https://padlet.com/ruth_van03/pmswc2tmjiqp identify and explain the novelist's use of irony en-us 2018-08-04 04:49:53 UTC 2026-01-09 15:05:37 UTC hello@padlet.com ruth_van03 https://padlet.com/ruth_van03/pmswc2tmjiqp/wish/271936237 Offred had explained in the novel that her mother was a second-wave feminist who often participated in marches advocating for the rights of women [chapter 28, page 189]. After Offred witnesses the birth of Angela, child of Handmaid Janine, she says this 'Mother, [...] You wanted a women's culture. Well, now there is one. It isn't what you meant, but it exists. Be thankful for small mercies.' The situational irony here is that women now have a 'women culture' which would, supposedly,  have been better in Offred's mother's eyes. However this 'women culture' in actual fact would be much worse in her mother's eyes because the culture is women being objectified and used as devices for reproduction. The verbal irony here is that there is a sense of positivity and perhaps celebratory note when Offred says 'Be thankful for small mercies', however what Offred actually feels and intends to say is the exact opposite of being 'thankful'. 
These ironies show how Gilead as a society has regressed from the past even though it is expected that a society would progress forward as it moved on. Instead, the objectification of women grew worse even as other aspects like technology flourished, showing how the development of a society does not necessarily reflect on the humanity of a society. 
Offred's verbal irony also serves as a form of dark humour in the bleak dystopia she is in; it shows how she tries to escape and ignore the obvious even though it would always be there. ]]> 2018-08-04 05:33:14 UTC https://padlet.com/ruth_van03/pmswc2tmjiqp/wish/271936237 ruth_van03 https://padlet.com/ruth_van03/pmswc2tmjiqp/wish/271936654 While Gilead is supposedly being founded on the principles of Christianity, the society still lacks morality and compassion. They also go against what the Bible teaches, like, killing another human (Salvaging). With Gilead claiming to be a theocratic state, it would be expected that they would follow what the Bible says, but in actual reality, it only chooses to follow selective parts of the Bible, and goes against some as well. Ironically, the Bible cannot be read by the Handmaids, as it is locked away by the Commander in his home and only read on certain occasions. With the Bible, which is the gospel written by God himself, it is expected that worshippers, which are the people of Gilead, are able to read it. However it being locked away just shows that the fundamentals of Christianity virtually does not have a place in the Gileadean regime. Thus, there is situational irony in what Gilead claims and appears to be, and what it actually is. 
The ironies in the novel highlights the hypocrisy of Gilead as a theocratic state to the reader and evokes strong feelings within them. It emphasises on the unfairness and prejudice of the Gilead and shapes the reader's opinion to look at Gilead the same way. The discrepancy between what the reader expects of a state founded on Christianity, and of one in the future that is supposed to have progressed and what is reality stresses the shocking harshness and disbelief of the Gilead society. The reader does have stronger and more negative feelings towards dystopian Gilead as Atwood purposefully shapes it. ]]> 2018-08-04 05:50:42 UTC https://padlet.com/ruth_van03/pmswc2tmjiqp/wish/271936654 ruth_van03 https://padlet.com/ruth_van03/pmswc2tmjiqp/wish/271979776 The Ceremony is just justified rape between the Commander and his Handmaid. The Commander and the government who imposes the Ceremony on the Handmaid does not receive any punishment. However, even when the same situation happens, when a man supposedly rape a woman, there is a heavy penalty for him; being beaten to death by the Handmaids. "The penalty for rape, as you know, is death. Deuteronomy 22:23-29." [chapter 43, page 290]Thus it is ironic that the same crime are dealt with in two very different, opposite ways. It highlights the hypocrisy and pretence of the Gilead society and the double-standards it has. It shows how Gilead can come up with excuses and defenses for a crime that the ruling elite does --- but punishes their enemy for the same crime because it is beneficial to them. The obvious irony here also shows how much power the government of Gilead has over their people --- such that even when the unfairness is so plainly stated, the people cannot even speak up and are forced to deal with the unreasonable laws that Gilead set into place. All the unfairness, prejudice, subjugation and authoritarianism points to how dystopian Gilead is. ]]> 2018-08-05 09:38:41 UTC https://padlet.com/ruth_van03/pmswc2tmjiqp/wish/271979776