Lit Devices

Question 1

Speculative fiction

Answer 1

Fiction involving supernatural elements in a world other then the real world - eg. Handmaid’s tale is based off 1980s society + influence of Regan Revolution - but imports in extra elements (eg. terrorist attack, i.e ‘the President’s Day Massacare’ - orchestrated by Sons of Jacob, excessive fanatacism over christian beliefs )

Question 2

Allegory

Answer 2

Fictional narrative which brings meaning - The Handmaid’s tale is an allegory for….(the danger in conflating religion with politics, the nuances, contradictions and idealism of feminism, from anti-feminist to radical feminist, inherent evil of a system of power, how power is manipulated to assert control, causes of complacency, sexuality as innately natural, shortcomings of utalitarianism, and relevatism - the ability to judge a culture from an onlooker’s perspective)

Question 3

Epigraph

Answer 3

phrase or quotation at top of chapter - eg. epigraph at start of book, repeated throughout the ceremony - the whole concept that the society is constructed off

Question 4

Unreliable narrator

Answer 4

Narrator that cannot be trusted in their narration - Offred cannot be trusted in her ability to retell events, clearly some time into future that she’s recalling this - why is it significant in scheme of novel? intrinsic link between control and power to some extent, having the ability/freedom to write an express herself in an artistic format also means that she exhibits the full creative control over her story - she can choose to omit key moments in her history, insert passages of what she wishes took place - ethically ambiguous - what is Atwood saying about society - a tendency to reinvent ourselves to both conform to social expectations, but also, to avoid past mistakes

Moreover, even Offred’s unreliable narration conveys this intrinsic link between control and power. Possessing the powerful ability of self-expression and “insert quote here” Offred can omit and insert circumstances into her own history, completely changings its’ course with full creative control. Drenching her language with a …. tone, Atwood exemplifies this “” as not only a reinvention of history, but of Offred herself, as she warps truth and reality presumably to conceal the moral ambiguity of the meetings. Harshly contrasted from her intensely realistic depiction of the acts of institutionalised sexual assault experienced on a day to day basis, its’ this new need to shield the truth and

a romantic sensibility that harshly contrasts to the

Question 5

Central narrative

Answer 5

Primary plot that’s take place - the central narrative of the Handmaid’s Tale is Offred’s journey of survival as a lower-class citizen in a theocratic totalitarianist state

Question 6

First person narration

Answer 6

Story told from first perspective - namely Offred’s

Question 7

Ambiguous

Answer 7

Use of the unknown - ie. the ambiguity to Offred’s ending mirrors the countless unknown fates of women throughout history, alluding to the missing bodies, untold stories, and families tormented by this ‘unknown.’

Question 8

Polysemic terminology

Answer 8

Words capable of lots of meanings
eg. fruitful - bears many meanings in Gilead’s discourse - refers to both productivity, fertility, and biblically alludes to ‘evangelism’ a9the process of conversion to christian faith

Question 9

Irony

Answer 9

Situation contrasting to reality - eg. the irony within the fact that her television career, preaching for women to be reduced speechless, is taken at face value, and for once she is silenced - silence is a key idea here in the text, silence of news, oppressed into silence, what does silent produce? complicity, lack of hope

Question 10

Imagery

Answer 10

Visual depictions of environment - the elaborate detail to Atwood’s imagery of Serena Joy’s room crafts a sense of isolation, guilt, and resentment

Question 11

Intertextual references

Answer 11

THE BIBLE - BIGGEST ONE YET - countless interpretations of words, puritan values, etc.
George Orwell’s 1984 - manipulation of language, propaganda, ‘thought crime’ - methods of seizing control - similar to that of Handmaid’s Tale - both inspired by current events and bleak outlook to future - very different interpretations

Question 12

Non-chronological sequence

Answer 12

Not set in the exact sequence of how the story occurred

why important? - could be general commentary on the assorted, jumbled historical accounts - commentary on the need to look back into the past at specific moments in time - why is it flashbacking now? why not later? what point in the story is this a valuable tool?

Question 13

Flashback

Answer 13

Story tells of moment in the past - context + exposition + worldbuilding + times predating Gilead - could be source of comfort but already recognised that it’s unlikely so - potentially, Offred is seeking to come to terms with passing - feeling the blame to her daughter, her husband

Question 14

Limited hindsight

Answer 14

Incomplete understanding of events - readers are left with a limited hindsight over the ending to Gilead

Question 15

Omissions

Answer 15

Things left out of the text - the ommisions to her narrative

Question 16

Stream of conciousness narrative

Answer 16

Writer tries to mimic the stream of consciousness - typically accomplished through sensory imagery, unconventional punctuation use,
why do we have it in this section? - typically a demonstration of the mundanity to day to day life - not some macho overqualified heroine toppling entire totalitarian society - foil to these cariacutures, imitation of everyday individual in everyday society)

Question 17

Aphorism

Answer 17

An expressive statement containing general truth - i,e the faux aphorism “dont let the bastards grind you down” - grind could be reference to flesh implications, bastards - illegitimate - let - implies that they even have a choice to avoid this -you - specifically targeting an individual

Question 18

Neologism + Portmanteau phrasing -

Answer 18

Newly coined meaning for traditional word - eg. salvaging, Portmanteau phrasing - combining two existing words to make a new one - eg. particution - participating in execution

Question 19

Euphemism

Answer 19

more mild word substitute for harsh phrase eg. passed away, “let you go” - seeks to trivialise them, shows his own powerlessness, but also, immediately viewed as lesser humans ,

Question 20

Conceit

Answer 20

Surprising/drastic comparison, often used humorously - if hair be wires, black wires on her head

Question 21

Tropes

Answer 21

pinnacles of a particular genre

Question 22

Hyperbaton

Answer 22

normal words are rearranged to create specific effect - eg. bright as the sun, her eyes the gazers strike

Question 23

Periphrasis

Answer 23

Seriees of complex words to describe what could be said in one - eg. elongated yellow fruit instead of banana

Question 24

Synecdoche

Answer 24

Describing someone using one body part/characteristic

Question 25

Syllepsis

Answer 25

Using one verb to describe multiple objects/actions, where it wouldn't work in a normal sentence to have that verb applied to everything eg. they saw lots of lightning and thunder - can't see thunder

Question 26

Erotema

Answer 26

Asking a question of the reader themselves

Question 27

Synaesthesia

Answer 27

Describing an object with a sensory input in an impossible way - eg. I could taste the lasting sweet saltiness of the colour blue

Question 28

Antithesis

Answer 28

Two opposing ideas within a single sentence - good men cherish family, evil men seek to destroy it

Question 29

Anaphora

Answer 29

Repetition of starting sounds/words/clauses to sentence - For what person? For what society? For what woman?

Question 30

Pathetic Fallalcy

Answer 30

Given objects human emotions - eg. the angry storm clouds rolled in