Power in all its Complexity

If I asked you to define power, what words and definition would you use? At first, it might seem easy, but with further reflexion, you would realize that the word is in fact an ambiguous concept. Throughout the centuries, power took on different forms and meanings, leaving us without a true visualisation of its concept. Many would see it as control and abuse of others, which has caused many wars and conflicts since the beginning of mankind. Others may define the idea of power as being able to make decisions that will affect the lives of many, either with positive or negative consequences, just like leaders of countries. However, in chapter 22 of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale, the characters are able to manipulate others in a self-serving way, thus showing that power is not established by a title; it is defined by one’s action, towards themselves or others.

I think Atwood does a brilliant job at revealing Gilead’s manipulation of power through her exploration of different characters, even those who seem to have secondary roles. Moira serves as a prime example when she decides to run away from the Red Centre. “Don’t move, said Moira, or I’ll stick it all the way in, I know where, I’ll puncture your lung.” (163) Taking Aunt Elizabeth in hostage not only shows Moira’s rejection of her rank, it also consisted of the first real act of rebellion encountered in the plot. It made me realize that some people in the Republic had not yet accepted their fate; they were still fighting, refusing to let others dictate their lives; they were not going to act as Handmaids, Marthas or anything that would lower them in the eyes of society. On another note, we can observe in the novel that it is not hierarchy pushing people to obey the law: it is the constant fear and mental abuse. In fact, psychological manipulation is evident in Janine’s character, who is pressured to reveal information about Moira’s escape. She is taken apart from the group, chosen as the seemingly weakest link of the group of young women.  “[...] she thought Janine had been broken, she thought Janine was a true believer. But by that time Janine was like a puppy that’s been kicked too often, by too many people, at random: she’d roll over for anyone, she’d tell anything, just for a moment of approbation.” (162) Thus, it is not because she was a Handmaid and that Lydia was an Aunt that Janine chose to help her supervisor, rather it is the fact that she had been put down, humiliated and reduced to almost nothing repeatedly that she would have betrayed her own, her “sisters”. The physical and emotional toll had destroyed her freewill and sense of loyalty. Continuing on the subject of abuse of power, the characters show that the consequences of such acts have long term effects on the victims’ lives; they do not appear overnight. It is a slow and inconspicuous force that is undetected until it is too late. By the time a person can observe its symptoms, the damage is already done. “Moira was like an elevator with open sides. She made us dizzy. Already we were losing the taste for freedom, already we were finding these walls secure.” (167) Once again, it is not their social status as Handmaids that has made them accept this life; it is the constant oppression that has made them fear freedom. Similarly to the Stockholm syndrome, these women have accustomed themselves to their new routines, thus emphasizing the point that power lies within actions, in this case repeated tyranny.

All things considered, even though this chapter did not directly advance the plot, I think without a doubt that it greatly defined one of the novel’s principal themes. The use of actions to demonstrate power not only gives us an insight on the author’s vision of society, it incites a reflexion. While the plot of the story is clearly an exaggeration of society's’ flaws, it still makes me wonder how far we really are from this reality. These past years, tension between world leaders has only increased. If a catastrophic event or major conflict would occur, could they potentially resort to such measures?