A Comparison of the Future: The Handmaid's Tale and The Children of Men

Introduction

There is environmental destruction shown in both the Handmaid's Tale and the Children of Men. It is an endemic for both societies and mankind is at threat of extinction. The grim nature of the dystopian worlds does not show hope for mankind. There is a lot of unhappiness among the people. This paper is a comparison of the Handmaid's Tale and the Children of Men.

Discussion

The Handmaid's Tale has a number of themes, but the most important is that of power. People with power are able to manipulate the weak. The story is set in a state called Gilead, which is a theocratic dictatorship. In a theocratic dictatorship, the imposition of power is from the top. There is no hope that someone will come and save the oppressed. People do not have the chance to appeal against an order or protect themselves legally from the government. Due to the rise in infertility rates, the handmaids have to bear children for the elite. The protagonist, Offred, is a handmaid who serves the Commander and his wife. Offered is confined to the premises of the Commander's house and can only leave the house for shopping. When she does go for shopping, the guards are keeping watch of her every move. There is no freedom in the world that exists. Women are made to obey the orders of men and do not rebel for their betterment. There is constant surveillance in the streets and outside the homes in Gilead.

The overall story is dark and unhappy, and there is a sense of fear and paranoia among the people. The major conflict in the story is the subjugation of women and the prevalence of sexual slavery of women like Offred. The handmaids desire to be happy and free, but she has to struggle against the restrictions imposed by the society.

The formation of Gilead was to control reproduction, because of the rising concern of declining birthrates. Due to this the state's whole structure was focused toward controlling reproduction. The structure includes the religious trapping and the political hierarchy. In the need for controlling reproduction, the government took complete control of women's bodies. They made women political instruments. The women were not allowed to vote or buy property or read or do a job. All this was banned for them so that they do not develop ...