‘Political and social protest writing often focuses on rebellion against those in power’ To what
extent do you agree?
In both ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and ‘The Kite Runner’, it is certain that rebellion against those in
power is a key element of protest explored by Atwood and Hosseini. Atwood’s exploration of
rebellion and defiance is epitomised in the characterisation of Moira and Offred and their attempts
to defy the patriarchal theocratic regime. Similarly, within ‘The Kite Runner’, the rebellion of
Hosseini’s female characters is pivotal to his expression of cultural divides. That being said,
submission and entrapment are equally present elements within ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ and the
ultimate cowardice of protagonist Amir supports the idea that the focus on rebellion is neither
consistent nor the most prominent theme within the texts.
Rebellion against those is power is evidently demonstrated in ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ through
Atwood’s characterisation of Moira. Throughout the text, she is defined by her strength and power,
‘like an elevator with open sides’, which is characteristic of the sexual revolution and the rise of
second wave feminism during the late 20 th century. This simile is indicative of her sense of freedom
and risk in spite of the subservient role she inhibits and is furthered by the listed adjectives ‘daring
and spectacular’, suggesting strength, power and extravagance. Ultimately, however, one might
argue that such rebellion is fundamentally futile, with Atwood’s character placed in confinement
within Jezebel’s, which symbolises the corrupt patriarchal authorities of Gilead. She is reduced to
‘government issue’ costumes, implying her ultimate submission to the oppressive regime, and is
stripped of her identity with the line ‘I don’t know how she ended’, minimising her existence to one
of anonymity. Consequently, it is evident that, though rebellion against those in power is a
prominent theme explored by Atwood, the ambiguous end of the character of Moira clearly
expresses loss of hope and powerlessness despite fervent opposition to oppressive authorities.
Alternatively, it could be argued that a more significant theme focused on by Atwood in ‘The
Handmaid’s Tale’ is subservience and submission of the powerless against those in power. This is
clearly demonstrated through the characterisation of handmaid Janine, who is wholly defined by her
vulnerability and fragility throughout the text. Unlike the other handmaids introduced within the
novel, Janine is entirely submissive to the oppressive theocratic regime, and is portrayed as
desperate and savage by the end of the text, with ‘a smear of blood’ across her cheek, reflecting her
primitive nature. Further, she is described by narrator Offred as ‘white and peaked’, with the
connotations with white symbolising her purity and vulnerability within her oppression, and the line
‘her eyes have come loose’ reflecting her broken and desperate state. The comment ‘she’s in
freefall’ expands on this idea, reinforcing her absolute loss of power and control over her body and
reproductive rights, as was promoted by the New Right and conservatively religious government
during the 1980s. However, in showing the extent of Janine’s desperation, one could argue that
Atwood does promote the idea of rebellion against those in power, as her absolute desperation and
hopelessness reflects the need for urgent and necessary rebellion against dictatorial regimes. As a
result, it is clear that, though the theme of subservience and submission is equally focused on within
‘The Handmaid’s Tale’, one could interpret this as highlighting the necessity of rebellion within such
corrupt patriarchal societies.
Furthermore, it is certain that rebellion against those in power is demonstrated by Hosseini within
‘The Kite Runner’ through his portrayal of women throughout the text. The character of Sanaubar is
used to subvert the traditional expectation of women within Afghanistan and reveal rebellion
against the oppressive patriarchal cultures of Eastern Europe, and she is defined by her sexuality and
rebellious nature. It is noted that she ‘tempted countless men into sin’, with the verb ‘tempted’
revealing the wicked and evil connotations associated with women’s sexuality, while the line
‘notoriously unscrupulous’ clearly suggests her loss of reputation and dishonour placed on her as a
