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c c Session: May 2012

SCHOOL NUMBER: 0046

SCHOOL NAME: xxxxx


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Type or write legibly using black ink and retain a copy of this form.
Complete one copy of this form for each task.
Complete this form in the target language.
The rationale will not be included in the word count.

SUBJECT: English A2 LEVEL: HL

CANDIDATE NAME: Pratik Dhakal

Candidate Session Number: 000046

Option to which the task is linked.Handmaid͛s Tale by Margaret Atwood.

Title (if appropriate):

Area of communication and type of text: Personal Letter

Subject: Offred sends a letter to Nick.

Purpose: To explain how one feels after being separated from another whom they love more than their
lives.

Audience: Lovers in Manila, Philippines.

Context (where appropriate): After Offred escapes from The Republic of Gilead.
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SCHOOL NAME: xxxxx
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In the space below provide the following information:
°c your objectives and how you have attempted to achieve them
°c specific examples showing how this was done
°c including comments on the how the task demonstrates an understanding of the cultural or literary option on
which it is based.

Rationale

The written task that I have written is based upon Handmaid͛s Tale by Margaret Atwood. The target
audience is people in Manila who love each other but are separated due to some problems. I have
targeted how one feels after leaving other whom he/she trust more than his/her life. Important part of
my writing is the use and flow of emotions blended into a letter.

The effective part of my letter is the use of emotions. Not many years ago, professional people used to
write love letters to express their feelings- the one who received the letter; their feet was swept away
with poetic display of feelings. Even now, love letter can be used to ask to go out for a simple coffee or a
dinner. Love letter stirs the relationship even deeper and better.

The most important part of a love letter is to share one͛s feelings with honesty. That͛s exactly how
Offred conveys her message to Nick. After escaping from The Republic of Gilead, Offred was taken
somewhere else, near the mountains, where nobody could find her; she had to start her new life alone
with her child. Nick sometimes sends her letters and looking those letters is all she does now. She
replies one letter which she gives it to one of the friends of Nick.

In conclusion, through the use of emotions, I have conveyed a message through a letter to my targeted
audience. Even though the letter is written in the style of 1800s, and knowing the fact that no one was
allowed to read and write, I have written a letter that best describes one͛s feelings through it.

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12 June, 1832

My Dear Nick,

I miss u so much. Loving you had never been easy. My whole body aches without your presence. I feel
lonely and I want you to be with me. I want to hold you- look into your beautiful eyes and kiss you. I
gently want to touch your face, as if I was blind to see you. I want to be there in your hard times. I want
to cuddle with you just to be close enough. I want to hold our hands together lying in the bed, share our
feelings with each other till the night ends.

I don͛t know where I am at this moment. Your friends have kept me hidden inside some mountains.
Staring through your pictures that I have left is all I do now. I cannot find the right words to express my
feelings for you. I wonder about those words that will softly touch your heart and feel music to your
ears. Those words that you have been wanting to hear for years.You have deeply touched my heart. It͛s
just been few months but it seems you know me very well, better than I do myself. You took time to
know me. You searched through me- inside and out, to find my honesty and trust. I keep looking back to
those letters that you sent me. You write about our past memories which reminds me of those days
when we used to meet secretly. I remember Serena Joy and Commander. I am really curious about the
current situation of Gilead. You are far away from me now but you feel how I feel about you. It is
difficult and impossible to come back to see you but staying apart from you is tearing my heart apart.
Writing these little words together about you puts smile on my face. It͛s almost years that I haven͛t met
you, but every day it seems like I love you more than before. Everything I try to remember about you is
so beautiful, not to mention about your eyes, the way you smile, your curly short hair and your lovely
little lips. I feel like my heart is burning with just a glance.

I live to love you Nick. As day passes by, my love for you seems to be overwhelming. Without you I feel
like a fish without water. I want you to be by my side to keep me warm when I feel cold. On strange
moments your memories is what gives me strength to live. Every night I dream of being together with
our child. I have still haven͛t thought names for our child, I was hoping you would suggest me some. It is
strange that you still don͛t know my real name. Back there in Gilead, that was my only true identity that
I refused to talk with anyone not even you. But after many months, you tried to steal my heart, not
caring about yourselfwhat those Oyesmight do to you. I was sacred to be with you at first. I was afraid of
commander and what he might do to you if he found out about us. But you never gave hope to get me
and that͛s the best thing you ever did. I smile without a reason; this world is just wonderful because of
you. My heart is all yours since it is useless without you. Nevertheless Nick, I deserved whatever you
did. You made me blossom again after many years and made me who I am today.

My heart skips its beats as you walk past by my dreams. I feel like suffocating, wanting you in front of
me to breathe. I feel like being buried alive deep under those sands. I cry out for help, Nick, but no one
comes. I feel stranded in middle of nowhere. Cold wind blows through these mountains, as if it was
same as being in those Colonies. In those extreme situations I feel like being wrapped up in your arms to
keep me safe. Nick, you complete me. You cherish all the moments of my life and I don͛t have anything
to repay you but to love you more that you do. I am willing to die for you. I love you nick. I adore you.

If only I could talk with you. Talking with you feels like it never ends. We used to talk overnight as I used
to come to your room. No one could find us being together. Always new topic comes to share with you
when you are there with me. I feel like sharing even those silly moments of my life with you. Those
terrible days made me felt like a desert but you brought an oasis in my desert. All those hard times that
I feel during the day, I let it all out in front of you, hoping for some advice. You never left any chance to
let me down. Sometimes I try to push you away from my memories; to relieve from another ache to my
heart. I wish I didn͛t remember about you so much, didn͛t care about you so much, but I do. Even if I try
to pretend and deny it, I still love you Nick.

Life moves on Nick. Many people come and go. Some leave their memories while some leave their mark.
But you, you left something that will never go away. And I want this to stay with me forever. Our child
wants a father in his/her life. I would like to start a new life with you, start a new family with you. I can͛t
live like this Nick, missing you all the time. Mine heart is overflowing with desire for your presence. I
really want to see you and our child to be happy. Keep in touch Nick, we love you always.

Love deep from our hearts,

Offred and your only child.