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.
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