"Acrobat"

Just to let everyone know: I just wrote such a long essay and it said Server was Busy and guess what? Bye, bye paper.


Besides just the single statement being found right in the depths of The Handmaid's Tale from U2's song, the focus behind the music and story are so incredibly similar. In the novel, we are presented with this internal struggle which occurs strictly because of outside forces medeling in the lives of innocent people. Thrown from a rather "free" life to a very oppressed society, our main character Offred fights to find not only a place in life again, but her meaning because the life she is leading is far from satisfying. In the song they say right away, "Don't believe what you hearDon't believe what you seeIf you just close your eyesYou can feel the enemyWhen I first met you girlYou had fire in your soul". The way it states close your eyes, you can feel the enemy reminds me of the times of the Ceremony when Offred closes her eyes because this is unknown enemy territory. What she is allowing to be done to her body is not right and she knows it, can feel the enemy. The use of such diction enforces the idea of force in the song and book. The girl the song was first introduced to reminds me of the Offred before the time of Gilead. The girl, or woman, who attempted escape. Within Gilead, there is no fire in people's souls: they just "live as usual" (56) and try to be accustomed to what is going on because it is hard to escape that life. Moira, on the other hand, still has that passion until she is caught again. For a while she does not let them put out her flame but rather they fuel her fire.

The choice of words and mood in both the novel and song are pretty blunt. Oppression is present and the diction the song-writers and Atwood use are harsh (ex: bastards, grind, throw it up). They are extremely effective in that the listener/reader realizes how harsh these living conditions are.

In the song it states, "I know you'd hit out If you only knew who to hit And I'd join the movement If there was one I could believe in". This statement emphasizes the confusion faced by the narrator or character. There are so many inner emotions conflicted within our characters in the novel. Offred feels emotions for everyone and understands they are facing difficulties of their own dealing with this new oppression. So who does she root for, what side should she follow? She even states of the Ceremony, "Which of us is it worse for, her or me?" (95). She sees it is bad for herself but it is a horendous situation on everyone's part. Also the society in general is convincing. Actually, brainwashing is a better term. They show the women (or girls) the most horrific events that occured before Gilead that they are confused into believing that maybe this is better; a life where they do not have to fear rape or being sexually exploited. The emotions swirling inside these people makes them want to be for something, but what choices can they be for when there are none?

The acrobat part reminds me of the internal struggle in Offred. She blatanly admits to not wanting to do certain things, but then "acts like that" and goes off and does them. Also the Commander, who puts on an innocent face playing scrabble but has the audacity to take her to a whore house.

On another note, the song acrobat poses optimism through all the turmoil as does Atwood in the novel. In the song, they say "And you can dream So dream out loud And you can find Your own way out". This hopeful perspective reminds me of the way Moira continually tried to escape, Offred does what she can to continue to feel humane (sneaking out to see her pseudo-Luke, Nick), and even the Commander finds an escape in a simple game. The dreaming out loud part reminds me of the underground fight to free the people. And dreaming together reminds me of Offred and her walking partner, who had similar ideals. With enough people with similar ideas, revolution is much easier and the people of this society may be able to find an escape. It reminds me of John Lennon, "I'm a dreamer but I'm not the only one." More and more people who crave the same freedom have a better chance of pursuing it.

Lastly, the thought that anyone "can find their own way out" is empowering. I could not fathom how hard it is to be an individual and still try to find your own way in an oppressive society such as this, but there were ways. Dangerous ones but they were there. If someone is thrown into a life they are barely even living anyway, the danger should be worth it to find your happiness. No one should let anyone have the power to "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum".