Explore attitudes towards women and sex
Throughout the book of the book of the Handmaid's Tale, attitudes towards women and sex are explored in many different ways and Atwood has used a female voice as the narrator of the book to show us these attitudes. The use of woemsn who are fertile and can bear children, the symbol of the colour red worn by the Handmaid's meaning they are fertile. Along these attitudes towards women and sex, the section Jezebel explores many things about the actions towards women and sex. I will be exploring these attitudes towards women and sex in the section of the book.
In the section of the Jezeble's, attitudes towards women and sex is explored through many denotations, connotations and symbolisim of animal skin worn by women in the club. In the beginning of chapter thirty seven, the Commander mentions something to do with the nature of men. He says to Offred, "Nature demands variety for men... it's natures plan." This quote contains the word nature which cannotes God's creation meaning that men would stillhave the same actions towards women eventhough the society has changed. The Commander raises this issue because he is maybe against the Gilead's Regime. The club is built against the Gilead Regime that is built in the society and is against the nature of life. He says this to show is inner feelings for his duty and the situation he is in. The nature of men is shown in a similar way to the Commander when Nick winks at Offred which also cannotes the love and passion men have towards women and not ven the Gilead Regime can stop God's creation and how he created it. This explanation can be linked to the question about attitudes towards women and sex.
Another attitude towards women and sex is shown through the symbol of animal's skin worn by the women in the club. This is described by Offred and her thoughts and qestions herself about the past when she says, "Girls dressed for Easter, in rabbit suits...why are rabbits supposed to be sexually attractive to men?" In this quotation, the animal "rabbit" is worn by the women, so the rabbit costume cannotes cute and prey, these connotations shows how a women is seen by others and prey for men (as the predators). Offred is in the club, the question she raised in her mind is something to do with the place she is at, in this case it is the club and she sees women dressed in these costumes which is against the Gilead Regime. Interior monolgue is used by Offred eventhough she is in a place where there is some freedom and everyone would be equally punished if they were found out. The reason she uses this is because she may be afraid of the place, the people, salvaging and The Wall, she might be unsure of the Commander and his wife accusing her of something whci hmay cause her death penalty or taken to the colonies. The rabbit suits is a use symbol of attitudes towards women and sex by men which relates to the question.
In addition to that, the attitudes that may be given to women in the club shows how women are treated everywhere in the society. This can be seen when Offred wants to meet Moira and asks the Commander what she should say is anyone stops her and the Commander says "Just show them your tag...they'll know you are taken." This shows that women are used as possessions of men and their property in the Gilead Regime and shows us that the society is a Patriarchal society which means women have no freedom, therefore they are only commanded by their husband's or Commander's. The word "tag" cannotes marriage ring as a object to show a married couple, in this case, the Coomander and Offred.
In chapter thirty nine, the Commander command's Offred to have sex with him alone without his wife, this can be seen when Offred narrates "He pulls down one of my straps... I lie there like a dead bird." This quotation portrays patriarchal society, where men are in control of women and the power they have over women. Offred describes herself as "a dead bird", which is an animal, the same as the animal costumes worn by women in the club. A dead bird cannotes death which shows Offred's inner feelings towards the force of having sex with the Commander.
In conclusion, Atwood has used Offred as the narrator of the story and describing the section of Jezebel's. The section is against the Gilead Regime, and the attitudes that are given to women in that section. The reason a female narrator is describing the scene and situation is to show how women are treated and what they symbolize for men and sex.
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