Can someone describe me the key themes in Margret Atwood's, The Handmaid's tale?

Question

For example, describe me :
-The types of power
-The power of words
-Rights and freedom, with thier importance
-Role of media in controlling the masses.

Answer 1

The 1st link leads you to the theme analysis.
The 2nd link leads you to summaries of the book.

Margaret Atwood’s cautionary novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, tells the story of a woman who no longer has control of her life or her body. Her freedom and fate have been sacrificed to a totalitarian society, and her world has become stilted, authoritarian, and unpleasant for all. The theme? Inequality, sexual degradation, and unchecked power can lead an entire society down a road of pain and unhappiness. The story is powerful, not to mention harrowing. (Read on at the 3rd link)

Atwood’s major themes and preoccupations in the Tale : -
* feminism/the search for individual identity & freedom
* political extremism/religious fundamentalism
* victimisation/survival/Atwood’s Canadianism
* the need for individuals to accept responsibility for society’s problems and to pay attention
* writing and communication as forms of resistance;

Answer 2

Sounds like you've just done it.

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. This new government that took over the northeastern states, supposedly to bring back decency and order and religion and God to the masses, still supported underground enterprises like "Jezebel's". And staunch supporters of the government (like the commander) would go there.

I was absolutely entranced by that entire book (and movie, to a lesser degree). I think the book does a fantastic job of showing just how influential we allow the media to be on our lives.

I could have done without the "salvagings" and "particicutions", though.

Answer 3

The overall genre of the book is dystopia, a negative utopia where the world is fashioned after Hell instead of Heaven. That should get you started. To properly answer your question, I'd have to cite the entire book.

Answer 4

Go to Yahoo!Education and search Cliffsnotes. Then type in the title of the book you want. It will come up with a brief synopsis of the book.