The Filipino Group discussion

Hello everyone, welcome to the discussion thread for September’s book of the month, A Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. We’ve never discussed a book by Atwood who is, without doubt, one of the most prominent writers of the 20th century. While this book was written in 1985, I think it remains very relevant to this day. I hope you’ll join us in discussing this dystopian classic.

Because of the recent TV series based on the book, you can find copies at National Bookstore and Fully Booked. Digital copies are available upon request.

Reading Plan:
You can, of course, read at your own pace. I’m merely suggesting this schedule because each week’s discussion questions will be based on chapters for that week

Week 1 (Sept. 4 – 10)
Part I – Night to Part VI – Household (Chapters 1 to 17)

Week 2 (Sept. 11 – 17)
Part VII – Night to Part X – Soul Scrolls (Chapters 18-29)

Week 3 (Sept. 18-24)
(Part XI – Night to Part XII – Jezebel’s (Chapter 30 to 39)

Week 4 (Sept. 25-27)
Part XIII – Night to Historical Notes (Chapter 40 to 46)

F2F Event Details
Date: September 30, 2017
Time: Starting at 5:30pm
Venue: TBA

Week 1 Questions
1. The Handmaid’s Tale won the inaugural Arthur C. Clarke award for best science fiction novel in 1987 but Atwood prefers to call the novel speculative fiction. In an article she wrote for The Guardian she says, ”I made a rule for myself: I would not include anything that human beings had not already done in some other place or time, or for which the technology did not already exist. I did not wish to be accused of dark, twisted inventions, or of misrepresenting the human potential for deplorable behaviour.”

In other words, she maintains there are factual precedents for what went on in Gilead. Can you think of parallels between Gilead and the world we live in, be it present day or historical?

2. In Chapter 5, page 24, Aunt Lydia says, “There is more than one kind of freedom. Freedom to and freedom from. In the days of anarchy, it was freedom to. Now you are being given freedom from. Don’t underrate it.”

I thought a lot about this quote, about what freedom meant to me. What about you? What “freedoms to” are you willing to give up to acquire “freedoms from”?

Week 1 Questions:
(view spoiler)[
1. Similarities between Gilead and present society:
a. Men are treated as superior to women.
b. Women experience opression and/or misogyny.
c. There are extremists (religious in this book, in our present time it's the white extremists who are more in the news) that well, take things to the dangerous extreme.
d. Environmental degradation
e. Control of reproductive rights

2. This is a tough one. Nothing comes to minds except the freedom to and freedom from in the book. It's like the freedom to make our own choices concerning our bodies is given up in order to what, protect us from men, from them sexually harassing women. No men can look at the handmaids, plus they wear clothes that provide concealment. So being a handmaid = security from men's lasciviousness, but I'd rather give up being a handmaid to obtain freedom from control/opression. I'll get back to this if I think of a much better answer. Haha. (hide spoiler)]

Week 1 Questions:

(view spoiler)[
1. Gilead and present-day society are similar in that a lot of women are now finding it difficult to conceive, and people are resorting to drastic and/or extraordinary measures to solve the problem. What those measures are are entirely another matter altogether.

2. Right now: all I can think of is freedom from the stupid idiots running our government. I'll have to think of a "freedom to" I would be willing to give up in exchange for it.
(hide spoiler)]

Tin and Monique, what is interesting about the historical parallels you have mentioned is that while they may have roots in earlier times (16th century or possibly earlier), they all still exist in our present culture despite increased awareness on these issues. Consider the modern-day buzzwords: glass ceiling, surrogate mothers, pro-life pro-choice debates, global warming, Islamic fundamentalists. The list goes on. It does sound disheartening but I am still hopeful that as we become increasingly aware of the injustices, we begin to protest more strongly and one day, these issues will be consigned to the past. In local politics, we have male politicians slipping up to reveal their attitudes towards women. Recently, the outrage on social media targeted a certain comedian senator who made disparaging remarks about a single mother. Netizens also took issue with a DOJ official who decried the blatant disregard of his privacy because his text messages were photographed while, a year ago, a female senator’s sex tapes were allowed to be previewed. We have made some progress but still a long way to go.

About the question on freedoms to and freedoms from. Someone said it was a hard question (Hi Angus). Sorry about that. The reason I asked it was that I wrestled with the question myself and could not find a satisfying answer. So I asked you guys, Haha. I’m still hoping other members can enlighten us. 😊

Week 2 Questions

1. As the novel progresses, we learn more about Offred, her history and the kind of woman she is. From what we’ve read, it would seem uncharacteristic for her to lead a rebellion, do you agree? Even so, she does manage to fight the system in her own little way. I call them “small victories.” Can you cite ways she, secretly or indirectly, asserts what little power she has left? Would you or could you do more?

2. When I first read the book years ago, I thought of it as a feminist novel. Upon re-reading, I’m seeing that it’s not just the Handmaids who are victims of the Gilead regime, deprived of the freedom to choose and to express. Do you consider Serena Joy and her Commander as hardline followers or are they victims, too?

Week 2 Questions

(view spoiler)[
1. Yes, Offred doesn't seem like the kind of person to lead a rebellion. From what I remember (and reread, I haven't finished rereading yet), one example of these "small victories" is when she filched that small slice of butter from her tray and used it to moisturize her face. She also stole into Serena Joy's sitting room to try and filch a flower (was it?). And of course, there's the (view spoiler)[secret trysts with Nick (hide spoiler)]. I'm not sure if I would do more even if I could - perhaps I won't be in the frontlines but I would do something in my own little way.

2. I think Serena Joy and the Commander are blind followers and victims at the same time. They allowed themselves to be involved in a corrupt system, debasing not just the Handmaids but also themselves in the process because they have become bereft of emotions and sympathy; they have become like automatons. It's sad because they all had choices, but they chose to go that road. (hide spoiler)]

Week 2 Questions:
(view spoiler)[
1. Offred is a rebel in her own right yes. A rebel leader however, probably not. But I feel like she has the potential to be a kind of Mockingjay (Katniss, The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins), a symbol of the rebellion. But as to actually manning a resistance with same skill ala Alma Coin, maybe not.

I think that in "reading" she asserts her powers. As much as she said that "thought should be rationed", she is almost always thinking. Instead of being passive and resigning to whatever they tell her to do or whatever they give her, she instead plays the game, as subtle as it might seem, she plays. She asks to read magazines, she asks about mock latin phrases and their meaning, she gauges and reads people and situations. Hers is a mind at work (werk werk..Angelica, Eliza and Peggy! The Schuyler sisters! Couldn't resist. and I think that is the most rebellious thing about her.

Hmmm. I don't know if I could do more. I am a terrible wuss. Haha. But I feel like I can join the good fight, just not as a leader.

2. Serena Joy and The Commander are victims, definitely. The people (I forgot the name of the group/organization) who threw the world into chaos so that they can establish their weird-ass religion and a military dictatorship exploited the people including Serena Joy and the Commnder. As to whether they are blind followers, maybe not really. If by blind followers you mean fanatics who are so single-minded in their beliefs. I think Serena Joy and the Commander feels like they know the whole thing is bonkers but choose to turn a blind eye for a comfortable survival.
(hide spoiler)]

Have fun tomorrow guys and Miss Ronnie! This an awesome book. :D

Tin wrote: "Week 2 Questions:

1. Offred is a rebel in her own right yes. A rebel leader however, probably not. But I feel like she has the potential to be a kind of Mockingjay (Katniss, The Hunger Games by Su..."

Was wondering where i could use my red smock. HAHA. I finished this just 2 weeks ago and i just saw that this was a topic during that time.

I just don't like the fact that it ended with (view spoiler)[ the Eyes taking Offred to van. I mean, what did you even do throughout the whole book Offred? (I was waiting. Will she incite a rebellion? Will she escape from Gillead?) And then it just ended. (hide spoiler)]