Chervaughn Archibald- William
Offred’s Story-Telling in Chapter 7
‘But the night is my time out. Where should I go?
Somewhere good’- This quote begins Offred’s story telling of her past. They appear in very descriptive flashbacks that tell a little about her past lifestyle.
The character she tells about, in her first bit of story-telling, seems to be her best friend named Moira. It also seems to be taken from her early adulthood age as she mentions having papers due which usually occurs in college or university days and going out for beers. The effect this story has on the reader is that Offred had freedom to do anything she wanted at anytime and that she was ‘properly’ educated and was not just a Handmaid. She also seemed very happy in her own space with her best friend. These are a contrast of how Offred is living her life at present. Offred may be exploring these memories because she is lying alone on her bed and wished she could have company like she did of herself and Moira.
Another character Offred tells about is her Mother. This memory was taken from her adolescent years because her mother was controlling what she could have seen; the porn magazines. A mother with a young child would censor what their children see. Offred may be exploring these memories because she is longing to have her mothers’ comfort or her assuring safety.
‘But then what happens, but then what happens.’ This quote connotes that seeing the porn magazines being burnt may imply that that lifestyle was not what she wanted to be but in turn became her fate-Handmaid.
First person narratives suggest that the person is speaking about themselves to someone else or even to themselves.
In these story-telling parts Offred tells in past tense reinforcing and alerting when she is speaking about her personal histories. It does not seem to the reader that she is writing down her memories in the form of a diary entry but because she is re-calling the memories to herself but for the intent for the reader to understand her story.
Good exploration of some of the elements of storytelling.
ReplyDeleteMore text level analysis needed which will lead naturally to discussions of tone and theme - why is she remembering incidents with Moira and her mother and such specific ones at this point and how do they interact with the present time and her role in society?
You have made a note of the contrast from student life to the present but this needs expanding on a political level not just personal one.
WHy the burning of pornography and the images which she paints? How do they connect with the present? How does she feel about radical feminism and it's approach to pornography? Can we tell?