A book I have been wanting to read is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. This novel has a series adaptation on Hulu of the same name starring Scientologist Elizabeth Moss, Gilmore Girls Alexis Bledel and Orange is the New Black’s Samira Wiley.

This novel is one I have had on my list for a while – especially with the overturn of Roe in 2022. We are on a crash course where America looks more and more like the fictional Gilead.

The novel was published in 1985, and is set in the near-future dystopian New England. The current rule of what was formerly known as the United States is a patriarchal totalitarian theocracy.

The Handmaid’s Tale explores the various themes of feminism – the powerlessness of women under a patriarchal theocracy, the loss of agency and individualism as well as reproductive rights being stripped away. It is also the story of rebellion. How women can resist these types of rule, which, I believe, the US is geared up towards.

In The Handmaid’s Tale, the constitution is suspended, newspapers are censored, and the US is reformed into a military dictatorship, which soon turns into the overtaking of all other religions – including other Christian denominations.

This novel also has a caste system (common with dystopian novels). Ranked highest to lowest you have: Commander’s wives (sky blue), unmarried daughters (white), Handmaids (red), Aunts (brown), Marthas (green), “Econowives” (blue), widows (in black). There are also “Jezebels” who are state-sanctioned sex workers.

Speaking further on the role of women in this society, the Handmaids are given names outside of what their actual names are – slave names. “Of -insert name of man here-” The character telling the story in The Handmaid’s Tale is named “Offred” Meaning “Of Fred,” the male leader she belongs to. Handmaids are basically the equivalent of walking baby makers. They incubate the next generation and are forced to do so.

Atwood, the author, has mentioned in various interviews that her inspiration for The Handmaid’s Tale comes from a variety of places – one of them being the Revolution in Iran in the 70s where a theocracy took over, reducing the rights of women and enforcing a dress code. Which would, inevitably, lead to the death of women who showed their hair outside of their hijab.

This is not an uncommon set of themes to find when reading dystopian novels – resistance, fighting against unfair governments and a strong female lead.

Another series I have read and want to reread is The Jewel series by Amy Ewing. It, too, is a caste system based dystopian novel that has to deal with shady governments, forced pregnancies, rape, and all the things that I think The Handmaid’s Tale will have as well.

I hope to continue through various “banned books” and share them all, as reading these materials is important.