Explore The Narrative Techniques Used By Atwood To Portray The Inner Life Of Offered In ‘The Handmaid's Tale'.
The narrative style and structure of ‘The Handmaid's Tale' is something very unique to the novel. Atwood has used a complex structure of four different time scales; the most prominent is the first person present tense, where she is a member of the Gilead community and living in the Commander's house:
"Nothing takes place in bed but sleep; or no sleep. I try not to think too much. Like other things, thought must be rationedÂ…I intend to last."
This narrative allows experiences to be filtered through Offred's mind, and for the reader to empathise with her trials as she attempts to find confidence within herself and with her new found rebellion. In this way, we get to know her inner-most thoughts ("This is what I feel like: this sound of glass. I feel like the word shatter."). For example, we get to know what Offred thinks about when she kisses the Commander in Chapter thirty-two:
"When I kiss him goodnightÂ…his breath smells of alcohol, and I breathe it in like smoke, I......
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Approximate Word Count: 2009
Approximate Pages: 9 (250 words per double-spaced page)
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Explore The Narrative Techniques Used By Atwood To Portray The ...
Explore the narrative techniques used by Atwood to portray the inner life
of Offered in ‘The Handmaid's Tale'. The narrative style ...
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