This is a short summary on important aspects which may be considered for the final English HL paper 2 exam for IEB matrics. This includes notes and quick references as well as sample essays to assist in how to write and structure your essay in the exams.
IEB: English home language- The Handmaid's Tale quote analysis
IEB English home language paper 2: The handmaid's tale-full chapter summaries
All for this textbook (5)
Written for
12th Grade
English Home Language
200
All documents for this subject (1143)
4
reviews
By: jacobgchristoffels • 10 months ago
By: perikliangelo • 3 months ago
By: natalien7910 • 2 year ago
By: taylabooth • 2 year ago
Seller
Follow
aaheer64
Reviews received
Content preview
The Handmaid’s Tale: essay notes
Grade 12 IEB
• Atwood’s handmaid’s tale was a dystopian novel attempting to
depict her inspiration of Orwell’s “1984” from a female point of
view
• Her argument was that other dystopias of the time were written by
men and the role of woman was understated, where they were
either depicted as sexless automations or rebels.
• Main reasons for the takeover of the USA by Gilead:
o Increasing occurrence of infertility
o Declining birth rates
o Abortion and contraception being banned o Woman’s rights to
freedom
o Toxic omissions which polluted the surrounding environment
• NB: Despotism: the exercise of absolute power, especially in a cruel
and oppressive way
• Gilead:
o theocracy (a system of government which uses religion as a
means of control)
o set within former USA
o surrounding environment is extremely toxic and all non-
supporters of the regime were sent to these areas to clean up these
toxic materials (colonies)
, • ways in which woman were oppressed:
o the handmaids’ names (Offred) degrade any previous sense of
identity of these women and the “of” in each of their names
signifies that they are now possessions and not their own.
o Their names are changed when they are allocated to a new
household thus ensuring that they do not have sufficient time to
adjust to “their” new identity
o The “of” in each handmaids name also signifies that they are
somewhat of an “offering” to their commanders, like a temporary
gift.
o Woman are denied education
o They are denied the right to vote
o They are denied the choice to work and must serve a pre-
determined purpose chosen by others based on their capabilities
o They were not allowed to read or write thus limiting the amount
of communication
o Handmaids are forced into a monthly ritual called the ceremony
where the commander rapes her in an attempt to conceive. Before
doing this, he recites a verse from genesis 30, almost condoning this
action and emphasizing the theocratic ruling of Gilead.
• Types of women in the Handmaids tale:
o Wives (married to commanders/ high ranking officials)
o Econowives (married to lower ranking men)
o Marthas (servants in the houses of commanders)
o Aunts (trainers of handmaids and overseers of executions laws
etc.)
The benefits of buying summaries with Stuvia:
Guaranteed quality through customer reviews
Stuvia customers have reviewed more than 700,000 summaries. This how you know that you are buying the best documents.
Quick and easy check-out
You can quickly pay through credit card for the summaries. There is no membership needed.
Focus on what matters
Your fellow students write the study notes themselves, which is why the documents are always reliable and up-to-date. This ensures you quickly get to the core!
Frequently asked questions
What do I get when I buy this document?
You get a PDF, available immediately after your purchase. The purchased document is accessible anytime, anywhere and indefinitely through your profile.
Satisfaction guarantee: how does it work?
Our satisfaction guarantee ensures that you always find a study document that suits you well. You fill out a form, and our customer service team takes care of the rest.
Who am I buying these notes from?
Stuvia is a marketplace, so you are not buying this document from us, but from seller aaheer64. Stuvia facilitates payment to the seller.
Will I be stuck with a subscription?
No, you only buy these notes for £7.83. You're not tied to anything after your purchase.
