English 11 Unit One Essay Chanika

I. Introduction

A. Thesis statement: In The Handmaids Tale, Margaret Atwood uses one theme,
the power of goodness, to reveal the characters relationships, the durability of
goodness, and peoples desire for goodness.

II. Body Paragraph #1

A. Topic sentence: Characters relationships in The Handmaids Tale are

emphasized by a theme of the power of goodness.

B. Supporting evidence:

i. But I also felt guilty about her. I felt I was an intruder, in a territory that
ought to have been hers (chapter 26 p.161)

ii. I tell him my real name, and feel therefore that I am known. (chapter 41 p.
270)

- They whisper to exchange each others name

- Offred trusts Nick

C. Clincher sentence: Humans are by nature social animals, and their goodness
is used to socialize.

III.Body Paragraph #2

A. Topic sentence: The theme of the power of goodness in The Handmaids Tale
points out the durability of goodness.

B. Supporting evidence:

i. I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no light without shadow,

or rather, no shadow unless there is also light. (p.104)
ii. Better never means better for everyone it always means worse for some
(chapter 32 p.211)

- Even in Gilead society, an extremely dystopian society, goodness exists.

- The ability to distinguish right from wrong.

C. Clincher sentence: Goodness can exist anywhere and anytime, everybody can
own it of they hope to, but how long they can keep it depends on individual.
English 11 Unit One Essay Chanika

IV. Body Paragraph #3

A. Topic sentence: One theme in The Handmaids Tale, the power of goodness,
is used to show peoples desire for goodness.

B. Supporting evidence:

i. Forgiveness too is power. To beg for it is a power, and to withhold or

bestow it is a power. (p.135)
ii. You might even provide a Heaven for them. We need You for that. Hell we
can make for ourselves. (p.195)

- She has been oppressed, and she wants to have power, and its the of goodness.
- Offed prays at night, and she prays for something good.

C. Clincher sentence: Evils obviously appears more and easier to acquire, but
goodness is the one people intended to have, desired and sought for, at all times.

V. Conclusion
A. Rephrased thesis statement: Comradeship between the characters,
the everlasting of goodness and goodness cravings are disclosed by Margaret Atwood,
through a theme called the power of goodness, in The Handmaids Tale.
English 11 Unit One Essay Chanika

Powerful Goodness

Is goodness beyond hope? Numerous people are giving up their hope on goodness,

noticed by many dystopian fictional stories created at the present. Plenty of those stories are

relevant but also sustain peoples beliefs that evil powers will totally overcome the world,

except for one: The Handmaids Tale. According to Rebecca Mead from The New Yorker, the

book was written by the prophet of dystopia, Margaret Atwood, in 1985. The story is also

about extremely dystopian society with inconsiderable humans value, but it encourages

people to believe and anticipate for goodness, in any kinds or forms of it. In The Handmaids

Tale, Margaret Atwood uses one theme, the power of goodness, to reveal the characters

relationships, the durability of goodness, and peoples desire for goodness.

Characters relationships in The Handmaids Tale are emphasized by a theme of the

power of goodness. In the first part of the story, the Handmaids in the Red Center try to

communicate by whispering, although its forbidden. Atwood shows that the Handmaids are

taking the high risk, just to build a small relationship among themselves. Theyre being good

to each others, as they care how people facing the same fate around them feel, more than the

risk to be punished. Throughout the book, more relationships are built by characters showing

their goodness like honesty and trust. For example, when Offred, the narrator, and Nick

become closer in chapter 41, I tell him my real name, and feel therefore that I am

known (p.270), Offred says. It indicates that she trusts Nick, she believes in his goodness, so

she deigns to tell him her secrets. Furthermore, as Offred describes Serena, But I also felt

guilty about her. I felt I was an intruder, in a territory that ought to have been hers (p.161).

Shes having goodness towards Serena: feeling empathy with her and feeling compassion for
English 11 Unit One Essay Chanika

her, though shes always oppressed by her. The book tries to theorize that humans are by

nature social animals, and their goodness is used to socialize.

The theme of the power of goodness in The Handmaids Tale points out the durability

of goodness. While Offred and the Commander are talking about the society, in chapter 32,

he states that Better never means better for everyone . . . it always means worse for

some (p.211). It implies that, even citizens have been manipulated by the evil authority, they

still have ethics: the ability to distinguish right from wrong, or good and bad. Its based on

what one prefers and how they will express and show it out. Offred, for instance, chooses to

believe in the existence of goodness, as she says I believe in the resistance as I believe there

can be no light without shadow, or rather, no shadow unless there is also light (p.104). This

reveals that even in Gilead, an extremely dystopian society full with shadows, evils, the light

or good power remains. Goodness can exist anywhere and anytime. Everybody can own it if

they hope to, but how long they are able to keep it depends on individual.

One theme in The Handmaids Tale, the power of goodness, is used to show peoples

desire for goodness. Citizens in Gilead society, especially the Handmaids like Offred, have

always been under control of oppression and totalitarianism. However, she mentions,

Forgiveness too is power. To beg for it is a power, and to withhold or bestow it is a

power (p.135). This affirms that she values goodness. She wants to be powerful, but the

power she wishes for is the power of goodness like forgiveness. Also, Offed usually prays at

night, and she prays, You might even provide a Heaven for them. We need You for that. Hell

we can make for ourselves (p.195). She even declares more that all she really wants, for

herself and her family, is goodness, Heaven, not the evil like Hell. Even though evils

obviously appears more and easier to acquire, but goodness is the one people intended to

have, desired and sought for, at all times.

English 11 Unit One Essay Chanika

Comradeship between the characters, the everlasting existence of goodness and

goodness cravings are disclosed by Margaret Atwood through a theme called the power of

goodness in The Handmaids Tale. The book denotes that goodness always exists, not beyond

grasp, but its just obscured by evil powers, like selfishness and greed, in each and every one.

Gilead's citizens are losing their goodness by the governments manipulation, so they start to

see the necessity, value and power of their goodness. When they want it, theres nothing they

can do, except wishing for it day by day. Like all human beings, they dont care and value

things until theyre losing it, and most of the time when they realize, it has already been too

late.