Margaret Atwood is publicly recognized for creating works with enigmatic female characters and open-ended stories while dissecting contemporary urban life and sexual politics. The critical perspectives she describes throughout the book will discourage some. Atwood reveals an entire dystopian world based on the world we live in today and includes some societal issues, such as radicalism, totalitarianism, and feminism. However, a crucial element of the society Atwood created is religion. Although Atwood appears to criticize radicalism, she only believes that faith can have bad iterations when abuse of power arises. According to Atwood, it is “not a matter of religion that causes people to behave badly; it’s about human beings getting power and then wanting more” (Williams). Atwood uncovers the depersonalization of religion and its oppressive effects when a society distorts the interpretation of a sacred text. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Within the society of Gilead, religion is used to justify the radical ideas that have been forced on everyone. Atwood specifically creates the Red Center with the aunts to brainwash the Handmaids while using Bible verses to tell them that their only job is to have children. The aunts repeatedly recited Bible stories such as “God to Adam, God to Noah, be fruitful and multiply and restore the truth” (Atwood 88). God told them to be fruitful and multiply to indicate that God blessed them with more children of God. Society interprets the text too literally, to the point of creating a class system for women who have children. However, this is a ploy to create a surface of superiority due to the elimination of other people of different religions, such as Muslims and Jews. Karen Stein argues that “Gilead reads the biblical text literally and makes it the basis for state-sanctioned rape…and transforms a woman's desire into an instrument of male control” (195). Stein's analysis referred to the story of Rachel and Leah, who are two sisters whom Jacob married. At first, Jacob loved Rachel more; however, God made up for the lack of love Leah received by allowing her to have children but limiting Rachel from having them. Society uses this story to illustrate that the primary purpose of a woman's body is to be a vessel of life. Gilead's principles “promote the idea that the primary purpose of the system is to protect women, when the real purpose is to control them, and reinforce the idea that their biology is their destiny” (Freibert 15). The Red Center teaches Handmaids to pray for emptiness, such as denial, sperm and babies. Religion therefore seems to be a determining factor with regard to women. Because of the appearance of the repopulation program, the people of Gilead unravel a story from the Bible and misinterpret it; therefore, there is more chaos and disorder in society. The sacred text has gone from a balm for believers to an irritant for society. Not only did the Republic distort the meaning of biblical stories, it also distorted the act of prayer. In this dystopian society, the depersonalization of religion reaches a new level when prayers become computerized. When Offred and Ofglen were going for a walk, the two Handmaids passed a Soul Scrolls store, which is "a franchise found in every city and suburb and known for making a lot of profit" (Atwood 166). Stores have machines that printcertain prayers for the citizens of Gilead. These machines show the hypocritical and superficial use and abuse of religion that Gilead imposes on its society. The concept of the Soul Scrolls is ironic because the prayers are meant to be free and come from deep within the heart; however, one must pay for it in Gilead. A prayer is a way to communicate openly with God and it was "once a human act of devotion and commitment that has been automated, quantified, made excessive and, in its utter vapidity, obscene" (Filipczak 175). When we pray, it is simply a request for help or an expression of thanks to God. In Gilead, the prayers of the Soul Scrolls are offensive to the moral principles of Christianity. According to Filipczak, prayers are now considered obsessive and robotic and they no longer have any special meaning. The Soul Scrolls “are meant to be a sign of piety and loyalty to the regime…the wives of commanders often do it and it promotes their husbands’ careers” (Atwood 167). The prayers appear as a sign of loyalty to the regime but they give the impression that it was only a publicity stunt for the wives of the commanders. Atwood discovers that the sole purpose of the Soul Scrolls is to make wives feel godly without any real effort. In Gilead, God is seen as a “national resource, emphasizing the manipulative function of pseudo-religion” (Filipczak 45). A pseudo-Christian religion is a group of people who follow leaders who claim to be fundamentalist Christians and teach true Christian doctrines. However, the group actually misrepresents the fundamental and distinctive doctrines of the Christian faith. The Soul Scrolls are an example of pseudo-religion in The Handmaid's Tale. They demonstrate the abuse of religion and the dehumanizing effects of radicalism. The Handmaids face oppression through many aspects of society, but the ceremony clearly illustrates the dehumanizing effects of society. The ceremony is a ritualized sexual act in which the Handmaid and the Commander have sexual intercourse while the Wife holds the Handmaid during the process. Before the ceremony begins, the commander “reads the Bible under lock and key to the maids, which they cannot read for themselves” (Atwood 87). The Republic forbids people from reading the Bible so that the government can continue to use it without being questioned. The locked Bible has become “an incendiary device...a deadly instrument because the regime makes it generate oppressive laws” (Filipczak 41). The Bible becomes a symbol of hierarchy and a dangerous tool in society, instead of simply being a sacred text. Filipczak refers to the Bible as an “incendiary device,” which is essentially a combustible device designed to cause fires. By creating oppressive laws, it defeats the purpose of Bible quotes and meanings. The Ceremony also shows the patriarchal nature of this particular society. During the ceremony, the commander clears his throat and says, “For the eyes of the Lord run through all the earth, to know Himself strong in favor of those whose hearts are perfect toward Him” (Atwood 92). The commander is in charge of the ceremony process and everyone around him would automatically assume it's time to stop praying just from the way he clears his throat. The quote is derived from 2 Chronicles 16:9 and means that God has chosen men and women to do his work and is looking for a person whose heart is fully focused on him. To show that the commander was reasonable and to avoid suspicion, the commander uses a Bible verse to justify himself. Because of the imposed religious rules,the Republic is detached from reality and freedom. Therefore, curiosity becomes apparent as an effect of strict rules. Some would say that curiosity is the most powerful thing you can possess. During Offred and Ofglen's walk, the two handmaidens pass a Soul Scrolls store and had a significant moment where they both look at each other through the reflected glass of the window. The event is full of risks and Ofglen asks Offred: "Do you think God is listening to these machines?" (Atwood 168). This forbidden conversation was for Offred like a rush of blood, a sign of rebellion. Nevertheless, Ofglens's own curiosity stands out from those who merely move because it suggests that it is a betrayal; this is an indication that she is different from others and more likely to rebel more. Her investigation reflects the suspicions that begin to emerge within society and she begins to realize that Gilead's system is based on hypocrisy. God is sovereign and can certainly choose to answer any appropriate prayer. To answer Ofglen's question, God does not listen to machines because of personal and selfish motives, iniquity in their hearts and offers unworthy service to God. Society creates “a system that recognizes divine power but relies heavily on human control; the system does not tolerate any resistance or dissent” (Freibert 14). Society emphasizes religion but everyone now relies on the human control Freibert refers to. They are all forced to pray for the children and request prayers through a machine. The depersonalization of religion in Gileadean society causes unanswered prayers. After realizing that the prayer machines are not working, Offred decides that “tonight she will say her prayers” (Atwood 194). Up to this point in the book, it seemed unlikely that the characters in The Handmaid's Tale would pray themselves, unless the regime asked them to. This is truly the first time that Offred decides to recite her own prayer and this action itself is an act of resistance to the oppressive society. Instead of integrating into society, she now decides to build a personal relationship with God, which will help her overcome the abuse she endures. Lucy M. Freibert states that "Offred realizes that an embodied imagination offers real potential for freedom...and this self-generation frees her from the limitations of biological determinism" (17). Biological determinism is an idea that most human characteristics are determined at birth by hereditary factors passed from parent to offspring. The biblical sources used by society cause biological determinism and women's gender roles to take center stage. Thanks to his imagination, Offred escapes from society. Another act of rebellion on Offred's part takes place during the ceremony and she decides to silently pray de nolite te bastardes carborundorum because she "[didn't know] what else [she] could say to God" ( Atwood 90), even if she was not aware of it. meaning. The writing she found in the closet is her mantra and it gives her comfort and joy to chant it internally, even when she is supposed to pray with others. Offred manages to find comfort in the oppressive society through her prayers. Although society imposes religion on the Republic, Offred manages to establish her personal relationship with God by reciting her private prayer. Throughout the book, Offred struggles with her identity as a servant. One way she coped with renunciation was to talk about her past, recalling stories of her childhood with her feminist mother, her affair with Luke, and her.

Essay / Margaret Atwood is publicly recognized for creating works with enigmatic female characters and open-ended stories while dissecting contemporary urban life and sexual politics. The critical perspectives she describes throughout the book will discourage some. Atwood reveals an entire dystopian world based on the world we live in today and includes some societal issues, such as radicalism, totalitarianism, and feminism. However, a crucial element of the society Atwood created is religion. Although Atwood appears to criticize radicalism, she only believes that faith can have bad iterations when abuse of power arises. According to Atwood, it is “not a matter of religion that causes people to behave badly; it’s about human beings getting power and then wanting more” (Williams). Atwood uncovers the depersonalization of religion and its oppressive effects when a society distorts the interpretation of a sacred text. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay Within the society of Gilead, religion is used to justify the radical ideas that have been forced on everyone. Atwood specifically creates the Red Center with the aunts to brainwash the Handmaids while using Bible verses to tell them that their only job is to have children. The aunts repeatedly recited Bible stories such as “God to Adam, God to Noah, be fruitful and multiply and restore the truth” (Atwood 88). God told them to be fruitful and multiply to indicate that God blessed them with more children of God. Society interprets the text too literally, to the point of creating a class system for women who have children. However, this is a ploy to create a surface of superiority due to the elimination of other people of different religions, such as Muslims and Jews. Karen Stein argues that “Gilead reads the biblical text literally and makes it the basis for state-sanctioned rape…and transforms a woman's desire into an instrument of male control” (195). Stein's analysis referred to the story of Rachel and Leah, who are two sisters whom Jacob married. At first, Jacob loved Rachel more; however, God made up for the lack of love Leah received by allowing her to have children but limiting Rachel from having them. Society uses this story to illustrate that the primary purpose of a woman's body is to be a vessel of life. Gilead's principles “promote the idea that the primary purpose of the system is to protect women, when the real purpose is to control them, and reinforce the idea that their biology is their destiny” (Freibert 15). The Red Center teaches Handmaids to pray for emptiness, such as denial, sperm and babies. Religion therefore seems to be a determining factor with regard to women. Because of the appearance of the repopulation program, the people of Gilead unravel a story from the Bible and misinterpret it; therefore, there is more chaos and disorder in society. The sacred text has gone from a balm for believers to an irritant for society. Not only did the Republic distort the meaning of biblical stories, it also distorted the act of prayer. In this dystopian society, the depersonalization of religion reaches a new level when prayers become computerized. When Offred and Ofglen were going for a walk, the two Handmaids passed a Soul Scrolls store, which is "a franchise found in every city and suburb and known for making a lot of profit" (Atwood 166). Stores have machines that printcertain prayers for the citizens of Gilead. These machines show the hypocritical and superficial use and abuse of religion that Gilead imposes on its society. The concept of the Soul Scrolls is ironic because the prayers are meant to be free and come from deep within the heart; however, one must pay for it in Gilead. A prayer is a way to communicate openly with God and it was "once a human act of devotion and commitment that has been automated, quantified, made excessive and, in its utter vapidity, obscene" (Filipczak 175). When we pray, it is simply a request for help or an expression of thanks to God. In Gilead, the prayers of the Soul Scrolls are offensive to the moral principles of Christianity. According to Filipczak, prayers are now considered obsessive and robotic and they no longer have any special meaning. The Soul Scrolls “are meant to be a sign of piety and loyalty to the regime…the wives of commanders often do it and it promotes their husbands’ careers” (Atwood 167). The prayers appear as a sign of loyalty to the regime but they give the impression that it was only a publicity stunt for the wives of the commanders. Atwood discovers that the sole purpose of the Soul Scrolls is to make wives feel godly without any real effort. In Gilead, God is seen as a “national resource, emphasizing the manipulative function of pseudo-religion” (Filipczak 45). A pseudo-Christian religion is a group of people who follow leaders who claim to be fundamentalist Christians and teach true Christian doctrines. However, the group actually misrepresents the fundamental and distinctive doctrines of the Christian faith. The Soul Scrolls are an example of pseudo-religion in The Handmaid's Tale. They demonstrate the abuse of religion and the dehumanizing effects of radicalism. The Handmaids face oppression through many aspects of society, but the ceremony clearly illustrates the dehumanizing effects of society. The ceremony is a ritualized sexual act in which the Handmaid and the Commander have sexual intercourse while the Wife holds the Handmaid during the process. Before the ceremony begins, the commander “reads the Bible under lock and key to the maids, which they cannot read for themselves” (Atwood 87). The Republic forbids people from reading the Bible so that the government can continue to use it without being questioned. The locked Bible has become “an incendiary device...a deadly instrument because the regime makes it generate oppressive laws” (Filipczak 41). The Bible becomes a symbol of hierarchy and a dangerous tool in society, instead of simply being a sacred text. Filipczak refers to the Bible as an “incendiary device,” which is essentially a combustible device designed to cause fires. By creating oppressive laws, it defeats the purpose of Bible quotes and meanings. The Ceremony also shows the patriarchal nature of this particular society. During the ceremony, the commander clears his throat and says, “For the eyes of the Lord run through all the earth, to know Himself strong in favor of those whose hearts are perfect toward Him” (Atwood 92). The commander is in charge of the ceremony process and everyone around him would automatically assume it's time to stop praying just from the way he clears his throat. The quote is derived from 2 Chronicles 16:9 and means that God has chosen men and women to do his work and is looking for a person whose heart is fully focused on him. To show that the commander was reasonable and to avoid suspicion, the commander uses a Bible verse to justify himself. Because of the imposed religious rules,the Republic is detached from reality and freedom. Therefore, curiosity becomes apparent as an effect of strict rules. Some would say that curiosity is the most powerful thing you can possess. During Offred and Ofglen's walk, the two handmaidens pass a Soul Scrolls store and had a significant moment where they both look at each other through the reflected glass of the window. The event is full of risks and Ofglen asks Offred: "Do you think God is listening to these machines?" (Atwood 168). This forbidden conversation was for Offred like a rush of blood, a sign of rebellion. Nevertheless, Ofglens's own curiosity stands out from those who merely move because it suggests that it is a betrayal; this is an indication that she is different from others and more likely to rebel more. Her investigation reflects the suspicions that begin to emerge within society and she begins to realize that Gilead's system is based on hypocrisy. God is sovereign and can certainly choose to answer any appropriate prayer. To answer Ofglen's question, God does not listen to machines because of personal and selfish motives, iniquity in their hearts and offers unworthy service to God. Society creates “a system that recognizes divine power but relies heavily on human control; the system does not tolerate any resistance or dissent” (Freibert 14). Society emphasizes religion but everyone now relies on the human control Freibert refers to. They are all forced to pray for the children and request prayers through a machine. The depersonalization of religion in Gileadean society causes unanswered prayers. After realizing that the prayer machines are not working, Offred decides that “tonight she will say her prayers” (Atwood 194). Up to this point in the book, it seemed unlikely that the characters in The Handmaid's Tale would pray themselves, unless the regime asked them to. This is truly the first time that Offred decides to recite her own prayer and this action itself is an act of resistance to the oppressive society. Instead of integrating into society, she now decides to build a personal relationship with God, which will help her overcome the abuse she endures. Lucy M. Freibert states that "Offred realizes that an embodied imagination offers real potential for freedom...and this self-generation frees her from the limitations of biological determinism" (17). Biological determinism is an idea that most human characteristics are determined at birth by hereditary factors passed from parent to offspring. The biblical sources used by society cause biological determinism and women's gender roles to take center stage. Thanks to his imagination, Offred escapes from society. Another act of rebellion on Offred's part takes place during the ceremony and she decides to silently pray de nolite te bastardes carborundorum because she "[didn't know] what else [she] could say to God" ( Atwood 90), even if she was not aware of it. meaning. The writing she found in the closet is her mantra and it gives her comfort and joy to chant it internally, even when she is supposed to pray with others. Offred manages to find comfort in the oppressive society through her prayers. Although society imposes religion on the Republic, Offred manages to establish her personal relationship with God by reciting her private prayer. Throughout the book, Offred struggles with her identity as a servant. One way she coped with renunciation was to talk about her past, recalling stories of her childhood with her feminist mother, her affair with Luke, and her.

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