12 Medium sized white eggs,
2 loaves of brown seeded bread,
One slice of braising steak weighing no more than 5pounds
and 15 slices of white mature cheddar cheese.
Wednesday, 10 November 2010
Serena Joy, I have not spoken to you recently, how are you coping? How’s the Handmaid, has she conceived yet? The trouble we women go through to have a child. I have been so busy with the knitting, looking after the house, and so forth I am sure you know what I am talking about.
I was admiring the wonderful green grass and the nice aroma of my flowers, when the handmaid wonders out and tries to talk to me! Seriously what is this world coming to! How dare she even think that she has the right to come into my personal garden space never mind trying to talk to me. We have to be selfish and we can never let our guard down especially not with disgusting handmaids. I know that eventually I will get a child, which I have always desired and dreamed about, but this is hard, watching ‘my’ husband have intercourse with another women makes me feel angry and sick.
You know I am not one to gossip but I heard from another wife that your handmaid tried to escape with her husband and daughter and she were caught, hence the reason for having to become a handmaid.
Is this true Serena Joy?
I did not write to moan about how terrible my life is going, I wrote because I recently heard from other wives that you are a very sophisticated and elegant knitter, what I am trying to say is that will you give me some tips?
Oh and before I forget another one of the wives handmaids is ready to give birth and you are invited to the Birth day, please be ready for when the birth mobile comes to pick you up. I hope that you can make it, we can have a proper catch up then.
Regards
Commander Shayne’s wife
I was admiring the wonderful green grass and the nice aroma of my flowers, when the handmaid wonders out and tries to talk to me! Seriously what is this world coming to! How dare she even think that she has the right to come into my personal garden space never mind trying to talk to me. We have to be selfish and we can never let our guard down especially not with disgusting handmaids. I know that eventually I will get a child, which I have always desired and dreamed about, but this is hard, watching ‘my’ husband have intercourse with another women makes me feel angry and sick.
You know I am not one to gossip but I heard from another wife that your handmaid tried to escape with her husband and daughter and she were caught, hence the reason for having to become a handmaid.
Is this true Serena Joy?
I did not write to moan about how terrible my life is going, I wrote because I recently heard from other wives that you are a very sophisticated and elegant knitter, what I am trying to say is that will you give me some tips?
Oh and before I forget another one of the wives handmaids is ready to give birth and you are invited to the Birth day, please be ready for when the birth mobile comes to pick you up. I hope that you can make it, we can have a proper catch up then.
Regards
Commander Shayne’s wife
Thursday, 4 November 2010
Classwork 4th November 2010
How would you stage the Handmaids tale?
I would have the actual seating area in a semi circle with the open end having "the wall" with bodies hanging".
Costumes would be significant.
There should also be thoughts allowed because this would help tell the narrative.
And at the end of the play there should be hot seating so that the questions that the audience want to ask get answered.
Also the two walks that the Handmaids take everyday should be around the audience, therefore making the audience feel intimidated however also to make them feel involved.
During the flashbacks Offred will go and sit within the audience because she wants to see how happy she was.
There wouldn't be many props only the necessary items.
And there would only be dim lighting apart from when they go outside.
Instead of showing the ceremonies, salvaging, particulations, and explicit scenes there would be Offred as the narrator thinking allowed about it.
The theme of isolation should be clear.
I would have the actual seating area in a semi circle with the open end having "the wall" with bodies hanging".
Costumes would be significant.
There should also be thoughts allowed because this would help tell the narrative.
And at the end of the play there should be hot seating so that the questions that the audience want to ask get answered.
Also the two walks that the Handmaids take everyday should be around the audience, therefore making the audience feel intimidated however also to make them feel involved.
During the flashbacks Offred will go and sit within the audience because she wants to see how happy she was.
There wouldn't be many props only the necessary items.
And there would only be dim lighting apart from when they go outside.
Instead of showing the ceremonies, salvaging, particulations, and explicit scenes there would be Offred as the narrator thinking allowed about it.
The theme of isolation should be clear.
Historical notes in Handmaids tale Classword 4th November 2010
From what the historical say we can gather that the book was not written straight into a book format however it was recorded by Offred. This is quite weird because Offred and the other Handmaids are forbidden to talk and they have no form of communication within their rooms. But Offred could have hid the recorder in her cupboard where the inscription was found "don't let the bastards get to you". The story was recorded over old music tapes, Offred kept songs either side of the tape to ensure if anyone heard it they would think that it was only a tape filled with music.
Offred is an unreliable narrator because she states that she wasn't allowed to talk however she has been doing so via the tape recorder.
Offred is an unreliable narrator because she states that she wasn't allowed to talk however she has been doing so via the tape recorder.
Nick profile due for 4th November
This is Nicks profile:
a. Nick is a guardian however he is also the chauffeur to the commander
b. He is a member of the secret police (an Eye)
c. Nick has an affair with Offred because Serena Joy wants a baby (the commander is unaware of this)
d. Offred thinks shes pregnant via Nick
e. Nick arranges for Offred to escape (breaking the rules of Gilead)
a. Nick is a guardian however he is also the chauffeur to the commander
b. He is a member of the secret police (an Eye)
c. Nick has an affair with Offred because Serena Joy wants a baby (the commander is unaware of this)
d. Offred thinks shes pregnant via Nick
e. Nick arranges for Offred to escape (breaking the rules of Gilead)
Monday, 1 November 2010
Classwork 1st November 2010: Features with evidence from the text
Rank order he features from one to ten, starting with the one that best characterised the novel for you as a reader.
This is a novel:
1. About the exploitation of women
2.Of alienation and unbelonging
3. About male power and conflict (partiarchal society)
4. Exploring political systems (women's bodies are used as political instruments)
5. about loss, e.g of freedom, mothers, children
6.with a strong sense of place and time (only two walks a day)
7. that explores a society based on repressive religious systems
8.
9.
10.
For your top three features, find evidence from the text to support and explain your choices.
1. The exploitation of women:
One of the main features for me within the Handmaids tale is the fact that women are exploited to have children against their will.
The handmaids have no choice but to have sex with the commanders and bear their children, the only other choice is to go to the colonies where diseases are a high risk. The handmaids are made to wear red and only red, the connotation of the colour red are fertility. They handmaids have to follow rules and regulations "no need to use trains".
2. Manipulation and Power in Gilead:
Another feature within the handmaids tale is the presence of manipulation and power. Although the society of Gilead is a theocracy there is no one in charge or at the top of the hierarchy. there is no one for people to turn to because there is no government.
Offred knows that she has power because of her fertility, however she cannot use this to her advantage. Moreover with the relationship with the commander she slowly gains power, however she cannot use this as a strength because the commander will at no extents protect her from his wife (the previous handmaid committed suicide)
She also learns that Handmaids kill themselves in order to gain some final power about how they die.
3. Sexuality:
Lesbians and gays get executed, abortion doctors get executed, they ritualized strange and weird sexual relations which are supposedly supported by the bible?
This is a novel:
1. About the exploitation of women
2.Of alienation and unbelonging
3. About male power and conflict (partiarchal society)
4. Exploring political systems (women's bodies are used as political instruments)
5. about loss, e.g of freedom, mothers, children
6.with a strong sense of place and time (only two walks a day)
7. that explores a society based on repressive religious systems
8.
9.
10.
For your top three features, find evidence from the text to support and explain your choices.
1. The exploitation of women:
One of the main features for me within the Handmaids tale is the fact that women are exploited to have children against their will.
The handmaids have no choice but to have sex with the commanders and bear their children, the only other choice is to go to the colonies where diseases are a high risk. The handmaids are made to wear red and only red, the connotation of the colour red are fertility. They handmaids have to follow rules and regulations "no need to use trains".
2. Manipulation and Power in Gilead:
Another feature within the handmaids tale is the presence of manipulation and power. Although the society of Gilead is a theocracy there is no one in charge or at the top of the hierarchy. there is no one for people to turn to because there is no government.
Offred knows that she has power because of her fertility, however she cannot use this to her advantage. Moreover with the relationship with the commander she slowly gains power, however she cannot use this as a strength because the commander will at no extents protect her from his wife (the previous handmaid committed suicide)
She also learns that Handmaids kill themselves in order to gain some final power about how they die.
3. Sexuality:
Lesbians and gays get executed, abortion doctors get executed, they ritualized strange and weird sexual relations which are supposedly supported by the bible?
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