I am also bummed that I missed the first book club. I read a Handmaid's Tale last January (I found out I was pregnant while reading it - a bit odd and entertaining). I have been eager to talk with someone, anyone, about it and, of course, I missed it! Maxine and I were in REAL New Mexico with my husband (It is fun trying to get a photo of you and your daughter when no one is around to take it for you...).
Anyhow, I love the idea of the ending. Allowing us to decide for ourselves what happened. I also hate it. I love closure and I acknowledge that is the lazy side of me. I am sure everyone is CERTAIN the ending is one way or another. Was there any consensus as to whether Nick saved her or betrayed her?
The relationship between Offred and the Captain's wife was pretty discouraging, as well. The wife worked hard to appear to have self respect and really didn't. She also seemed to accept the social structure (playing a large role in creating it) and tries to accept a system that requires her to allow a woman in her home to foster a child for her. Yet, she treats the potential mother of her child terribly- obviously uncomfortable with the situation and has no apparent control over it. Did you discuss whether you felt she regretted her role in creating this system? Was there any discussion on how a person gets to a place where they are comfortable taking another's child? Also, come to think of it, I had a problem with the weak, beaten-down woman being older and a former beauty and the protagonist being a younger, fertile beauty. It would have been more appealing to me if Atwood had not sent an over-used message about women being bitter and helplessly angry when they age and cannot offer their beauty or fertility anymore. I think it would have been more interesting if she had addressed how women deal with aging and their self worth, as well. (How many issues can we discuss in one book?!) Seriously, I would like more positive aging messages for women and perhaps this isn't the book but I feel it is important to say.
I also thought it was a shame that Offred's best friend and outward feminist ended up being "punished" in the book. However - maybe I am not remembering correctly - but I think that, if I had to choose, that is where I would have rather been (as opposed to Offred's or the wife's role). At least she could speak her mind more than Offred and have semi-normal female relationships.
The booze fridge and little New Mexico sound perfect. I work at the end of the town and look forward to the next club meeting!
1 comment:
You bring up very interesting issues. Let me see if I can answer some of your questions:
I think there was a consensus about the ending: we all thought that Nick saved her. Though, personally, I wasn't sure why she needed to be saved, since she hadn't actually done anything subversive (except sleeping with Nick? -- someone suggested). Also, personally, I wasn't crazy about the ending. It felt weaker than the rest of the book.
I like your comment about the relationship between Offred and the wife. I guess that's always been the patriarchy's strategy: to antagonize the minorities in order to keep them down. It is sad that women in the book don't trust each other.
We did not discuss the wife's role much, though I think that it is hinted in the book that she does regret playing a part in creating the system, since she lost her career because of it.
As for Offred's friend, Moira, we also wondered why she ended up the way she did (as a prostitute). I don't know.
I definitely have a lot more questions about the book. And the fate of Gilead.
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