Symbols in The Handmaid's Tale

Margaret Atwood's dystopian novel "The Handmaid's Tale" is rich with symbolism, each element carefully chosen to deepen the narrative and highlight the themes of oppression, identity, and resistance. Let's dive into some of the most significant symbols in the book and explore their meanings.

The Color Red

One of the most striking symbols in the novel is the color red, which is prominently associated with the Handmaids.

The Handmaids are forced to wear red dresses, symbolizing their role as fertile women in a society obsessed with procreation. However, the red also carries connotations of:

• Menstrual blood and childbirth
• The scarlet letter from Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, marking women as sinners
• Danger and warning signs
• Passion and forbidden desire

"I get up out of the chair, advance my feet into the sunlight, in their red shoes, flat-heeled to save the spine and not for dancing."

This quote highlights how even the Handmaids' shoes are red, emphasizing their complete immersion in this symbolic color and its associated meanings.

The Eye

The Eye is both a symbol and an organization within Gilead. As a symbol, it represents:

• Constant surveillance
• God's watchful presence
• The loss of privacy and individual freedom

The symbol of the Eye appears throughout the novel, from the Handmaids' wings that limit their vision to the actual logo of the secret police.

"The Angels of the Apocalypse, the Eyes of God, they're called."

This quote demonstrates how the regime blends religious imagery with its oppressive practices, making the Eye a potent symbol of theocratic totalitarianism.

The Handmaid's Outfit

The Handmaid's distinctive outfit, consisting of the red dress, white wings, and red shoes, is a powerful symbol in itself. It represents:

• Loss of individuality
• Restricted vision and knowledge
• The commodification of women's bodies