hope that we could have a book club and maybe discuss a different dystopia novel and rip it to shreds or praise it."

    I would definitely be an avid supporter of a SM Book Club and think it is a splendid idea! However, I would hope that the genre of books covered would include more than only dystopia novels? There are many things of interest and much to learn from many different types of books that would fall into the spirit of the SM forum. But, I do understand that some limiting guidelines would be needed...

    Anyway, count on me to participate should a club be formed...
     
    Last edited: Apr 29, 2017
  17. FTM2 Tartar

    FTM2 Tartar On Hiatus Banned

    I hadn't heard of the book before, but stumble across the vid online. I watched the first episode but failed to discern a theme/plot/message.
    I apparently lack the presuppositions necessary to enjoy this brand of pornography...
     
  18. Motomom34

    Motomom34 Monkey+++

    So are you going to watch episode two? What did you think?
     
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  19. FTM2 Tartar

    FTM2 Tartar On Hiatus Banned

    I'll wait till the whole first season is available. Then if the reviews Don't mention a pro-pedophilia/sodomy agenda [which I except they will] then I might try to watch the whole thing...

    I generally like utopia/dystopia books/series, so I hope I'm wrong about this one just being a vehicle for bad pornography...
     
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