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Handmaids Tale, key quotes

Hey i was just wondering if anyone else noticed when Offred is recalling Amazing Grace that she changes the words to fit her situation? she says "Was bound but now am free" but the actual words are "Was blind but now i see" was it intentional because i can't find anything about it and my teacher didn't even know!! can someone please put me out of my misery!!!!

Reply 1

jammyd

7

I enjoyed the Handmaid's tale.

Reply 2

kez1starkey2

OP

jammyd

I enjoyed the Handmaid's tale.

I'm enjoying it but i just want to find out about this quote, it's a good book!! :tongue:

Reply 3

jammyd

7

kez1starkey2

I'm enjoying it but i just want to find out about this quote, it's a good book!! :tongue:

Well, I don't have the text with me, but it makes sense for Offred to change the words to create the effect of desperation.

Reply 4

kez1starkey2

OP

jammyd

Well, I don't have the text with me, but it makes sense for Offred to change the words to create the effect of desperation.

yeah thats what i'm trying to prove but i can't find anyhing anywhere to prove that my theory is right, it could just be a mistake on Atwood's part....do you know anywhere i would be able to find out how to prove it?

Reply 5

Kalypso

1

kez1starkey2

it could just be a mistake on Atwood's part....

You could argue against a mistake theory just on the grounds of how carfeully constructed the book is.

another point that always bothered me: why does Moira initially become a handmaid when, at some point in the book, she makes a reference to having had her 'tubes tied', therefore making her sterile?

Reply 6

Leaby

7

grey faerie

You could argue against a mistake theory just on the grounds of how carfeully constructed the book is.

another point that always bothered me: why does Moira initially become a handmaid when, at some point in the book, she makes a reference to having had her 'tubes tied', therefore making her sterile?

Yeah I noticed that too... Maybe it's a reference to suggest that Gilead is more concerned with oppressing women than its supposed 'declining fertility rates?'

Anybody else just resit/sit the exam? If so, which question did you do?

Reply 7

kez1starkey2

OP

grey faerie

You could argue against a mistake theory just on the grounds of how carfeully constructed the book is.

another point that always bothered me: why does Moira initially become a handmaid when, at some point in the book, she makes a reference to having had her 'tubes tied', therefore making her sterile?

Thats a really good point, that was nagging at me but i couldn't quite put my finger on it...maybe Atwood has made a few more mistakes in this book because i still can't find any reference to the Amazing Grace line, nor can my teacher. :confused:

Reply 8

Risky

our teacher told us that the distortion of the lords prayer was intentional. she spends the entire book mocking all authority above her...this is just another example.

Reply 9

fire-faery

2

maybe the altered lines symbolise her disenchantment of religion after how she's seen it used to justify the theocracy?

Reply 10

Tnacilppa

kez1starkey2

yeah thats what i'm trying to prove but i can't find anyhing anywhere to prove that my theory is right, it could just be a mistake on Atwood's part....do you know anywhere i would be able to find out how to prove it?

Read Roland Barthe's "The Death of the Author" (it's only an essay) and it shows that what the author's intention is or is not doesn't really matter. It's an interesting read anyway!

Having said that - it is possible that Atwood does it deliberately (although it doesn't seem mocking as such.) Perhaps there is a different version of the words.

I have read the book (but am not studying it in class). I am doing Gulliver's Travels which by comparison is SERIOUSLY dull.

Adam

Reply 11

Oppressed Woman

grey faerie

You could argue against a mistake theory just on the grounds of how carfeully constructed the book is.

another point that always bothered me: why does Moira initially become a handmaid when, at some point in the book, she makes a reference to having had her 'tubes tied', therefore making her sterile?

Hey I was just wondering where that reference of Moira having his tubes tied is because thats important and I missed it. :confused:

Reply 12

Oppressed Woman

Sorry I ment 'her' not 'his'

Reply 13

Kalypso

1

Oppressed Woman

Hey I was just wondering where that reference of Moira having his tubes tied is because thats important and I missed it. :confused:

wow this is an old thread! hmmm i haven't read the book since i took the exam almost 3 years ago...*feels old* think i still have my annotated copy though, so will flick through it and get back to you if i find it!

EDIT: found it! right, it's in the bit where Offred sees Moira again in Jezebels. they've met up in the toilets and Moira is telling her story. The quote is '...I had my choice, they said, this or the colonies. I mean, I'm not a martyr. I'd already had my tubes tied, years ago, so i didn't need the operation...' in my edition it's on page 261 (the last page or so of chp 38)

hope that helps :smile:

Reply 14

sneezyme

2

Aww The Handmaid's Tale-wow that brings back memories! I actually think it's a really good text for A-Levels, the more you read it the more meaning you find!

Reply 15

Oppressed Woman

grey faerie

wow this is an old thread! hmmm i haven't read the book since i took the exam almost 3 years ago...*feels old* think i still have my annotated copy though, so will flick through it and get back to you if i find it!

EDIT: found it! right, it's in the bit where Offred sees Moira again in Jezebels. they've met up in the toilets and Moira is telling her story. The quote is '...I had my choice, they said, this or the colonies. I mean, I'm not a martyr. I'd already had my tubes tied, years ago, so i didn't need the operation...' in my edition it's on page 261 (the last page or so of chp 38)

hope that helps :smile:

THANK YOU SOOOO MUCH, I spent ages trying to find that quote you are a saint. :smile:

Reply 16

Annik

2

Hey guys...
I LOVE THIS BOOK! Its amazing..probs my fave book. I didnt read it in class but im doing some work on it.
I was just wondering if anyone knew why some speech is not in quotation marks.. I asked my teacher and he just changed the subject
Any help would b great
Thanks
xxxxx

Reply 17

Annik

2

Annik

Hey guys...
I was just wondering if anyone knew why some speech is not in quotation marks.. I asked my teacher and he just changed the subject
Any help would b great
Thanks
xxxxx

Er...please help :frown:

Reply 18

sneezyme

2

Annik

Er...please help :frown:

because it's a memory maybe?

Reply 19

waiting2smile

2

sneezyme

because it's a memory maybe?

I would go with that because speech marks are generally used for dialogue in the present tense narrative, but not necessarily in reported flashbacks and dreams. Maybe Atwood makes no use of it to reflect the abstraction when recalling past encounters? Although such a view isn't very consistent in the novel. :frown:

Handmaids Tale, key quotes

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