Prompt 2

In Margaret Atwood’s “The Handmaid’s Tale,” the laws of Gilead and the morals of a human being divide the protagonist Offred, who is unable to decide between either side. For the sake of the human race, the government of Gilead has enforced laws that are deplorable to its citizens, who are basically left with almost no choice but to accept the power over them. Offred knows that Gilead is wrong to forcefully breed humans to increase the fertility rate, but fear of death holds her back from outwardly rebelling against the government.

Opinions are not allowed in this society, but thought is one thing Gilead cannot control, and at first, Offred resists Gilead internally through her thoughts and imagination. The government has wiped out the feeling of love, believing that reproduction is the bare necessity for sex. Offred though, misses her husband and longs for simple matters of the past such as love, and this desire prevents her from accepting what Gilead has taken, but she is forced to accept what is gone.

Throughout the rest of the book, Offred attempts to resist Gilead, but continuously holds back from acting out on her rebellion. As love is forbidden, so are friendships, but some secret alliances are formed depending on how much trust the citizens are able to bestow. Assigned to each other as partners, Offred meets Ofglen, who is also a Handmaid. After weeks of quiet observations, Ofglen covertly tells Offred about the underground resistance she is involved with.
Although she is excited at the news, Offred has trouble outwardly stepping out of the lines, and she remains “safe” for the time being. As a very inconclusive character, Offred breaks rules but allows her fear to make her return to what is comfortable. She begins an affair with one of the groundkeeper’s but although externally this act could get her arrested, internally, she is reopened by the feeling of love and no longer cares about escaping Gilead, even bargaining her safety with a god she doesn’t believe in.

Offred’s inability to fully rebel proves to be the main conflict for her. Eventually, she is arrested but it is not due to any resistance on her part, and despite her attempts to decide between her options, Offred was not able to overcome what burdened her.