從女權(quán)主義角度解讀《使女的故事》中女性的反抗與斗爭(zhēng)

ContentsChineseAbstract 2EnglishAbstract 31.Introduction 41.1TheResearchReviewed 41.2TheLiteratureReview 51.3TheDefinitionofFeminism 62.Oppression 72.1TheOppressionofBasicHumanRights 72.2TheOppressionofReproductiveRights 92.3TheOppressionofGenderFreedom 103.ResistanceandStruggle 113.1

TheStruggleBetweentheCharacters 113.2TheManifestationofConflict 123.3TheFeministResistanceandStruggle 14Conclusion 15References 17

從女權(quán)主義角度解讀《使女的故事》中女性的反抗與斗爭(zhēng)摘要瑪格麗特·阿特伍德在其作品《使女的故事》中描述了一個(gè)環(huán)境污染嚴(yán)重，人口出生率降到臨界點(diǎn)，宗教勢(shì)力因此抬頭，建立一個(gè)以男性為中心的基列國(guó)，實(shí)施使女制度，強(qiáng)迫能生育的女性生孩子的虛構(gòu)世界。筆者以瑪格麗特·阿特伍德的這本代表作《使女的故事》作為研究對(duì)象,從女權(quán)主義角度解讀《使女的故事》中女性的反抗與斗爭(zhēng)。通過(guò)人權(quán)的壓迫，生育權(quán)的壓迫，性自由的壓迫三個(gè)方面去研究女性的反抗與斗爭(zhēng)。通過(guò)對(duì)小說(shuō)主人公情節(jié)以及環(huán)境的分析，發(fā)現(xiàn)小說(shuō)中體現(xiàn)出來(lái)的女權(quán)主義精神。從而對(duì)現(xiàn)在的女權(quán)主義給予啟發(fā)，女性在追求自由平等的同時(shí)也應(yīng)該選擇正確有效的方式尋求自身的平等。關(guān)鍵詞：女權(quán)主義；斗爭(zhēng)；反抗

Women’sResistanceandStruggleintheHandmaid’sTaleasSeenfromthePerspectiveof

FeminismAbstractMargaretAtwoodinherworktheHandmaid’sTaledescribesaseriousenvironmentalcontamination,thebirthratedeclinestothecriticalpoint,neonatalsurvivalrateisextremelylow.Theriseofreligiouspowerleadstotheestablishmentofamale-centeredGilead,asystemoffemaleservitude,andafictionalworldinwhichfertilewomenareforcedtohavechildren.TakingMargaretAtwood’smasterpiecetheHandmaid’sTaleastheresearchobject,theauthorinterpretsthefemaleresistanceandstruggleintheHandmaid’sTalefromtheperspectiveoffeminism.Throughtheoppressionofhumanrights,theoppressionofreproductiverights,theoppressionofsexualfreedomtostudythreeaspectsoffemaleresistanceandstruggle.Throughtheanalysisoftheplotandenvironmentoftheprotagonist,thefeministspiritembodiedinthenovelisfound.Thus,itinspiresthecurrentfeminismthatwomenshouldchoosetherightandeffectivewaytoseektheirownequalitywhilepursuingfreedomandequality.Keywords:feminism;resistance;struggle

1.Introduction1.1TheResearchReviewedWiththepopularityoftheInternet,domesticfeminismbegantoappearinthepublic’svisionanddevelopedrapidly.Therearemountingnumberofbooksaboutfeminism.Nevertheless,oncetheissueofwomen’srightsarisesinhotsocialevents,onesideofthedebateisoftenlabeledastheChinesepastoralfeminismbytheotherside,asifthehatisthesymboloforiginalsin,aslongasitislabeledastheChinesepastoralfeminism,itisboundtobeguiltyanddeservetobedefeated(張冠男，2018：4).Inaddition,forthereasonthattheremakeoftheusTVseriesabouttheHandmaidTale,thisbookhasbecomemorefamous.Throughin-depthresearchonthisbook,wecanunderstandwhatfeminismis.TheHandmaid’sTaleisafantasynovelwrittenbyMargaretAtwood,aCanadianfemalewriter.Theworkwaswrittenin1985.ThebooktellsthestoryofafundamentalistChristianregimethatlaunchedamilitarycoupintheRepublicofGilead,transformingtheUnitedStatesintoatheocraticstate,throughataperecordingofawomanwhohadtheunfortunateexperienceofbeingahandmaidinGilead.Theinsignificantnumberofmenwhobuilttheregimeheldallthepoweroverthewomen.IntheGileadregime,womenassymbolsofmen’ssocialstatusweredividedintodifferentsocialclasses,eventheclothestheywore.Womennolongerhavetherighttoread,northerighttocontactthesociety.Fertilewomenhadtoendurestate-enforcedlegalrapetobreedfortheregime.Byinventingadystopiansociety,theauthorreflectsonthepossiblesituationsinthefuturesociety.Althoughitisfictional,itisnotimpossiblethatsucheventswillnothappenbasedonacertainfuturenodeandtheauthorpaysattentiontofindingrelevantdeedsinhistorywhencreatingherworks.Inotherwords,althoughitisfictional,itreflectseverythingthatmighthappeninreality.MargaretAtwood,bornonNovember18,1939,inOttawa,Canada,isanimportantrepresentativeoftheinternationalfeministmovementinthefieldofliterature.HavingstudiedPuritansformanyyearsatHarvardUniversity,itcanbeseenfromthecloserelationshipbetweenthethemeofthenovelandwesternreligiousandculturaltraditions.Throughdelicatebrushworkanduniqueperspective,itrevealstheunequalandunfairtreatmentofwomeninthepatriarchalsociety.Sheisgoodatunderstandingthepsychologyofwomen,reflectstheirlife,growthprocessandfate.Therepeatedmentionofwomen’sgenderpoliticsintheworkreflectsherowndiscussiononthestatusofwomen,andalsoimpliesthepoliticalstatusofCanadaitself.Thepunismoreabletoshowherconcernaboutthestatusofwomenandhopethatwomencanstandupagainstsocialinjusticeandfightfortheirrights.Thispaperwillappraisetheperspectiveof

feminismandstruggleintheHandmaid’sTalefromthefeministperspectiveofthelongnovel.Inthenovel,thebodyispresentedastheobjectofwriting,aswellasthefunctionofpower,ideology,religionandotherfactors.Thewritingofthebodyisembodiedinthesymbolicsemanticoftheuniform,andthevisualdomesticofthebodyisstronglyimplementedbyvisualizingtheclassificationandlimitationofthesocialhierarchythroughtheclothing.Stepbystep,throughtheanalysisoftheprotagonistofbodycontrolaswellastothepeoplearoundyoureactstosocietyofthewholesystemfurtherconcludedthatfeminismforbasichumanrights,politicalrights,reproductiverightsandsexualfreedom,isneverdependonthetimechange,thepatriarchalmercy,oractivesupport,largelythroughtheirstruggleunder,andtheymadeanimportantcontributionforsocialequalityandcivilization.TheauthorherselfwasinfluencedbyMaryWebster,anancestorofhermother’sfamilywholivedinthe17thcentury,andbyfamilyeducation(邴婷婷,2014:5).1.2TheLiteratureReviewTherearemainresearchesondystopiaandecologisminforeigncountries.Foreigncountriesbegantostudytherelevantcontentfrom1990attheearliest,throughthestudyofCanadianliteratureprocessbegantonoticetheworkofMargaretAtwood.In1990,KenNorrisattheUniversityofDenayNunavit:theHistoricalNotesinMargaretAtwood’stheHandmaid’sTalediscussedthesignificanceofthefictionalworkbygivingalectureontheauthenticationoftheHandmaid’sTaleinahypotheticalfutureworld.Theexplorationofdialecticalthinkinginvirtualliteratureisthebeginningofthisresearch.In1995,HildeStaels,inMargaretAtwood’stheHandmaid’sTale:Resistancethroughnarrating,explainedthedefinitionoffeminismforthefirsttimebyanalyzingthefemaleResistanceinthenovel,thuspromotingtherelevantresearchoffeminism.Throughtherelevantresearchonecologismliterature,furtherpromotethefurtherresearchoffeminism.ChenXiaoweiisthefirstdomestic2003littlecomfortintherealityofthefuturenovel,MargaretAtwoodherstoryinthefutureofthenovel,throughtothefictionalnationsproducessocial,religious,culturalandecologicalenvironmentaswellastheessenceofthenationstoconductacomprehensivereviewandanalysis,toexplorethediversityinthebook.(陳小慰,2003：1).In2004,inacomparativeanalysisofthestoriesofAtwoodandHaroldPinter’shandmaid,YangChunyanandLiXueexploredtheconsequencesofabsolutisminthedistributionofgenderpoweradaptedbyHaroldPinterintothe1990filmofthesamename,andexploredtheseriousconsequencesofsexismreflectedinthisworkfromtheperspectiveofmalechauvinism(楊春艷,李雪,2004:7).In2005,WangPing,ZhangJianyinginthestoryofherpowerandresistanceofthecombinationofFoucaultpowermicroscopicphysicstheory,exploresthemaidinthestoryofthepowerstrategiesofthenations,torevealtherelationshipbetweenpowerandbody,andtheresultingresistance,suchasrestraintandthepursuitofthesubjectofwomenandwomen’swritingandlanguagesubversionthemes(王蘋(píng),張建穎,2005:1).Laterstudiesbegantoexplorethespecialrelationshipbetweenthedegradationofwomenandthedegradationofnatureinthesocietyfromtheperspectiveofecofeminism,opposethepatriarchalworldviewandthedualmodeofthinking,andtrytoadvocateanewrelationshipofharmoniouscoexistencebetweenpeopleandnature.Thestudyofthedualresistanceofnatureandwomenbeginstofocusontherevengeoftheoverwhelmednatureonhumanbeings.Meanwhile,astheallianceofnature,women’sresistanceconsciousnessisawakeningdaybyday.Thenoveldescribesallkindsofboundaries:classboundaries,genderboundaries,geographicalboundaries,physicalboundaries,psychologicalboundaries,emotionalboundaries,etc.Theseboundariesappearrepeatedlyindifferentpartsofthenovel.Withakeeninsightintothepoliticsofboundaries,theauthorsuccessfullyportraysthedystopiannationanditsvictims,showingherdeepconcernandanxietyabouttherealityandfutureofhumansociety.Finally,itisconcludedthatwomen’sdiscourseresistanceisaneffectivewaytocontroltheiroppression.

1.3TheDefinitionofFeminismTheinitialfeministmovementisprimarilyboreuponenlightenmentthoughts,andthemajorityofitsdemandsareforequalpoliticalrights,suchastherighttoeducationandtherighttovote.Inthecourseofthisperiod,feministtheorypursuesbasicthehumanracerights(王蔚，2019:8).However,feminismstilllacksalotofexperienceintheearlystage,sothatthefeministradicalslatergoastrayinthestrugglebetweenwomen’sreproductiverightsandworkrights,andfightagainsteachotherinprivateownershipandreproductiverights.Inthelaterperiod,feminismbelievesthatoppressionistheunilateralexploitationofwomenbymen,andthatallthesufferingssufferfromwomenareendowedbymentowomen,includingmentalandphysical.Inmyopinion,thisviewistooone-sidedandmetaphysical.Womenareoppressednotonlybymen’soppressionofwomen’sgenderstatus,butalsobytheprivatizationofthewholesociety.Withthedevelopmentofthethirdscientificandtechnologicalrevolution,thedifferencebetweenmenandwomeninlaborforceisbecomingsmallerandsmaller,butitistheexploitationofcreativityandmentalwork.Thecoreoffeminismliesinequalrights,insteadofpartyanoverwhelmingpartybandoneexploitingtheother.Becauseofbiologicalevolution,themalebodyhaschangedalotandbecomestronger.Thetransitionfromamatriarchaltoapatrilinealsocietyresultinmoreresponsibilitiesandresponsibilitiesformenandmoreresponsibilitiesforwomen.Inmodernsociety,theriseoffeminismhasinspiredwomentobreakthroughtheoppressionofwomeninthewholesocietyandfightfortheirownrightsiftheywanttogetequalrights.2.Oppression2.1TheOppressionofBasicHumanRightsTheHandmaid'sTaleconstructsafutureinwhichtheconservativecountervailingmovementgainspower,notonlybydestroyingthegainswomenhavemadeinequalrights,butbymakingthemanentirelysubservientpresencetomen.Basedontheiruseasmalestatussymbols,Gileaddefinesthesocialhierarchyofwomenunderhisregimeandevenassignsthecolorsoftheirclothes.Womenlosetherighttoreadandthefreedomtoactinpublic.Fertilewomenarerapedunderthegovernment’sarrangementstoraisechildrenforthegovernment.IntheHandmaid’sTale,wecanseetheoppressionofhumanrights.Atfirst,theprotagonisthasastablejob,ahappyfamilycomposesofalovinghusbandandalovelydaughter,andshealsohasexcellentfriends,hasreceivedadvancededucationandisfreeofspeech.Iearnmylivingfrommyjobandliveanormalmiddle-classAmericanlife.Theycanalsogotothebeachwithfriendstosunbathe,wearaBikinitowearthemostpopulardressatthemoment,butalsocanmakeupforself-modification.Atthesametime,theycanalsoenjoytheconveniencebroughtbyscienceandtechnology.Moreimportantly,womencanreadbookstoincreasetheirknowledgeandknowledge.Intheolddays,menandwomencouldtryeachotheroutformarriage(Atwood

Margaret,1992:23).Butwhentheregimeisestablished,thingsstartedtochangewhenOffredrunonemorningandfindhercreditcardfrozen.Thenshelearnsthatnotonlyshe,butallthewomen,havetheirbankaccountsfrozenandtheirpersonalassetstransfertotheirhusbandsortheirclosestmalerelatives,everythingbecomesremoteandOffredlosesherpersonalidentityandisseparatedfromherfamily.Firstsheisforcedtotakehersalaryandthentellthatthejobisgone,thenshelosestouchwithherdearmother,andisforcednottocontactherfriends.Finally,herdaughteristaken,herhusbandalsohastobeseparatedfromher,hefinallycomestosavetheGilead’sweakeningpopulationandtheexistenceofthetwolegsofthewomb.Speech,behaviorandthoughtshouldbecontrolled,eventheirownclothesshouldbemonitored.Forcedtobecomeahandmaidbecauseofherfertility,shehastoendurerapebyunknownmeninthenameofhavingchildrenforthestatebecauseoftherapiddeclineinthefertilityrateduetoenvironmentalpollution.Duetothedisasterscausedbyenvironmentalchanges,manypeoplebecomeinfertile,leadingtotherapiddeclineofhumanfertility.Throughoutthecourseofhumanhistory,wheneverfacewithsuchnaturalandman-madedisasters,religionswouldtakeadvantageofsuchdisasters,andthenthroughabloodyrevolution,theyfinallygainthedominantposition.Patriarchalsocietydominatedeverything,womenarestrictlycontrolledwithnohumanrights,andwomenagainbecomemen’saccessoriesandproperty,andarearbitrarilydistributedaccordingtothesurplusvalue.Thetechnologyweknowishistory.Duetotheextremedeteriorationoftheenvironment,mostpeoplebecomeinfertileduetoradiationfromenvironmentalpollution.ButinGilead,infertilityisthefaultofbothsides,butitcanonlybesaidthatfemaleinfertilitycausedallthis,becauseinfertilityinthatplaceistabootosay.Asifallisthefaultofwomen,withmenhavenothingtodo,womenaretheculprit,isthesourceoftheworst.Ifyousaythatword,youwillnotonlybepunishedbutyouwillloseyourlife.Underthatregime,womenaresubjectedtoallkindsofrestrictions.Regardlessofsprings,summers,autumnsandwinters,regardlessofwindandrain,mustwearthatonesuitrepresentsthenewliferedhandmaidclothing.Unlesstheycantakeitoffintheshowertheymustwearitallthetime.Evenbathingisstrictlymonitored.Womennolongerhavetherighttomakefriends,norcantheycontacttheirfriends.Handmaidsareapparentlymothersgivingbirthtonewlives,butinfacttheyarejusttools.Theyaremonitoredeverywhere,andhandmaidsmayreporteachother.Despitethebirthofnewlife,themotherclaimedtobethearchbishop’swife,notthem.Womenalsocan’tgetnewknowledge,theylosetherighttoread(梁穎,2012:5).Handmaidsarenotthelowestlevelofthenightmareeither.Womenaredividedintoseveralclasses,likecattle,andwomeninredarecollectivelyknownashandmaids,responsibleforreproducingtherulers.Thewomeninbluewerethewivesoftherulers.Theywerethemostseniorwomen,withprivilegesthatwomengenerallydidnotenjoy.Andthegreenclothesareordinaryservants,engagedinordinaryhouseholdchores.Awomaningrayisamoralcompass,providingabeaconandaspurtothehandmaids.Belowarethewivesofmenfromthelowerclassesandtheirinfertileservant-girls,thenon-women--infertile,sociallyunacceptablelesbianswhoaresenttothecoloniestocleanupradioactivewasteandletthepollutantspeelofftheirskinandleavethemtodie.Ontheideologicalside,womenarecontrolledanddomesticated,andtherearededicatedmammystoeducatethem,brainwashingthemwiththebible,tellingthemwhattodoandwhatnottodo.Allinordertogivebirthtothecountry,forthepleasureofthearchbishop,tobeabletosurvive,butalsotorequirethemtomonitoreachotherandreportoneachother.Incaseofinsubordination,mammyswouldusedisciplinarymeasurestopunishthepersonuntilherobey.Asifthehandmaidisnotawoman,butadogandacatkeepincaptivityjusttohaveababy.Intheireyes,womenaremerelytoolsforreproduction.2.2TheOppressionofReproductiveRightsInthepast,individual’sreproductiverightsarefree,andpeoplecouldhaveasfewastheywant,eveniftheywanttohavenochildren.Therearealsomanypeoplewhodonotmarryandgivebirth.Therighttochildbearingisafreeandunrestrictedright.Peopledon'tforcethemselvestohavechildrenbecauseoffertility.Inordertopursuethehappinessoflifeisthegoalofall,peoplefreelife,thepastpeoplearehappy.AndinGilead,everyoneisoppressed.PeoplereturntothesimpleprimitivelifeandeveryoneisaPuritan.Becausefertilityislow,allmeasurestoimproveitbecomethemostimportantthingfortherulers.Andthefertilewomenareforcedtobecomehandmaids,centralizeddistribution,forcetoserveastherulingclassofreproductivetoolsandsexslaves,theyhavenoname,cannottalkwithpeople,nottoallowprivatefeelingsandlust.Havingchildrenisamatterofstateaswellasoffamily.Havingchildrenistheironlypurposeinlife,buttheyhavenorighttoparticipateinthegrowthoftheirchildren.Oncethechildisborn,themotherandchildareseparated,andthemaidservantisreassignedtotheotherbishop’shousehold,whereshecontinuedtobethedailytoolofproduction.InGileadthereisnowriting,onlysigns.Books,reading,music,art...Anythingtodowithcreationisbannedbecauseitisademagogicdrug.Ahandmaidisforcedtohaveonechildafteranother,andhavingchildrenistheonlywaytosurvive.Duringpregnancy,thebabyisgiventothearchbishop’swifeasifitwerethebabyofthearchbishop.Evenduringthebirth,themaidservantliesinbedandbegintogivebirth,andthearchbishop’swifesitontopofthemaidservant,pretendingthatsheisgivingbirth.Allareelatedatthearrivalofthenewlife.Onlythehandmaidaloneisabandonedandsendtothenextarchbishopforthereproductionofanewlife.Ifthebabymiscarriesduringpregnancy,thewomanispunishedandtellstogetpregnantagainandgivebirthtoahealthybabyassoonaspossible.Women’sreproductiverightsareoppressed,andreproductiverightsarenolongerwomen’sexclusiverights,butrestrictedbyvariousaspects.Theonlywayahandmaidcansurviveistokeephavingchildren.Ifshecanensurethatshehastwochildren,andthatthechildwillnotmiscarryforotherreasonsduringthepregnancy,thenthehandmaidisameritoriousandcommendableperson.2.3TheOppressionofGenderFreedomInthepast,sexwasfree.Atthattime,theprotagonist’shusband,alsocan’tbecalledahusband,shouldbecalledaboyfriend.He’sstillhidingfromhiswife,theprotagonist,andjustavisioninhishead.Thatwasbeforetheyweremarried,beforeshebecamehisrealwife.Shealwaysgetstherefirstandopenstheroom.Twopeoplearefreetohavesexwithoutbeingmonitoredorrestricted.Peoplearefree,enthusiastic,cheerful,fulloflifeandvitality.Noonecan’tlivewithoutsex.Lackoflovekills.Therearenooneshecanlove,allthepeopleshecanlovearedead,areinadifferentplace.Inthiscountry,however,allcivilizationhasbeenrestoredtoitsmostprimitivestatebybiblicalallusions,andevenrapehasbeenglorifiedasamonthlysacredrite.Thethreeabsurdmenandwomeninthebook,asolemnlook,chantingsutra,clothesneatlyrepeatthemonthlyfertilizationceremony.Thebizarregestureisalsoinspiredbyabiblicalallusion,inwhichamaidservantliesbetweenthelegsofthearchbishop’swife,whilethearchbishopperformstheactoffertilisationwiththemaidservantunderthegazeofhiswife.Allthreearesilent,nogroansduringsex,noexpressionsofecstasy,noreactionfromthearchbishopatthelast.It'slikethreebodiesstillbreathing,movingamechanicalpiston.Myreddresswasrolleduptothewaist.Thearchbishopbelowwasinmotion.Hedidmylowerhalf.Idon'tsaysexbecausethat'snotwhathe'sdoing.Norisitappropriatetosaythatsex,whichmeanstwopeopleareinvolved,isnowjustoneperson'sbusiness.Evenrapecannotbeexcused:everythingthatgoesonhereissomethingIhavevoluntarilysigneduptodo.Notmanychoices,butnotallchoices,andthisismychoice(Atwood

Margaret,1992:120).Intheeyesoftheprotagonist,alltheseACTScanonlybeakindofcoitus,justforthesakeofmakinglove,notwithemotionalcolorofthesex,justakindofsextosatisfiesthephysiologicalbehavior.Whatiscalledlovemakingisnotlovemaking,itisonlyasexualact,satisfyingthesexofthearchbishop.Intheeyesoftheprotagonist,itisonlytocompleteatask,intheboringlifeoftheriverthroughthebarrenlife.Everyoneisjusttryingtosurvive.Toliveistohavehope.Loveisonlyreallovewhenyoumakelovetosomeoneyoulove.3.ResistanceandStruggle3.1

TheStruggleBetweentheCharactersWiththestoryofthepast,tocreatefearaboutthefuture,historyitselfisproofofhistory’srepeatability,sinceallthishappened,itmayhappenagaininthefuture,whocanfirmlyguaranteethehistory?Oneofthebook’smostfrighteningdetailsishowsuchahighlycivilisedsocietycametobeknownasaGilead.ThebookalsotakestheheroineOffred,flashbackway,letusseewhateachsnowflakebeforetheavalanchedid.ThingsstartedtochangewhenOffredranonemorningandfoundhercreditcardfrozen.Thenshelearnedthatnotonlyshe,butallthewomen,hadtheirbankaccountsfrozenandtheirpersonalassetstransferredtotheirhusbandsortheirclosestmalerelatives.Thegovernmentthenannouncedthatallwomenwouldbefired,andOffredwasstrippedofherrighttowork.Thentheyhadtobecomesilentsnowflakes.Untilfinally,whenthesnowflakesseedangercomingandwanttoescape,onlytofindthatthereisnoplacetohide,Offredandherchild,Hannah,isalsocapturedbythearmy.Aftershewascaptured,Offredkeptthinkingbacktowhathermother,astaunchfeminist,hadsaidtoher.Yeah,whenthebayonetdoesn’tgoinourchest,wealwaysfoolourselvesthatthingsmightnotbesobadafterall.Andwhenthetragedyreallyhappened,itwastoolatetoregret.Oneofthegreatironiesofthebookwasthatitwasthearchbishop’swife,awoman,whomadetheGileadpatriarchalsocietypossible.Onceacelebratedfeminist,sheisnowatwistedbishop’swife,trappedinaprisonofherownmaking.Andregretismorethanthesewomen,thewifewascapturedtodosexslaves,childrenwereabductedwhereaboutsunknown,separatedhusbandandwife,separationofthefleshandblood,forthebottomofthemaleisalsoakindoftorture.Therefore,thepatriarchalsocietynotonlyrepresseswomen,butalsorepressesmen.Italsorepressesallhumanbeings.Thisisnottheoppressionofonegenderbyanother,buttheself-castrationofhumanbeings.Theappearanceofhandmaids,inthepublicisfortheselflessdedicationofcollectivism,isforthecontinuationofhumanreproduction,sotheemergenceofafewpeople’sevil.Isitnotevil,then,todoeviltoafew?Anykindofinfringementoftherightsofothers,isevil,acquiescenceisanaccomplice!What'sworse,onedayyou'llsuddenlyfindyourselfinaminorityandyouwon’tbeabletostoptheexecutioners.3.2TheManifestationofConflictWomenhavefreewill,suddenlyenvelopedbyTheTimesbecomesatotalitariansocietyreproductivetool,alltheoriginalsocialrelationsweredisrupted,sidenoonecanbelieve,livewithoutmeaning,butthereisanotherreasontocan’tdie,sointhistwistedworld,beingcarefulandevenstayingsilentisthewaytosurvive,undertheconditionofthemonitoredbytheworldobservationandreflectionontheworldatthesametime,deadpanbuthavebeenkeptthinkingabout

readingaloudasifstillinthecandystoreyesterday,couldburstintocryatanytime-astoryaboutresistance,andwhowouldn’tlike?Theoriginalnovelhastwocharacteristics.Oneistherealisticdepictionofthefuture,becausealotofdetailsinthenovelhappenedinhistory(suchasthemiddleages),whichmakesyoufeelthesame.Thesecondistospendalotoftimeonthedescriptionofthepsychologicalactivitiesoftheheroine,thisformisveryeasytoreachtheheartsoftheaudience.TheHandmaid’sTaleisnotamyth.ItmayhappenedovernightinIran.Allthewomenwerekickedoutofschool,theycouldn’twork,theycouldn’tdresscasually,theyhadtowearblackrobesandtheyhadtostayathome.NotonlyIranianwomen,butalsomanywomenaroundtheworldliveinapatriarchalsocietyandareoppressedbothphysicallyandmentally.Itisbettertodiethantobeaslave.ThedictatorpraisedGodanddidwhatwasforbidden.ThesepeopledoevilthingsinthenameofGod,andGodisangrywiththem.Theconflictinthebookisnotthekindoffierceandprogressiveconflict,isunknownintothescammingconflict.Theprotagonistdrivesoutofthecountrywithherhusbandinthefirstactofrebellion,butunfortunatelyisdiscoveredbysoldiersattheborder,andtheescapeendsinfailure.Aftershebecomethearchbishop’shandmaid.Duringthemeal,shesecretlytearsoffacornerofatissue,wrapsitinbutter,takesittothesideofthecloset,andstuffsitintothetipoftherighttoeoftheothershoe,asshehasdonebefore.Shecrumplesuptherestofthepapertowelsandusesthebutterinthedeadofnight.Atthesametime,shetriestoleaveherownmarkintheroomwheresheisstayingtemporarily,includinginthebattleofwitswiththearchbishop’swife,showingherpatienceandintelligence.Whentheygetnewsfromtheirpartners,theyaskforrelevantinformationcarefully.Whenshegoestotheslutclubwiththearchbishop,shemeetsmydearandwhensheisshockedthatshehasbecomeaprostitute,shedoesnotforgettohideitsoasnottoexposebothsidestothedisadvantageofbothsides.Resistanceisthesurestwaytohaveaconversationwithagoodfriendandusebathroombreakstocommunicate.Althoughthereisnotawordaboutconflictandstruggleinthewholetext,butallthetextshowsthiskindofstrongandsilentstruggleandresistance.3.3TheFeministResistanceandStruggleFrenchfamousfeministactivistBeauvoirpointedoutthatw