I might have to cheat on this one and listen to the audio book that I found. I'm reading two books that belong to my sister that I have to be finished with by the 19th, a book that I personally cannot stop reading, and two baby books that my wife will kill me if I don't read. So I hope you guys don't mind if I cheat on this one.
I am absolutely in to this idea. I might have to catch you guys on the next selection though, I am in the middle of a book right now and dont want to confuse my little brain.
I am absolutely in to this idea. I might have to catch you guys on the next selection though, I am in the middle of a book right now and dont want to confuse my little brain.
dont be so hard on yourself. im sure your brain isnt that little. I mean... you were smart enough to join this forum.
im gunna start reading on friday. (if i have time) and will start posting the following friday. (the 18th)
Kuzi,
Since this book is a companion book to 1984, would we need to read 1984 first to really enjoy the book to the fullest? I love reading, I was reading Stephen King novels in the 6th grade...my dad always got a kick out of my teachers calling the house asking if he was aware of my reading material and if I was "ok". He was said something to the fact of "Hell yes, I am aware, I'm the one that gave them to him". LOL it was great.
some have called it that. it was actually written almost 40 years after 1984 was. its not the same author. its not the same people in it. the only thing that binds them is that they are both dystopian literature. 1984 is about what it is like to live in the "Utopia", and the Handmaids tale is about the transitional years to a "Utopian" society.
if the book WAS the same society, then the Handmaids Tale would have taken place in the 50s and 60s in 1984 time.
long story short... no. you didnt have to read 1984.
It would actually be a good idea to read A Handmaid's Tale first and then read 1984. If I'd never read either, I'd probably think it would transition nicely from one to the next.
On another note. Since I started telling women I know that I'm reading a Margaret Atwood book, they all think I'm a feminist now! Thanks a lot Kuzi!
It would actually be a good idea to read A Handmaid's Tale first and then read 1984. If I'd never read either, I'd probably think it would transition nicely from one to the next.
On another note. Since I started telling women I know that I'm reading a Margaret Atwood book, they all think I'm a feminist now! Thanks a lot Kuzi!
.....good book so far though.
yeah... it is a bit on the feminist side... not like a femmanazi thing though.
i just read the first selection. while reading i smoked a 5 vegas relic. thats a darn good smoke. this may be my favorite 5 vegas. ill have to have another one soon to confirm.
without getting into the plot at all here are some thoughts... 1) the spot picked to stop is a great cliffhanger 2) this isnt a feminist book in my opinion. it just happens to be from the point of view from a woman, not a man.
the plot didnt get to far in the first 100 pages, but we did get out of it what we should in a dystopian novel.... an introduction to the main character, and a basid understanding of the society at large.
the main character is part of the first generation in the new society. this society was once the USA, but now seems to be a dictatorship.
we learn that she was once married to a man named luke and had a baby. at one point they two of them in the past were trying to flee to canada but since she isnt in canada we can only assume that she didnt make it. we learn that she was in a school to learn how to be a handmaid (concubine) where the teachers are called "aunts" we also learn the story of how she got to live with the commander, Fred (im not sure it says his name exactly but her name is "Offred" ...Of Fred) and that she remembers the time before often.
her distain for her place in life grows. the red coats and wings to hide her face keep her isolated. he has little contact with anyone. "the ceremony" is horrible but is her entire reason for being there. it is her job to have children for the commander. there is nothing in her life that is hers and she wants to steal something simply because that means that she has some power. the butter patty she slips in her shoe is more utilitarian in nature and its not in her head a symbol of some control there is one person that seems to be a bit of a contrast to Offred, and that is Nick, the commanders driver. we first see him waxing the car and whistling. this is a big deal because he doesnt seem to fit in and because he whistles.
in her efforts to fill some alone time Offred examines the room in minute detail and discovers a message scratched into closet wall fo her room. the message is: Nolite te bastardes carborundorum (very) loosely translated (latin) "dont let the Bastards grind you down" she does not now the translation, but being the nerd i am, i figured it out. its not exactly the correct form, but its close enough.
the last section of the selection we read has the first breaking out moments of Offred. she has made it to the sitting room when she should not be there with the intent of sealing something and runs into nick, who should not be there either. they kiss and some more sexual advancement. its to risky to do much though. Nick tells her that the commander wants to see her in has office the next day.
talk about a cliff hanger...
there is one other interesting theme that i saw. this theme is "Active vs. Passive" there are several occasions where she thinks about things in terms of being active vs passive even if she doesnt use the term "active vs passive" though she does.
a few examples: Lie vs lay --she actually does discuss the difference in this case using the terms "active" and "passive" Freedom to Vs. Freedom From
Sex, making love, rape Vs. **** --the latter being passive for almost all three involved int he ceremony. she is passive because she is just there. there are no emotions "close your eyes and think of england" the commander is passive because it doesnt matter who the girl is. its a detatched action, his wife is passive because she literally just sits there.
Sex and lovemaking have emotional ties and are personal. rape is violent and about power. **** is just an action, impersonal, cold, without spirit.
on that note... im gunna go get some lunch and read more
any thoughts on making the next section to read a bit longer but again a weeks time to read it?
I haven't finished reading my section yet. Too much going on this week with family coming into town for the weekend. I did think this was interesting!
"close your eyes and think of england"
This mixed with the red coats make me wonder if Margaret is hinting that it is England who has established the socialist dictatorship that now possesses the USA. Just a thought. More to come shortly. Have to finish the first section.
This mixed with the red coats make me wonder if Margaret is hinting that it is England who has established the socialist dictatorship that now possesses the USA. Just a thought. More to come shortly. Have to finish the first section.
im not sure about that, but on the dust cover it does say its a theocracy. if that helps/hurts
Comments
"Long ashes my friends."
some have called it that. it was actually written almost 40 years after 1984 was. its not the same author. its not the same people in it.
the only thing that binds them is that they are both dystopian literature. 1984 is about what it is like to live in the "Utopia", and the Handmaids tale is about the transitional years to a "Utopian" society.
if the book WAS the same society, then the Handmaids Tale would have taken place in the 50s and 60s in 1984 time.
long story short... no. you didnt have to read 1984.
it could help though.
On another note. Since I started telling women I know that I'm reading a Margaret Atwood book, they all think I'm a feminist now! Thanks a lot Kuzi!
.....good book so far though.
not like a femmanazi thing though.
to clarify...
VII
Night
page turn
18
"I lie in bed, still trembling. You can...."
thats the first line on page 103. the discussion or comments will be on the things before that page.
thats a darn good smoke. this may be my favorite 5 vegas. ill have to have another one soon to confirm.
without getting into the plot at all here are some thoughts...
1) the spot picked to stop is a great cliffhanger
2) this isnt a feminist book in my opinion. it just happens to be from the point of view from a woman, not a man.
more on the book friday.
the plot didnt get to far in the first 100 pages, but we did get out of it what we should in a dystopian novel.... an introduction to the main character, and a basid understanding of the society at large.
the main character is part of the first generation in the new society. this society was once the USA, but now seems to be a dictatorship.
we learn that she was once married to a man named luke and had a baby. at one point they two of them in the past were trying to flee to canada but since she isnt in canada we can only assume that she didnt make it. we learn that she was in a school to learn how to be a handmaid (concubine) where the teachers are called "aunts"
we also learn the story of how she got to live with the commander, Fred (im not sure it says his name exactly but her name is "Offred" ...Of Fred) and that she remembers the time before often.
her distain for her place in life grows. the red coats and wings to hide her face keep her isolated. he has little contact with anyone. "the ceremony" is horrible but is her entire reason for being there. it is her job to have children for the commander. there is nothing in her life that is hers and she wants to steal something simply because that means that she has some power. the butter patty she slips in her shoe is more utilitarian in nature and its not in her head a symbol of some control
there is one person that seems to be a bit of a contrast to Offred, and that is Nick, the commanders driver. we first see him waxing the car and whistling. this is a big deal because he doesnt seem to fit in and because he whistles.
in her efforts to fill some alone time Offred examines the room in minute detail and discovers a message scratched into closet wall fo her room. the message is: Nolite te bastardes carborundorum
(very) loosely translated (latin) "dont let the Bastards grind you down"
she does not now the translation, but being the nerd i am, i figured it out. its not exactly the correct form, but its close enough.
the last section of the selection we read has the first breaking out moments of Offred. she has made it to the sitting room when she should not be there with the intent of sealing something and runs into nick, who should not be there either. they kiss and some more sexual advancement. its to risky to do much though. Nick tells her that the commander wants to see her in has office the next day.
talk about a cliff hanger...
there is one other interesting theme that i saw.
this theme is "Active vs. Passive"
there are several occasions where she thinks about things in terms of being active vs passive even if she doesnt use the term "active vs passive" though she does.
a few examples:
Lie vs lay --she actually does discuss the difference in this case using the terms "active" and "passive"
Freedom to Vs. Freedom From
Sex, making love, rape Vs. **** --the latter being passive for almost all three involved int he ceremony. she is passive because she is just there. there are no emotions "close your eyes and think of england"
the commander is passive because it doesnt matter who the girl is. its a detatched action, his wife is passive because she literally just sits there.
Sex and lovemaking have emotional ties and are personal. rape is violent and about power.
**** is just an action, impersonal, cold, without spirit.
on that note... im gunna go get some lunch and read more
any thoughts on making the next section to read a bit longer but again a weeks time to read it?
"close your eyes and think of england"
This mixed with the red coats make me wonder if Margaret is hinting that it is England who has established the socialist dictatorship that now possesses the USA. Just a thought. More to come shortly. Have to finish the first section.
All of william gibson's stuff..the movie the matrix ripped off all of his concepts...
Brave new World - Aldus Huxley
Neal Stephenson - diamond age / snow crash
There is also the orginal BBC live TV broadcast of 1984...very good
I have a buch of these books, if someone cant find em and wants em I can send em too you.....trade like...