The Handmaids Tale- Commentary

         The Handmaids Tale by Margret Atwood is a truly controversial book. The women are  treated poorly and given almost no rights, save for a few basic things. They have been placed into a  female hierarchy. Here is where Atwood stays true to life. All the women absolutely loathe each other, but I found it magnified to prove a point about extremism. Women in reality are very malevolent, and do gossip about each other often, but the women in Gilead are malicious. They call each other obscene names to out-loud and to their faces. The extreme view of women's' "catty"  behavior is impeccable.
        However, women aren't the only sex of human that Atwood magnifies. She also uses the behavior of men to makes her statement on extremism. The Commander is a perfect example of male behavior to the extreme. He is ignorant and boasts like an arrogant peacock. Since he isnt happy with his life, He thinks to endanger Offred's just to gain company. He isn't completely blind to the despondent mood of the females around him, yet takes the phrase "ignorance is bliss" to a whole new level. Men are also seen as the ones who feel the most sexual repression. Atwood shows just how terrible it can be for a man, magnifying the usual male need. She uses Jezebels wonderfully. The men have decided to create their own means of sexual alleviation, proving that an extreme society has flaws.
   I enjoyed reading The Handmaid's Tale because I could  relate to Offred. She felt and thought as a normal human being. Everyone goes through hardships and faces oppression through everyday life, though it may not be this extreme. Offred was a person to me. She was a friend that I allowed me to see into her life. I felt strongly  towards the oppression that she fought against and the way people treated her. Serena Joy's life was saddening to me. She becomes a bitter, shell of woman due to her own wants. The Commander angered me. He became a typical man to me. He brushed off many of the problems plaguing  the women of his society and allowed their suffering to continue though he may have been able to help them. I truly felt that the characters were real to me, and that made me want to read the book that much more.