Dystopian worlds are usually a favorite with high school students. Typical characteristics include a dark oppressive world, lack of freedom, and oppressed human rights, which are usually appealing to teenage readers. Your students may have already read dystopian classics like 1984 by George Orwell, or Fahrenheit 451 by Ray Bradbury. They may have also read dystopian young adult fiction like The Hunger Games or Divergent. The chances are that they will probably enjoy reading and studying Margaret Atwood’s classic, The Handmaid’s Tale!
1. Pre- Reading: Learning about the Background
- Have students watch this video on why they should read The Handmaid’s Tale.
- Who is Margaret Atwood? Margaret Atwood is a well-known Canadian author who is still writing and publishing literary works. Find out more about the author and why she wrote The Handmaid’s Tale by watching these two videos.
Biographical video Writing the Handmaid’s Tale
2. Learning about context research activity.
The historical, social and cultural context is very important to understand for this novel. Atwood has said that everything that happens in the text has actually happened in history! Before reading the novel, have students research the following topics. They can either add their ideas to a Word or Google document, write down the information in their notebooks or add them to a presentation. Once this activity is completed, it is important for students to share their feedback with the class during a class discussion.
- What is speculative fiction?
- Societies that have practiced polygamy.
- Examples of patriarchal societies in history.
- Religious conservatism in 1980´s America.
- Biblical references: The story of Jacob, Rachel, and Leah.
- The second wave feminist movement of the 1980s.
- The society of the Puritans in New England.
- Birth control and fertility issues in Romania under President Ceausescu
- Environmental factors that may impact fertility
3. Opening passage activity.
Read the first chapter “Night”, which is only two pages long. Then have students annotate the opening chapter for the following elements, providing various examples for each one. Then students should share their findings with the class.
- 1. Setting
- 2. First Person Narrative.
- 4. Emotive Language.
- 5. Information about the Social Hierarchy.
- 6. Information about the past.
- 7. Evidence of Control.
- 8. Information about the handmaids
4. Reading Log activity: Handmaid’s Tale Reading Log.
As students read the novel either in class or at home or a combination of both, they should make notes on each chapter or cluster of chapters, under the following headings.
- Key characters and central events
- Comment on what Atwood is trying to show the reader
- Add a key quotation for each section.
- Add the main types of imagery you find in that chapter and what themes appear.
5. Social Hierarchy in the novel.
A very strict social hierarchy is a common feature in dystopian literature and The Handmaid’s Tale is no exception. Have students create a diagram to illustrate the social hierarchy in the text which should include the following categories: Commanders, Handmaids, Eyes, Martha’s, Wives, Economies, UnWomen, Angels, Aunts, and Guardians. The diagram should have the most powerful at the top and the least powerful at the bottom and include a brief explanation of the role of each group and any color which is associated with them.
6. Symbolism and Motif tracking in the Novel.
Assign each student or student pair a symbol or motif to track as they read the text. They should make notes as they read, writing down any relevant quotations about their chosen motif or symbol and its significance. Here are some examples of motifs and symbols but there are many more!
7. Post-reading: Group or pair presentations
Once you have finished reading, divide the class into pairs or small groups ideally no more than three students. Each group needs to choose one of the following topics listed below and then research why this topic is important in the novel. They need to look at the key scenes and find supporting evidence. Students need to link their topic to the main themes and message of the novel. They can use Prezi or PowerPoint and add images or other illustrations.
List of Possible Topics.
- Dystopian Elements in the novel.
- The characterization of the aunts especially Aunt Lydia.
- Rituals and ceremonies and their significance.
- Symbolism and Imagery in the novel.
- Religious references in the novel.
- Narrative structure and the role of the first person narrator Offred
- The significance of the settings in the novel.
- The importance of the flashbacks of the past to the plot of the novel
- Is Offred heroine or a coward? A study of the novel’s protagonist.
- What functions do the minor characters have in the text?
- The significance of fertility and fertility symbolism in the text.
8. The significance of minor characters in the text.
All the main characters play a significant role in the narrative, helping readers to understand the message and themes of the text. Have students write a paragraph on each of the following minor characters explaining what their function is in the narrative, why they are important and how they contribute to understanding the themes and message of the text.
Minor Characters 9.Post-reading class discussion.
- Atwood has told us that The Handmaid’s Tale is what she calls speculative fiction. She is asking the question “What would happen if…”
- In other words, what would happen if women’s rights were taken away? What would happen if environmental issues seriously impacted our fertility? What would happen if we returned to a radical patriarchal society?
- Have a discussion with your students around these questions above and also how the novel relates to current events in society today. Discuss their response to the themes of the novel and what they feel the message of the novel is to the current generation.
Originally published at https://eduhup.com on June 6, 2019.
