Comments for AP English Literature and Composition

Comment on The Handmaid’s Tale by LM

LM — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 02:34:03 +0000

Throughout reading The Handmaid’s Tale I recognized that a major theme is how compliant Offred is and what she will do in order to preserve her hope of one day returning to her former life. Although Offred describes many negative aspects of Gilead throughout the novel, she complies to all of the ridiculous rules and regulations of Gilead in return for a small glimpse of hope. Agreeing to secretly meet with the Commander, having an affair with Nick, and even having conversations with Ofglen puts Offred’s life at risk. However, she is willingly compliant with any illegal action as long as it reassures her hopes of returning to her former life.

Comment on The Handmaid’s Tale by CW

CW — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:09:29 +0000

I think one of the most disturbing parts of the novel was the flashback to the gymnasium, when the handmaids in training were being told to shout and blame another girl for getting raped. Never, ever is a woman “asking for it.” Rape is not a sexual act. Rape happens because men want to aggressively assert power and victimize someone. Rape does not occur because a woman dresses a certain way. No style of clothing is ever the cause of victimization or brutality. Yet, in Gilead, gender violence was because of too many freedoms on behalf of the women. In the book, the role of men did not change very much. However, women became further marginalized, subjugated, and made into objects all while being told it was for their own good. It was safer this way. By punishing the victim, the evils of gender violence would never have been stopped. That was what got under my skin about this book.

Comment on Gulliver’s Travels by CW

CW — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 02:01:08 +0000

I agree with AK. The war between Lilliput and Blefuscu was preposterous, but what was more preposterous, and in my mind profound, was the fact that the warring nations were once one. Essentially families fighting their own, this satires the relationship between such constantly warring European nations as France and England.

Comment on The Handmaid’s Tale by CW

CW — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:59:20 +0000

The last point CE brought up was an interesting one. If we were women during this “anarchy” with the level of gender violence described in the novel (certainly exaggerated), would we be more open to this lifestyle? The tug of war between security and liberty throughout the novel, and the society’s extreme leaning toward the former, made me keep thinking of the famous Ben Franklin quote: “Those Who Sacrifice Liberty For Security Deserve Neither.” In Gilead, women were entirely without liberty (and I am speaking of active liberty, not of that “freedom from” business) but were, paradoxically, without security. Security certainly means safety from violent regimes, etc. But in Gilead, dissenters were brutally beaten, publicly executed, or forced to slave away over dead and dying bodies as punishment. So it seems that the Ben Franklin adage proved true: those who sacrificed liberty in exchange for security, really did end up with neither.

Comment on Gulliver’s Travels by CE

CE — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 01:55:39 +0000

As said in previous posts, I believe that on all the islands, an exaggerated trait that all humans share is displayed. For instance, on the first island the people were immediately afraid of Gulliver and jumped to restraining him before he could do them any harm simply because of his size. He proved to them, a short time later, that he had no wish to hurt them by releasing the soldiers that shot at him, after being ordered not to do so. It is sad to imagine that as humans, we automatically jump to the worst possible outcome or situation that could arise. Even in our society today, people are constantly accusing others of having cruel intentions or only looking to benefit themselves. It is on the last island that Gulliver can see the good that we all posses. In his first hours on the island, Gulliver finds himself under attack from a heard of the goat-like animals and a horse that he has no relation to whatsoever comes to his rescue. This is much unlike the inhabitants of the first island. Here, they didn’t wait to determine if someone wasn’t bad, but instead assumed they were of good heart unless proven otherwise. Overall, I thought the comparison of humans to their lesser attributes was discussed well through the novel.

Comment on Gulliver’s Travels by $-Money

$-Money — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 23:13:45 +0000

During the course of reading Gulliver’s Travels, I came upon a quote which I marked for its importance. This quote is in regards to the world’s history and how it is passed through the generations.
“I was chiefly disgusted with modern history. For having strictly examined all the persons of greatest name in the courts of princes for an hundred years past, I found how the world had been misled by prostitute writers, to ascribe the greatest exploits in war to cowards, the wisest counsel to fools, sincerity to flatterers, Roman virtue to betrayers of their country, piety to atheists, chastity to sodomites, truth to informers” (Swift 216).
Gulliver brings up a very valid point about how some of history was written wrongly by historians. Although not to the great extent as in the book, this made me wonder how much of the history we read and learn about in Today’s history books is actually true, and what falsities are now taken in by Today’s youth. History is a subject that probably always has a bias to some extent, whether on purpose or unintentionally. We should be careful when we go to engorge ourselves with stories of the past and make sure the sources are creditable to some degree. It is very interesting to think of all the history learnt over the course of my schooling and wonder what portions are absolutely true and what portions are far from the actual happenings of the past.

Comment on The Handmaid’s Tale by NL

NL — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 21:31:18 +0000

After reading what CE has said, I do agree that this society may seem a safe haven to some. In fact, most of the people found themselves perfectly fine with their new stature or position. I wouldn’t believe the Commander or his chauffeur were complaining any about their accommodations. But for Offred, her idea of going through the motions and following habit was to be by her husband’s side and to care for her child. That was her normal, humdrum life that she was accustomed to. Only when she was forced out of her home and had her family taken did she begin to get accustomed to her more sheltered life. She, like her mother and Moira, were brought up in the believe that women had the right to choose. Now she not only was stripped of her ability to choose, but she didn’t even have her beloved family and friends by her anymore. So she had to accept her new life as her new habit; her new status quot. That’s why I believed she took all of the events that befell her in stride. She already knew she had no choice in the matter. But CE makes a solid point in saying that further generations wouldn’t feel the same as Offred. They wouldn’t have memories of lipstick and love and wearing the clothes they like. Their memories would be of their society, and not a life like Offred’s previous life. It’s horrifying to think of, but at some point in this future, these children will be happy with their predetermined fates.

Comment on Gulliver’s Travels by AK

AK — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 16:06:38 +0000

I agree with IK and $-Money, as what they were saying went together really well. I think that the novel uses exaggerations of human nature and these fantastical cultures to prove a point about our society. For example, I thought one of the funniest things in the novel was the war between Lilliput and Blefuscu over the way one is supposed to break eggs. It seems silly, but aren’t there wars fought over insignificant things in our world? It seems ridiculous when we consider the fictional war but the satire in the novel is supposed to channel this ridiculousness into a lesson about how we are. And along with what IK says, Gulliver does become more disillusioned as the novel goes on, as if he is living this satire and seeing the flaws within his own culture because of what he experienced–to the extent that he decides he never wants to return to his world. I thought these two instances of satire were pretty interesting.

Comment on The Handmaid’s Tale by IK

IK — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 14:41:30 +0000

I completely agree with you! There are many similarities between the women in the Handmaids Tale and in the Middle East. How women in both must cover up almost their entire bodies and are under the rule of males. Maybe some of them are happy and are like the “true believers” in the book, and they think that their society is right. I can’t imagine being happy while being forced, in most cases, to hide myself and be treated as a lesser person. But then again it is part of their culture and who are we to judge?

Comment on The Handmaid’s Tale by CE

CE — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 03:22:33 +0000

In response to NL, I find it interesting that you see the world that Offred lived in to be the regression of a society that had previously existed. As humans, I believe that we are creatures of habit, those that go through the motions of the formalities of the life that has been dealt to us. As was said in the novel, it would be the hardest for the first generation of women to adjust with the changes being presented to them. After that, the younger ones would not know that anything had been or should be different. Offred even says, “I realize how unaccustomed I am to seeing [make-up], on women, because their eyes look too big to me…” (Atwood 235). I understand that it had only been a couple of years the change occurred, but imagine what a life time would do. Young women would no nothing of the olden days. So I don’t know if I would agree with you that it was a regression. I do agree that there are flaws, as all societies have, but do you think that if we were from a different upbringing, one that was full of horror and chaos, that we would view this “utopia” as a safe-haven? Just a thought.