the commander Flashcards
high ranking official
played a large role in its construction yet “he was so sad”
breaks many laws, including going to Jezebel’s and spending time with Offred
misogynistic attitudes
he attributes them to “nature”
however, he cares for Offred’s well being and often wants her opinion - but she believes she is only “a whim” for him
turned in
the commander can’t turn Offred in without revealing himself
she is then more willing to rebel
explanation for Gilead
when the commander explains Gilead, he leaves out religion
he imagines it was founded to help men get over their sexual issues- believes a good reason but it reveals his own anxieties
shows that sexism can come from fear of the power of women, not just out of disdain for them
the club
he believes that it looks like the old days- shows his misunderstanding of the days before
the main difference between the societies for him is the women’s clothes, instead of rights and freedom
in his view,
men are powerless to control their sexuality and therefore must control women in order to control themselves
misogynistic attitude
“everything this evening is little. He wishes to diminish things, myself included”
Atwood
reveals the dangers of utopian thinking as “utopian thinkers are willing to sacrifice the basic human rights of the individual in order to bring about the perceived good of many” - Matthew Bolton
