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With power comes opportunity (Chapter 36)

Power is what one makes of it. It is relative, and can be used and manipulated to the heart's content. Let's say you have been given a knife. What would you do with it? Some might think things like cut vegetables, mince herbs, carve wood, while others' first thought would be murder. Holding a knife gives you power, and you can manipulate that power to achieve your end goal.
In chapter 36 of Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale, it is shown that Commander Fred is in this particular situation. He holds power over Offred, Nick and Serena in more ways than one, and in this chapter in particular, I believe it is more clearly shown than ever. Take for example when the commander gives her the feathered suit. He did something similar, with the magazines, many chapters back. Commander Fred has power in society, and uses it to acquire things that are normally illegal, then to smuggle his handmaids out - which is very illegal and demonstrates just how much he manipulates power to his advantage.
But this isn’t the only instance where the Commander shows us how he manipulates power. Take as example the car ride; throughout the time they were in the car, the Commander showed fake passes and smuggled Offred out, without anyone noticing. If that doesn’t prove how he can manipulate power to obtain what he wants, then I don’t know what does.

To add to this, I can mention that the fact that Wives aren’t allowed to go passed a certain point is also a great example of manipulation of power. Arranging for what I assume is a sex club to be lawfully inaccessible for Wives is a pure demonstration of the Commander’s use of power to fulfill personal goals.

Commentaires

  1. Anonyme18 novembre 2018 à 18:50

    I, for sure agree with you on how when given the opportunity for control, some will take advantage in order to gain power or manipulate it. Although, the Commander isn’t the only one guilty of this, surprisingly so is Offred. It’s almost as if they’re both fooling each other, hence Offred using his guilt to her own advantage to get information and the Commander using her in reason of his lack of intimacy. In fact, it’s quite normal for us human beings to take any chance we get to benefit ourselves and satisfy our needs.

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  2. Anonyme19 novembre 2018 à 19:35

    I think you have a great introduction with a strong idea setting up the rest of your blog, yet I feel like it was not properly utilized throughout the examples which could have been more developed. Though I understand they might have been limited, going deeper into the already great main idea could have greatly improved the blog. Also, I feel as though the development was cut off and short-lived. In brief, I feel like the idea was there, but the lack of good examples in the chapter made it difficult to properly support the intended concept.

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