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In the case of The Handmaids Tale the novum is The Gilead society -a society which is not yet existent, an imaginary object. However, whats interesting, but also disturbing, is how this social order Novum shares similarities with present day regarding its patriarchal structure and misogynistic treatment of women. Arguably this makes Gilead almost a novum and an  extrapolation. QUOTE TO DO WITH GILEAD: "It isn't running away they're afraid of. We wouldn't get far. It's those other escapes, the ones you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge." I think this quotation from the first chapter of the book perfectly encapsulates the level of control Gilead has. Its a Social order which makes life mandatory, the windows even only open partly so as to prevent suicide. That is something readers of present day do not find themselves living in because suicide and euthanasia are both still possible for people.

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novum: radiation and infertility of women

extrapolation:
-religion: "under His Eye" 54(ww2 spies) "Praise Be"53 "Blessed be the fruit" 139- links to christianity and the old testament
-failure of totalitarian regime- Nazi Germany
-public executions: "Bodies hanging by the necks, their hands tied infront of them, their heads in white bags tipped sideways onto their shoulders" 41- Salem witch trials
- public shaming: "placecard hung around his neck" 42- links to the conciencious objectors from WW2- were given white feathers

cognitive estrangement:
-"Under His Eye" 54 - we recognise the christian aspect- but can also be interpreted as being watched by extremist organisation which is unfamiliar to Offred as she is used to freedom.
-name- being defined by male figure- marriage (loss of own name)
- social hierarchy- no social mobility in Gilead and not used to being ranked by fertility and function but money and social class
-football games next to hangings/ "mens salvaging"40 "We still have those" 40
-hanging of abortion doctors- modern day 'pro-life' supporters

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Novum: The focus on Religious ideologies rather than political, sociological or capitalistic views.

Extrapolation: The definition of Gilead, Gilead has religious connotations, and draws upon an anecdote in the bible, which we believe inspired the main concept of the novel.

Pg 99: “Then comes the mouldy Rachel and Leah stuff we had drummed into us at the centre. ‘Give me children or else I die. Am I in God’s stead, hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? Behold my maid Bilah. She shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.’

Gilead has a connection to Jacob as well: the name is first mentioned in Genesis (31:21-55), in which Jacob fled to "the hill country of Gilead"

Atwood seems to have drawn upon social classes in the medieval world, and subverted these class structures into the novel

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Novum is also the Republic of Gilead:
"The Republic of Gilead, said Aunt Lydia, knows no bounds. Gilead is within you" (33).
Gilead is described as a mountainous plain, surrounded by Jordan- the famous balm of Gilead is so powerful that it could heal entire nations. A theocratic nation- totalitarian society.

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Extrapolation:
the wall
"The precautions are for those trying to get out, though make it even as far as the Wall, from the inside, past the electronic alarm system, would be next to impossible. Besides the main gateway there are six more bodies hanging, by the necks, their hands tied in front of them, their heads in white bags tipped sideways onto their shoulders." (37)

Cognative Estrangement:
the Angels and the Aunts
tradtionally supposed to be protectors -> she uses familiar names
"A Sister, dipped in blood." (15)

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Novum
-"This numbers not valid." (184)
-"You know I'll always take care of you. I thought, already he's starting to patronize me." (188)
--> Social order changes, dependency on men, tokens

Extrapolation:
-"some women burning books"
(chapter 7 48) --> quran, bible have been burned, nazi regime, opposing to their ideology

-"arranged marriages have always worked out just as well, if not better" (232) --> happens all over the world

-visitors from Japan are not allowed to take photos (38)
-->North Korea

Cognitive Estrangement
-"Its been a long time that I've seen skirts that short on women"  "Westernized"
(38) --> She is the object of spectacle
--> Uniforms,

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Novum: The fact that we dont have handmaidens, chapter 5 "The Republic of Gilead, said Aunt Lydia, knows no bounds".

Extrapolation: The Japanese Tourists - Gilead just like America is still an exhibition for the world to study, but unlike previously the Japanese tourists are more advanced in their fashion and heirarchy in society: "Then I think: I used to dress like that. That was freedom. Westernized¨ (38)

Cognative Estrangement:

The Commander is obsessed with returning to natures ´norm´,

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Cognitive Estrangement - Atwood defamiliarises the here and now through her use of the word 'tale' in her title. The narrator expresses that things are changed as events she recalls are as she remembers them, not always as happened.
> 'I made that up. It didn't happen that way. Here's what happened.' (pp.269) - displaying how she wishes she had control over her own destiny, but that has been taken away from her, like everything else.

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Extrapolation - the projection of the oppression of women within regimes such as the Taliban and even parts of the West today . The novel shows the oppression and disrespect of women due to their biological bodies/sex by males in positions of higher power and looked upon as objects or possessions they can control.
> This is clearly represented through the naming of the Handmaids - 'Offred' literally meaning 'of Fred' her commander.
> 'And of course she is, the new one, and Ofglen, wherever she is, is no longer Ofglen. I never did know her real name. That is how you can get lost in the sea of names.' (pp.291) - names are reused and repeated because they have no need for an individual name because they are purely being used for the connivence of the male for breeding.

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Tracey, Liv and Megan

Cognitive Estrangement :
The location of Gilead is unknown, the timeline is unknown, access to information is limited (especially for women).

The use of uniforms - government issued clothing which also denotes status and rank. Eg Handmaids in red and Wives in blue.
Pg 34 “You don’t see the Commanders Wives on the sidewalks. Only in cars.”

Women have sub sections of roles, and rules pertaining to each one eg. A Martha doesn’t have the same rights as a Wife. Whereas in our reality rights apply to all women.

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Novum - The Republic of Gilead as a totalitarian government    in which males hold all the power. Due to the extremely low fertility rate women able to breed are forced to reproduce with males in high status and power, calling them Handmaids.
> "They think instead of doing their duty and of promotion to the Angels, and of being allowed possibly to marry, and then, if they are able to gain enough power and live to be old enough, of being allotted a Handmaid of their own" (pp.28) - displays the social order of the dystopian society, Handmaid are possessions.

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Tracey, Liv and Megan
Extrapolation : The conflict in Germany and the use of SS agents/Nazi spies created an atmosphere of fear and totalitarianism/Orwellism. Pg. 43 These men, we’ve been told , are like war criminals. It’s no excuse that what they did was legal at the time: their crimes are retroactive.

Atwood used Commanders and Guardians to extrapolate the existing totalitarianism into the novel. Women were closed off from the outside world and only knew what they were told.

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Tracey, Liv and Megan

Novum - Gilead. Goverment controlled changed social order. Men hold all the positions of power and have created roles for women eg. Commanders, Guardians, Wives, Martha’s, Handmaids. Pg 21 “Martha’s know things, they talk among themselves.”

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Novum: an alternate social order, the handmaid is used solely for reproductive purposes. The Commander is the head of the house, whereas his wife helps him. There is no clear familial structures, no familial love, members of the household are only recognised regarding the function they fulfil.
"I used to think of my body as an instrument...' (83.pg)
Cognitive Estrangement:

Historical Notes (309.pg): upon finishing the book, the reader finds out that everything within the narrative is actually a transcript from a recording that the maid said on a recorder. The narrative and the voice become detached and distant, the reader is no longer a reader but rather a spectator.