The most challenging ideas in the text are found in the detail

Margaret Atwoods novel ‘The Handmaids Tale’ features several prominent ideas in which are shown through use of detail.

One of which is control through fear. The Republic of Gilead is centred around the control and manipulation of women, doing so by ‘classing’ women based on health and physical characteristics. The leaders of the colony force women into do undesired or meagre tasks. If women disobey they are likely threatened with penalties, often being death. Serena Joy for example manipulates Offred into illegal ‘Ceremonies’ in exchange for news of her lost daughter. These ideas are present in the detailed communication between Offred and Serena Joy. It is observable in their dialogue that Serena Joy