Conformity and belonging

• In Margaret Atwood's 1985 dystopian novel 'hmt' and Carol Ann Duffy's 2002 feminist poetry collection 'feminine gospels', conformity and belonging is a central theme in conveying the effects of societal expectations on people. In Duffy's 'white writing', British conservative attitudes are shown to restrict a couples true feelings for each other. Similarly, in Atwood's 'handmaids tale' the consequences of disobeying the totalitarian strict rules force the handmaids to conform.
• In both 'Handmaids Tale' and 'The map woman' belonging is shown as a complex emotion with the central characters showing their experiences of not belonging in an area/society.
• p1- 'No laws written to guard you'
• p1- 'I write them white'
• p1- 'Cattle prods'
• p1- ' then to the wall. Only two hanging on it today'
• p1- ' no laws written to guard you' - no laws to protect homosexual couples unlike heterosexual couples. shows their Is another layer of vulnerability to their relationship
• p1- ' I write them white'. -connotations of white is pure and harmless, trying to show their relationship is the same as anyone else's. 'white' could also suggest that their relationship is overlooked by society. constant repetition throughout poem suggest the relationship has no end
• p1- 'cattle prods' - use of physical force to ensure they conform, animalistic imagery could link the handmaids to agricultural purposes, cows are only to provide beef and milk, and the handmaids are only to provide children.
• p1- 'then to the wall. only two hanging on it today'. - wall used as a symbol of power exerted by the regime. hanging act is the ultimate reduction of a person to an innate object. could mirror the Berlin Wall that segregated nazi Germany. used to scare people into complying
• p2- 'prison and hospital stamped.... London, Liverpool'
• p2- ' deep in the bone... hunting for home'
• p2- ' I repeat my former name...'
• p2- ' door of the room- not my room'
• p2- 'prison and hospital stamped.... London, liverpool'. - negative aspects of a towns life, asyndetic listing, all notably characterless, invests these landmarks with no joyful memories, destination cities are large and impersonal. trains are personified and 'sigh' for their destinations as it is wanting to escape/ woman wanting to escape
• p2- ' I repeat my former name...' - connection to past provides sense of comfort, lack of individuality in gilead
• p2- ' door of the room- not my room' - dissociation to the Gilead regime, broken narrative, lack of personal belongings
• p1- context - gay marriage was legalised on 2015 but Catholic Churches do not permit still. Berlin Wall collapsed in 1989 can show that totalitarian regimes never last. Second wave feminism advocated for woman's rights in society.
• p2- context. - written at a time when mental health was becoming more openly discussed. raises more awareness on these topics
• p1+2- genre. dystopia placing restrictions on its individuals freedoms to ensure full control. speculative fiction as elements of the real world can be seen in the novel
• p1- critical perspective ' Gilead is a fortress of patriarchy' ehreinleich
• p2- critical perspective. ' failure loneliness isolation and emptiness haunt her poems'. jody Allen randolph