Power

Question 1

What affects power?

Answer 1

Gender, identity, class, rebellion, and religion

Question 2

What are the 4 ways power can be expressed?

Answer 2

Power Over- associated with coercion, force, and corruption. A situation where having power means taking power from someone else. Can perpetrate inequality and injustice (Commander)

Power With- Collaborative. Working with others together to achieve a common goal (Ofglen)

Power To- Individualistic. A person’s potential to make change (Moira)

Power Within- A person’s agency and ability to make change. Wants people to realise they have power to shape their own life (Offred)

Question 3

The Commander and Offred’s relationship- power over

Answer 3

The Commander is an archetype of power. He is wealthy, white, Christian, and male: all of the things that Gilead values. His name is symbolic of this

Question 4

The Commander and Power

Answer 4

Atwood uses The Commander to portray gender power dynamics.
Offred’s only power is forgiveness- link to Christianity, key principle, the Commander can be forgiven if he breaks a rule but Offred can’t

‘The Commander could give me away so easily, by a look, by a gesture” (Chapter 26)- can’t say no,. under constant threat of death if she breaks the rules, the Commander’s power over her dictates her survival

“It’s difficult for me to believe I have power over him, of any sort, but I do; although it’s of an equivocal kind” (Chapter 32)- power over is always a struggle; one person can have it and the others must fight for it

Jezebels- “The fact is that I don’t want to be alone with him, not on a bed […] But my silence does not deter him […] The trouble is that I can’t be, with him, any different from the way I usually am with him” (Chapter 39)- both away from the formalities and restrictions of their roles but the Commander still has power over Offred regardless of where they are, Offred attempts to use body language to show she is uncomfortable but completely ignores the signals as he is in control

Question 5

Ofglen- power with

Answer 5

Ofglen and Offred’s relationship, however, demonstrates the potential power of companionship and alliances
The idea of “power with” centres around solidarity, empowerment, and shared power; it often leads to collective action.
Find power with each other (Ofglen and Offred)

Question 6

Power and companionship

Answer 6

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