Margaret Atwood frequently mentions colors throughout her novel, and as we discussed in class last week, her frequent use of the color red stands out most to me. Although the color red can be associated with several meanings, I tend to associate it most with passion, love, and femininity. However, in The Handmaid’s Tale, it is used to signify the Handmaids as the fertile women, and therefore essentially the outcasts of society. I wonder why Atwood chose the color red for the Handmaids when a color like black might be more suitable for someone looked down upon and seen as an outcast. Even Offred mentions both the colors red and black when considering her current state and use of her body compared to the former way in which she used to look at herself.
In chapter 13 she says, “I used to think of my body as an instrument, of pleasure, or a means of transportation, or an implement for the accomplishment of my will… Now the flesh arranges itself differently. I’m a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and more real than I am and glows red within its translucent wrapping. Inside it is a space, huge as the sky at night and dark and curved like that, though black-red rather than black” (p. 73-74). Although Offred recognizes that her body is nothing more than an instrument and has been stripped of any sort of feminist qualities or capabilities, she continues to associate it with the color red. If Offred had looked at her body as disgusting and hopeless, she would have associated it instead with the color black. Despite her circumstances, Offred continues to use the color red in relation to the woman’s body and because of this, I wonder if Atwood is suggesting that the Handmaids have accepted and adapted to their roles in Gilead. Are the Handmaids partly to blame for what they have become because they still attempt to see the best of their situation (as seen through their frequent use and mention of the color red)? Even after everything, they continue to be dutiful and do not consider their roles to be hopeless or disgusting. Although many of the Handmaids still look back upon their former lives, it seems that they have almost internalized their roles in society and convinced themselves that their treatment is acceptable.
Perhaps I only think this way of the Handmaids because of my interpretation of the color red?
I think it is possible that Atwood uses the color red because they have accepted the roles that they have been assigned. However, when I think of red I picture more sacrifice and think that maybe she uses the color red because they really are asked to sacrifice the way they live rather than accept it. You also mention that you think they may be partly to blame for their situation because they just try to see the best in life, but really unless you plan to stand out and fight what for what you want, all you can do is look at the best. I wonder how things would pan out differently if they were to take action and begin to fight for the lives they had and think about before all of this.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI agree Hayley, that I also thing of sacrifice when I think of red. But more than that, I think of power. If red means power, wouldn't it make sense that the women that have the power to produce offspring are the most valued, and at the same time, the most feared? If these women could have control (like we do now, per say) of their bodies and their lives, this may "disrupt" or harm society in Gilead. It makes me wonder what category I would fall into if I lived in Gilead, and if I'd fight, or go along with it do survive. Makes you thankful for the life you live, doesn't it?
ReplyDeleteI agree Allison about what you see the color red as being related to. Like roses and love and lipstick and romantic things like that for sure. But when it's paired with black it darkens the red and it almost makes me think of blood. But not her own blood because she is disgusted by it. Almost like she is just a container for the blood for her offspring maybe (I know that sounds pretty gross).
ReplyDeleteAnd I agree with Hayley too, red is a color of a lot of triumphs like the British uniforms or the American flag so it could be seen as a sacrifice for the good of the country.
Without the black-red description I think the use of red would have thrown me off a lot more in the novel though because I do associate red with the ideas/symbols like Allison mentioned.
I think maybe it was in "The Female Man" but I might be wrong, but the quote that went something like "After a while anything can become normal" or maybe it was this book I'm not really sure. But, I think this is what may have happened to the Handmaids. All the one's that didn't let this be normal and it drove them crazy are dead by now from some way or another (government, suicide, etc). Basically they gave up hope and did not know what else to do. I am not saying this is right, but it is kind of like the natural selection process- Adapt or die (the most successful at living will reproduce (no pun intended)). I guess I would see the Handmaids at this point kind of in that stage.
I really like how Lauren turned the color “red” to represent power. I think that it makes the book more “powerful” if women are the only ones who have this power, it could be seen as feared by those who are not able to posses this power. Most people are afraid of things they don’t understand/ are unknown. So in my mind it would make sense that the power of fertility could be something feared by others. Life in Gilead honestly seems like such a scary place and makes me wonder how each and everyone of us would respond to a world like this. Would we conform because it would be the “norms” of the society we lived in, or would we object and stand up for a new way of thinking/living?
ReplyDelete