The Handmaid's Tale Final Response

Atwood's society in The Handmaid's Tale portrays that of a negative utopia in which women are very heavily oppressed. The U.S. Government has been overthrown, and new policies have been implemented in which women are divided by class and forced to perform tasks according to the group they are placed in. The Handmaid, which is the group of the main character, serves the function of childbearing. During certain ceremonies, the handmaids have sex with commanders while the wives are present, as to retain the sanctity of marriage. This is to imply that the wife is the person being impregnated, rather than the handmaid. The main character, Offred, gives her accounts of the actions which took place prior to the regime throughout the book. Offred tells of her and her husband's attempted escape and capture. Her husband and daughter were taken from her and she was implemented into the new policies of the regime. Due to the Commander's liking of her, Offred is able to get away with many things and is granted many privileges. She is called into the Commander's room many nights simply for conversation. Women in the regime cherish any luxuries they are able to come by, as they are very few and far between. Throughout the book, many events are similar to those that have occurred throughout history. A theme of history repeating itself is present in nearly every aspect of the regime. The heavy oppression of women is a theme which has been present in many governments throughout history, and it has once again taken place in the futuristic utopia that America developed into.

Fahrenheit 451 Final Response

Fahrenheit 451 is a very interesting and insightful read. The themes contained within it are very applicable to society today and the direction in which it is headed. Technology is slowly taking over every aspect of human life, and, depending on the direction in which future generations choose, society may be very similar to the one within Fahrenheit 451. In addition, the theme that history is very important is portrayed in Fahrenheit 451. The society in which the book is based is full of citizens who have no knowledge of historical events which have occurred, and therefore, they are very ignorant and gullible. Also, the importance of thought is outlined in the book. When people cannot think for themselves, society never advances. The inhabitants of the futuristic America were stuck in a rut, as they had no knowledge of prior events, and they had no ways of gaining knowledge, as books were outlawed. The power within the society is held by the few that are educated and have read books. The book gives a very good view of what the conditions of a utopia would be and how its inhabitants would function. Everyone is equal in the futuristic society, but the level of equality is that of many uneducated people who are not able to make their own decisions, and they do not have the ability to think for themselves. The end of the book portrays the concept that for things to progress, they must first be worse, or they must be taken down and rebuilt completely, as is the case for the city.

Fahrenheit 451 Quote 10

" She's nothing to me; she shouldn't have had books. It was her responsibility, she should have thought of that. I hate her. She's got you going and the next thing you know we'll be out, no house, no job, no nothing."


This is Mildred's response to Montag's actions following the burning of the house with the old woman. She knows that the events of the day bothered Montag. Also, she knows that he does not wish to continue with his duties as a fireman. Due to this, she attempts to convince him with reasoning based on the attitude of society. 


P. 51

Fahrenheit 451 Quote 9

"Are you happy?" she said. "Am I what?" he cried. But she was gone- running in the moonlight. Her front door shut gently." 


This is the conversation that plants the original seed of doubt in Montag's mind that the society he lives in is correct. Clarisse asks him if he is happy, and her simple question results in hours of Montag pondering his life. From this, he comes to the conclusion that he is not happy, and every event following throughout the book is a result of this question. 


P. 10

Fahrenheit 451 Quote 8

"Kerosene," he said, because the silence had lengthened, "is nothing but perfume to me."


Montag gives further evidence as to how much he loves his job as a fireman. Kerosene, used as fuel for a book fire, is a smell that never completely leaves a fireman's body. He speaks of the kerosene as perfume, because he considers his job to be very noble and enjoyable. 


P. 6

Fahrenheit 451 Quote 7

"The sun burnt every day. It burnt Time . . . Time was busy burning the years and the people anyway, without any help from him. So if he burnt things with the firemen and the sun burnt Time, that meant that everything burnt!"


Montag speaks of the sun as he has just escaped the city by way of the river. He finally enjoys the leisure to think, which Faber told him he would need to obtain his life back. Montag concludes that if he and the firemen continue to burn, eventually everything will burn, leaving nothing. He decides that since the sun will never stop, he and the firemen must stop. 


P. 45

Fahrenheit 451 Quote 6

"It’s perpetual motion; the thing man wanted to invent but never did. . . . It’s a mystery. . . . Its real beauty is that it destroys responsibility and consequences . . . clean, quick, sure; nothing to rot later. Antibiotic, aesthetic, 
practical."


These are the words that Beatty spoke to Montag just before Montag burned him to a crisp. He speaks of fire. He describes fire as beautiful, and he loves its ability to burn away responsibility and consequences. 


P. 41