Why is the Bible locked up?

Why is the bible locked up?

            The Handmaids Tale, by Margaret Atwood, takes place inside of a dystopia. This is an extremely religious dystopia, but it is law to keep the Bible locked up, only allowing The Commander to read it. Gilead, the dystopia, is heavily influenced by the passage from Genesis, 30:1-3.  This passage expresses the want for children and the willingness to do anything in order to reproduce. The jobs of women are divided up. The women of Gilead are oppressed and have their rights taken away from them. For example, they are not allowed to read. Therefore, they cannot even read the Bible.

The Bible is locked up to assert control. This dystopia has interpreted the Bible in a very specific way. Everybody is different and everybody interprets things differently. Some people could take passages a different way, or even find a passage to contradict Gilead’s way. The society does not want to risk a possible rebellion.

Also, if women were allowed to read the Bible, it wouldn’t be a far cry for them to read other things. They are not giving the women in inch, in order to make sure they don’t go a mile. In the eyes of a government trying to keep control, it’s better not to take risks in any way.

Offred Letter

Be one of the characters

Offred

            This is my life now. I am a handmaid. Gilead is the place where I eat, sleep, and breathe. But Gilead is not the place I live. I am forced to give myself to the Commander. My body, my name, my purpose, it belongs to him. So who am I?

            I’m a lost soul. A miserable soul, torn apart. My husband and daughter have been taken away from me. I can no longer feel. Love is nonexistent in this world.

This new way; it was supposed to make everything better. The world was supposed to be better. But the values of Gilead are sacrilege. The ways of this world take the emotion out of life.

            Let me ask you, what is life without feeling? What is life without emotion? It nothing. I no longer have a life. I go through the motions, waiting for the day to be over. To the future: don’t take away the emotion, or destroy relationships. These things are what make life worth living.