The Handmaids tale

[DumbledoresArmy]

Anyone else planning on watching this at 9pm on channel 4?

It wasn't even a salvaging in the TV show, even though they said it was. Just a particicution.

I hated the eye thing - watching now. It makes me worried how much extra yuk stuff will be added as it's bad enough.

Noeuf I do think the TV serialisation is a lot for shock value. But I suppose Atwood has given the go ahead for different interpretation and additions.

I didn't think her daughter's name Hannah, was mentioned in the book though!

Tbh, I had forgotten that someone didnt get their eye taken out in the book, but I might have been getting mixed up with a character who got her feet beaten with metal wires or something? I guess that shows the book is pretty shocking in its other respects.

I was trying to think of who the actress playing Serena joy reminded me of and then I realised it was.......Sarah Beeny!

I spent ages trying to work out where I've seen the Serena Joy actor before. I looked her up and she was in Dexter.

I watched the channel 4 episode last night then binged on the Hulu episodes up to episode 7 until 4am! It's so good, I can't wait for the next one.

Her daughter's name wasn't mentioned in the book.

Janice did not lose an eye. Moore was beaten on the feet, but I think we will still see that yet...

Janice? We're talking about Handmaid, stupid tablet, not Friends!

JANINE even.

*Super
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I'm just a bit useless at this stuff and don't really like it visually

Just watched it. Ahh! I loved the book. A bit shocked that lots of people haven't read it/heard of it. But its a a-level text right? I was convinced it was gcse...

So so good. I love the actress who plays moira. Loved her in oitnb.

Yes A level text. I hope it still is when ds does his A levels.

I think I'm in the minority here. It's bringing back all the issues I had with it and the flaws in the system Atwood devises. And I don't like it enough to see past that and read/watch it as a feminist text.

But the silver lining is it has reminded me that I also read Angela Carter at the time so I'm off to download The Magic Toyshop

Tell us more about the flaws, Noeuf - it would be interesting to hear.

Yes please elaborate.

Question .

I've not been a fan of her writing but was mesmerised last night. The reason I don't like the dystopian style is that it throws up so many questions and I end up pondering and not enjoying the story itself.

If I try the book, will I be left questioning everything, or are the questions answered? For example, is the backstory to the current state of affairs clearly explained? Are the 'rules' laid out in the book? Or are you left going ??? (And I don't mean in a societal way, I mean in terms of really getting the plot/purpose/background)

Some stuff is explained, some is not.

We don't really find out about what happened to the old world, just that the government was overthrown and the President assassinated. Some things are left, purposely, ambiguous, but that's one of the things about dystopia fiction. MA calls is speculative fiction because everything in the book has already happened somewhere and could easily happen again.

Am wading through 9 pages, but this comment by a PP already jumped out:

I always imagined the shop to look like a old-fashioned greengrocers.

I agree. The supermarket was too big, too well stocked. If they had to use a supermarket, it should look more like those Russian supermarkets in the 80s with lots of empty aisles. The book exudes scarcity and austerity. This was too much like now.

Other things that irked:

• Serena Joy and the Commander are waaay too young compared to the book, although Fiennes is easy on the eye.

• Nick far too familiar with Offred. He rarely speaks to her in the book and only for perfunctory reasons. There's no chit chat like in episode one.

• I am finding the jumping around plot-wise frustrating. There is a much slower build in the book for the thaw between Offred and Ofglen.

• Where is the 2nd Martha (name escapes me)?

I do think it's captured the suffocating oppression of the book, though, and the hypocrisy of the Gilead theocracy. Eg low status man beaten to death for raping a woman, Commanders doing exactly that in the ceremonies. I also caught the Margaret Atwood cameo in ep 1.

The most depressing thing is that lots of policies like the ones in the book are cropping up in the US media at the moment. Sadly, I don't think it would take much for the US to become Gilead.

Gripping and wonderful.

I read the book in the 80's. Need to re-read it.

One of my favourite books.

The deviation from the book has in no way diminished the impact of the story. Really fantastic, atmospheric adaptation. Wonderful acting.

Donald Trump is probably watching Handmaid as a documentary on 'how to run your country like a big boy'.

*Something and goddess
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I'm really reluctant to get into saying something and then having to argue it, so I'd rather not: its a very long time since I did my Eng Lit degree!

Just some of the stuff pp have said, and if I recall correctly I had loads of what ifs and things. For example, the wholesale buy in from everyone in such a short time is one - I know there's a similarity to Germany and people turning a blind eye or being scared but I'm just not convinced about the power balance.

Do you think men will watch this and feel ashamed?

Sorry got distracted by fighting dc

Things like lots of 121 stuff which would be a breeding ground for plotting, the very quick acceptance of a new way of life, the weird sex/threesome thing - I don't know I just can't get into it whereas with something like 1984 I totally bought it.

I think the men too are oppressed in the book. I remember something about them not being allowed to masterbatw so instead they might rub themselves against a tree.
The women and men at the top are oppressing those at the bottom. Reminds me of ' some animals are created more equal than others' in animal farm. How could one woman allow another to be raped? The aunts for example.

I don't think men will feel guilty. Those who are misogynistic are unlikely to accept this as important. Those who do feel guilty probably don't need to feel it. I could be wrong,but it's my opinion.

We talked about all of this at college and people didn't believe that anyone would just accept things changing like that.

But in the book Offred says that there were protests when things began to change and people were shot dead, so the protests stopped.

With the Handmaid, like Offred, if they've taken your children, your family, would you openly fight back or would you be secretly rebellious in the hope of getting your child back? See, I'm 43, so I'm too old to be a Handmaid but I was also never married to my children's Dad, so they'd take my 3 away. If I fought back, I'd be sent to the colonies. If I accepted my fate, I'd probably be a Martha. Stay in Gilead and hope to see my kids again.

Plus, Eyes everywhere. They made it so that you can't trust anyone. How do you fight back if you're alone?

I think MA has done a very skilful job of cresting a world that could definitely happen.

And as for men feeling guilty. The ones who feel guilty will be the ones who already understand about female oppression and support us. I'm thinking of one of my favourite guitarists here, who went on the Women's March this year. I love him to bits. He donated to the Manchester fund last week too. Great bloke. He'd get it.

The ones who need to pay attention, won'the. They'll never see past 'silly women and their silly ideas' and 'some women need putting in their place'. A female friend at college this week told me her partner didn't understand why she was emotional about it. He didn't get it and didn't care.