Journal #3

Dear Ismene,
Life as we know it has changed so dramaticaly. I don't understand how one seconed we are perfectly normal women and the next we are dirty and bad. Mothers death was tragic, but don't worry. Look on the bright side of the situation, sister, if mother was still alive, life would be harder to bear than it is already. I dispise how we are always looked at like animals now. We were forced to leave our palace! Where will we live now Ismene! I hope we go somewhere far away. Our reputations were ruined! How will anyone not know about Oedipus by the time we reach there. Where did they take daddy! How could he not know that mom was his mom! I think this is really unfair Ismene!

Antigone

Journal #2

The plot in this play moves along very smoothly because there is a lot of ironic foreshadowing that is somewhat humorous and enjoyable for the reader. When Jocasta says, “I come with prayers and offerings … I beg you, cleanse us, set us free of defilement!”. She uses the word ‘cleanse’, which has connotations of cleaning something dirty or riding it from sin. This foreshadows the fact the she is Oedipus’ mom.

The chorus in this play serves as a control in the situation because it knows the truth. The chorus is sort of like a conscience that the characters can’t quiet grasp onto. The chorus trusts that the prophecies will come true, and they do. It also helps the plot move along because it has a neutral position in this controversy. It sees the truth clearly because of this neutrality. “Destiny guide me always/Destiny find me filled with reverence/pure in word and deed” (209). This quote proves that the chorus trusts the Gods and respects them. This also contrasts with Oedipus because throughout the whole play he is questioning the prophecies and treating them like he is beyond them and more important than them. He juxtaposes with the chorus because he trusts what the chorus says but he doesn’t actually listen until the end. Oedipus tried to change his destiny and it didn’t work. So the chorus was correct in the end.

Journal #1

Dear Diary,

I am torn. I accused Creon of killing Laius but I really killed him! What if Laius was my father? Would that not mean that Jocasta is my mom. No way. She isn’t my mom. I would never be so dumb. I am awesome.

I vividly remember the day that I killed those travelers. I was running away from my foster parents after they told me the truth. I couldn’t stand to be with them anymore. I thought that there was no way the prophecy would come true if I ran away. I was hiking through the hills when a bunch of travelers started harassing me. I had to kill them in self defense. I had no choice. How could that so called prophet call me blind and corrupt. I am perfect.

If the prophecy did come true my whole life would be cursed. I don’t believe that the Gods would want this for me! I can’t imagine that. No free will. I would be destined to live that awful corrupt life of brutality.

Pablo Neruda

Pablo Neruda by hotdogccm on Polyvore.com

Journal #3

This novel criticizes and warns people about anti-feminism. The society in this book is very controlling of women. They make it seem like it is fair and good but they are just taking away women’s freedoms to give them safety. This book warns people about the reversal of women’s rights. The citizens of this new country are placed in different categories. The women are either Handmaids, Wives, Prostitutes, Aunts, Daughters, or Econo-Wives. The men are Commanders, Guardians, Eyes, or Angles. There are strict rules placed on the women of this society more than the men. For instance the men are commanders and policemen while the women are just wives and prostitutes. The women aren’t even aloud to read. This is a form of mind control and suppresses the women in this society a lot. The author, Margaret Atwood, creates a powerful message towards women of this reversal of women’s rights. She really shows us that we shouldn’t take things for granted and that women have to keep fighting to make sure their new found rights are kept. This society seems almost like a science fiction society because of the infertility. But overall the book sends a very powerful message of suppression to the extreme. Atwood uses flashbacks a lot in this book to give her reader a constant reminder of how things used to be for Offred. It is a juxtaposition of past and present and how much women’s freedoms have changed. Readers are hopeful for Offred when they find out about the resistance groups and that the Commander, Nick, Ofglen, and even Serena help Offred along the way.

Journal #2

I am currently on page 218 in The Handmaid’s Tale.

Offred doesn’t like the Republic but she is very passive. She is victimized by the Republic because she is forced to be a Handmaid. She had a choice to either become a Handmaid, become a prostitute or be sent to the colonies where people die from the conditions. Offred, being the passive person that she is, chose to stay a Handmaid. She lives in a house with a Commander and his wife. Her job is to make babies for the couple. She resists the rules by breaking little ones. For instance she uses butter as lotion every night. The Handmaids aren’t aloud to have lotion because the only thing they need to take care of is their uterus. She also steals small things from the living room and hides them in her bedroom. This makes her feel like she has power over her life. This resistance is only successful on a internal level. By breaking the little rules she isn’t changing the society, but she is making it easier on herself. Offred also resists by having sex with the Commander’s chauffeur to better her chances of getting pregnant. This is a very big deal because if she doesn’t get pregnant then she will be considered useless and forced to become a prostitute or be sent to a colony. Also, if she gets caught with this man she will be in big trouble. The worst punishment would be hanging her on the Wall. If she is successful and she becomes pregnant, she will be able to stay a Handmaid.

IMAGE: http://media.photobucket.com/image/Handmaid's%20Tale%20Martha/jolly_kraken/Handmaids%2520Tale/all_flatBLUR.jpg

Journal #1

THE SOCIETY: The Handmaid’s Tale

“These men, we’ve been told, are like war criminals. It’s no excuse that what they did was legal at the time: their crimes are retroactive. They have committed atrocities and must be made into examples, for the rest.Though this is hardly needed. No woman in her right mind, these days, would seek to prevent a birth,should she be so lucky as to conceive.

What we are supposed to feel towards these bodies is hatred and scorn. This isn’t what I feel. These bodies hanging on the Wall are time travelers, anachronisms. They’ve come here from the past.

What I feel toward them is blankness. What I feel is that I must not feel. What I feel is partly relief, because none of these men is Luke. Luke wasn’t a doctor. Isn’t” (33)

This society is called The Republic of Gilead. It is located where America used to be. There are Commanders who have a Wife, Marthas, Guardians and a Handmaid. Angles are soldiers and Eyes are the people who find out who is breaking laws. Handmaids are fertile women who are supposed to provide the Commander with babies. Aunts train the Handmaids.

It seems that the primary goal of this community is to make babies and follow the rules.People are closely watched in this society. There are Eyes, Guardians, and Angles who help enforce rules and laws. This society blames infertility on women only. They won’t believe that men can be infertile. Women are not allowed to read. At the market the signs on the booths are pictures. They are allowed to have two walks a day. Each walk has two different ways you can go. The churches were turned into museums, but they still use the bible. They have to go through fertilizing ceremonies. The Wife and the Handmaid have to hold hands during this. The punishment for breaking any law is to be hung on the Wall. There seem to be 3 to 5 people hanging on the Wall a day. Offred tries not to feel anything when she sees them. She usually sees doctors, scientists, and priests/pastors.