Essay #2: The Handmaid’s Tale
Purpose: Literary criticism is an extension of the social activity of interpreting. One reader writes down his or her
views on what a particular work of literature means so that others can respond to that interpretation. The critic’s
specific purpose may be to make value judgments on a work, to explain his or her interpretation of the work, or to
provide other readers with relevant historical or biographical information. The critic’s general purpose, in most
cases, is to enrich the reader’s understanding of the literary work. Critics typically engage in dialogue or debate with
other critics, using the views of others to develop their own points. This is precisely our goal with this last
assignment – to enrich the reader’s understanding of The Handmaid’s Tale. With your literary analysis, the goal is
to move, convince, and enlighten your audience.
Summary: The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is a dystopian novel resembling a sort of backwards
fairytale. The protagonist is Offred, who narrates her experience as a handmaid, a surrogate of sorts, living in a
chilling dictatorial place called Gilead. Offred tells her story in a non-linear fashion, taking us from past to present
and allowing us to fully understand how such a grotesque society came to existence.