The Handmaid's Tale

The Handmaid's tale is a cultural phenomenon! For anyone who has seen the television show, one can see and infer many similarities in our present world and this dystopian future. The book the show inspired has many similarities as well as many differences. This is to be expected as the book is a stand alone novel where as the series is able to go into depth with what the book speaks of. We shall first speak of the broad differences before going in deeper to the details of the book versus the show.

Action:

The book is told entirely through Offred's perspective. As a restrained woman who literally has no more social standing than a library book, it is hard to know the flow of time. She is unable to read, write, or even look at a clock as that was considered a temptation to read. Time in the book is told through the ringing of bells. With this in mind, it is easy to see how Offred could lose track of how long the Gilead regime has been around or how long she has been a handmaid. We can infer from her story that she has definitely been there for at least two years for each posting lasts for one year. If the commander fails to get a handmaid pregnant in one year, she is sent to a new posting. She is moved around three times. If she does not conceive at least once in those three postings, she is declared infertile and most likely declared an unwoman and sent to the colonies.

The show allows us to see more of what happens. We see the salvagings and how the women or should we say the handmaids must take part in each one. We learn what that they are not only the bearers of life in Gilead but they must also be a part of the death of the faithless, the gender traitors, and those who would dare break any law of Gilead. More disturbing though is that we see what these handmaids must go through. We are no longer hearing Offred's thoughts on the ceremony, we are in the room with her. We see her kneel before her mistress, listen to the bible readings, and watch as she lays between the commander's wife's legs, while the commander rapes Offred. The show makes us a part of the action as opposed to someone listening to a testimony.

People:

Since the book is only showing Offred's thoughts, it is hard to grow attachment to minor characters. She often reminisces about Luke and Moira. She tries to keep the images of her daughter and mother alive. She describes The Commander, Serena Joy, and Nick, the only people she sees on a daily basis in great detail. She speaks of Rita, Cora, and Ofglen, all of whom she sees but has minor interaction with except for Ofglen and even that is miniscule.

However, the show allows great exploration. We are able to see the characters in Offred's life and learn more about them through their personalities and actions. We are able to see Ofwarren (or Janine as she is known in the Red Center) lose her grip on reality as she struggles to adapt to her new role. We feel Moira's strength and how it weakens a little more each time she is recaptured. We sympathize with Serena Joy's desperation to have a child of her own, even if she must use a surrogate to get one. We witness Offred (or should we say June as she is able to get a name in the show as opposed to the book) find her courage and rebel where she can and fight for her freedom.

Perspective:

This brings us to a point I briefly mentioned in the two previous points. In the novel, Margaret Atwood only shares Offred's perspective. This is a normal story telling standard. It keeps the reader focused on the the tale being told and forces them into the one world. The only downside to this, is we become lost in Offred's world. We don't know what happens outside of it. We have no sense of time or location. We can only tell when it is day or night by the chapters.

The show however gives us more details. We see how Gilead was formed from the formation of the Sons of Jacob to Serena Joy's book. Origin stories of Aunt Lydia, Janine, Emily, Serena Joy, Fred Waterford, June, Moira, and Luke are told. Time is shown in flashbacks and they even say it. When the story starts, the world is three years in the future of the last time June saw her daughter. The show allows time to be told much easier, especially when Offred gets pregnant and the progress is seen throughout the show.

Ending: (SPOILER ALERTS!!!)

Finally comes the ending. The book leaves an open ending. For those who do not wish for spoilers, skip this section. For those who have seen the show or read the book, you will have an idea of what is happening. The book ends with Offred getting into the black van of the Eyes. This is consistent with the end of season one in which Offred is forced into a black van. In both cases, the reader and viewer are left to wonder about her fate. What is interesting with the book though is that there is a section at the end called Historical Notes. This makes it feel as if the events of The Handmaid's Tale are real or could really happen. The historical notes take place in the future of this dystopian world and create more wonder and about Gilead, it's creation and if it still exists.

The show has some similarities to the novel in the sense that it keeps the viewer on edge. Each season ends on a cliffhanger, leaving the view to want more. The first season ended with a black van. Season two ended once again with a black van, only this time it was Emily and June's baby escaping, while June watched them in order to continue her search for Hannah. Season three made us believe that June had died after saving more than 50 children from growing up under Gilead's tyrannical and religious views. And the latest season has ended with Fred Waterford's death and June having one last moment with Nicole before realizing she needs to turn herself in for punishment of Fred's death.

The show and the book both have some wonderful things to think about and this is just going in depth of the broader differences. Once falling further into detail, it is easy to see why the book (which was written in 1985) doesn't seem as scary compared to the show (which modernized the book to show the very real similarities in today's society and how if we are not careful, a world like Gilead could become reality).