I thought I'd post this here since it might get a wee bit political.

Has anyone ever read Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale? I read it last year and enjoyed it so much that I bought it. Last night I got an urge to start reading it again. And it gave me chills. Maybe it's because it sounds like something that will happen in the near future. Maybe it's because some of it sounds like it's happening NOW. Either way, it creeps me out. So anyways, if you have read it, what are your thoughts on it and how it relates to today's world and the future? :)

The experiences of the women in "The Handmaids Tale" are very much like the experiences
of women in Afghanistan after the Taliban came into power.  Women who had been able
to see advances saw them taken away.  If you study the experiences of African-Americans during
post Reconstruction, you will find much of the same.

I haven't read the book but saw the movie. It is a bit scary that it could happen. This country does seem to be moving towards something like that-maybe not that extreme, but then again, you never know.


Very interesting, thought provocting question.




Cat

Yes, Jessica, I read it for A' level English literature. I just thought it was a kind of re-working of the more chilling 1984 by George Orwell.

Oh yeah! Unfortunately, it's more than a novel but a reality throughout the world. The United States will be headed in the same direction if the government can't seem to find there noses out of women's uteruses, etc.

Tanya

The reference to 1984 is a good one.  Another good book of what they call "speculative fiction"
is "The Foundation"  It speaks to the use of manipulation of the population through behavior
modification.  I equate it to mass marketing.  All of these books can open your eyes if you are
able to equate them to the world around us.  During the fifties shows like The Twilight Zone became vehicles for social criticism by the use of science fiction to get the themes past network censors who were afraid of being branded communists by the remnants of the McCarthyites who still wielded a lot of power. They can be da*n scary.  In 1984 Big Brother  watching you was a scary thing, but today whereever you go there are cameras trained on you. Walking down the street, driving in your car, government sanctioned interrnet wiretaps(how is it that record companies can look into your hard drive to see if you are downloading music?).  It is also capable of reverse transmission of cable TV lines so that while you are watching TV, they are watching you. Be aware....be very aware :o