IOP (Journal #4)

this will serve as a reminder for me to come back and do this

Scrabble Idea!

To get the class involved in my presentation and to emphasize the different power people have in Gilead, I wanted to make the game of scrabble represent the society.

Different characters will have different rules for the game because of their roles in society. Here are the examples

Marthas -- the Marthas in this novel saw the bad aspects of the government. However, they knew that because they were infertile they had no choice but to be a Martha. They were able to take care of the children and they liked doing this.
"It won't be long now, says Cora, doling out my monthly stack of sanitary napkins. Not long now, smiling at me shyly but also knowingly. Does she know? Do she and Rita know what I'm up to, creeping down their stairs at night? do i give myself away, daydreaming, smiling at nothing, touching my face lightly when I think they aren't watching? Ofglen is giving up on me, She whispers less, taks more about the weather. I do not feel regret about this. I feel relief." 349

Sooo.... the Marthas in the game will be allowed to play. However, when they gain points, all of them go towards the commander.

Aunts -- The Aunts are allowed to read and have authority over the Handmaids. When the handmaids get a point, so do the Aunts for teaching them. The aunts seem to stick with this society as they brainwash the others. They keep watch of the others in the game and keep them from "cheating" even though the rules are unfair.
"They also serve who only stand and wait, said Aunt Lydia. She made us memorize it. She also said, Not all of you will make it through. Some of you will fall on dry ground or thorns. Some of you are shallow-rooted. She had a mole on her chin that went up and down while she talked. She said, Think of yourselves as seeds, and right then her voice was wheedling, conspiratorial, like the voices of those women who used to teach ballet classes to children, and who would say, Arms up in the air now; let's pretend we're trees." 25

Handmaids-- Handmaid's can play but they can only when their words include their commander's first initial. Their points get split between the commander and the wife as the wife gets to have the handmaid's children.

handmaids not in mayday-- Ofwarren
"I say nothing at first, because I am tring to make out what she means. She could mean that this is a reminder of us of the unjustness and burtality of the regime. In that case I ought to say yes. Or she could mean the opposite, that we should remember to do what we are told and not get into trouble, because if we do we will be rightfully punished. If she means that, I should say praise be. Her voice was bland, toneless, no clues there." 364

"That isn't a term I remember. I'm surprised you do. You ought to make an effort..." She pauses. "To clear yor mind of such..." She pauses again. "Echoes." Now I feel cold, seeping over my skin like water. What she is doing is warning me.
365

handmaids in mayday
261 "I find it hard to believe in these whisperings, these revelations, though I always do at the time, Afterwards, though, I they seem imporobb.... I don't think this passage is significant anymore..

345 "You could go into his room at night,she says. Look through his desk. There must be papers, notations. ..But the Commander is no longer of immediate interest to me. I have to make an effort to keep my indifference towards him from showing."

"The fact is that I no longer want to leave, escape, cross the border to freedom. I want to be here, with Nick, where I can get at him. Telling this I am ashamed of myself." 348


after she got what she wanted, she didn't want to break apart from the government and break the rules!! just like how Moira was okay after she got what she wanted (kind of....)

"How do you stand it? Everything considered, I like this outfit better. So after that, they said I was too dangerous to be allowed the privilege of returning to the Red Center. They said I would be corruping influence. I had my choice, they said, this or the Colonies, Well, shit, nobody but a non would pick the Colonies.... So here I am. They even give you face cream. You should figure out some way of getting in here. " 324

Wives - marry the husbands. they have the most "power." The wives can play but it is all show. In reality, their words mean nothing and are just jumbled up letters. They get points regardless of their words.

"This idea hangs between us, almost visible, almost, palpable: heavy, formless, dark; conclusion of a sort, betrayal of a sort. She does want that baby." 266

Commander- The commander is the head dog. he controls the game, distributes the points. however, he can cheat and give himself points whenever he wants... he won't get caught and if he does there will most likely be no punishment for him. Even though he breaks the rules of the society, he goes along with it because he gets all the benefits of it!

"He is showing me off, to them, and they understand that they are decorous enough, they keep their hands to themselves, but they review my breasts, my legs, as if there's no reason why they souldn't. But also he is showing off to me. he is demonstrating, to me, his mastery of the world. He's breaking the rules, under their noses, thumbing his nose at them, getting away with it." 307

It sounds like I will first need to explain the perceptions of the society before I break out the game... I will also need to explain this using literary techniques

Chronology- The chronology of this novel has the reader finding out more and more about the society as time goes on. Therefore, the reader's perception of the society is biased because it clearly emphasizes the difference between the old society and the new. The chronology also allows us to see how Offred viewed the change of the society and the opinion of her friend Moira.

Point of View- Having the novel written in Offred's point of view also gives us the bias because we see everything and sympathize with her. This point of view also gives us an advantage because we are allowed to see her perception of the government what she thinks about it.

Conflict- there seems to be no conflict in the mind of the commander. However, the handmaids always have the conflict of giving kids etc... I wonder if there is internal conflict for the other women's positions? I know that Serena Joy has conflict as she wants the rules to be followed (and is upset when she finds out that the Commander had been seeing Offred outside of the ceremonies) but she also wants a child so she is willing to break the rules of the society.