Oct 17 - 46/45 - McCain +01
Don't let the bastards grind you down
Did you ever wonder what 1984 might have been like if Winston Smith had been a female sex-slave servicing the members of the Inner Party? Me neither.
Well Margaret Atwood did (kind of). Her book, The Handmaid’s Tale, is a dystopian tale, like Orwell’s, but with a female protagonist and a female perspective.
FLASHBACK: It’s funny to think that just 6 years ago I had the Feminist Majority and National Organization of Women standing on my front lawn, chanting my name. “Hewitt = Hitler” one of their signs read. Why me? Let’s just say that Feminism was not one of the causes I championed in those days (I had poked fun at Women’s Studies Majors in a comic strip that ran in the OSU campus paper).
Looking back now I see the point they were trying to make, even if they had a funny way of doing it (burning flame-retardant bras). It is a point that was much better captured by Margaret Atwood’s writing though. Point is, I regret the comic and would not make that type of inflammatory, sexist joke today.
As far as a dystopian novel is concerned, Atwood’s book is not as prolific as 1984, but hey...what is? (I use this word 'dystopian' a lot. Some of you might be wondering if this genre is for you. Here’s the test: If you find yourself constantly fantasizing about the collapse of civilization, if you feel the return of Fascism hovering on the horizon like a dark cloud, if there’s a bumper-sticker on your car that reads: “Apocalypse or Bust” then…yes, it's for you.)
BOTTOM-LINE: This book is poignant without being preachy, heavy and yet still thoroughly enjoyable. I would highly recommend it to anyone! In fact, it’s such easy reading that even chicks will like it.
Well Margaret Atwood did (kind of). Her book, The Handmaid’s Tale, is a dystopian tale, like Orwell’s, but with a female protagonist and a female perspective.FLASHBACK: It’s funny to think that just 6 years ago I had the Feminist Majority and National Organization of Women standing on my front lawn, chanting my name. “Hewitt = Hitler” one of their signs read. Why me? Let’s just say that Feminism was not one of the causes I championed in those days (I had poked fun at Women’s Studies Majors in a comic strip that ran in the OSU campus paper).Looking back now I see the point they were trying to make, even if they had a funny way of doing it (burning flame-retardant bras). It is a point that was much better captured by Margaret Atwood’s writing though. Point is, I regret the comic and would not make that type of inflammatory, sexist joke today.
As far as a dystopian novel is concerned, Atwood’s book is not as prolific as 1984, but hey...what is? (I use this word 'dystopian' a lot. Some of you might be wondering if this genre is for you. Here’s the test: If you find yourself constantly fantasizing about the collapse of civilization, if you feel the return of Fascism hovering on the horizon like a dark cloud, if there’s a bumper-sticker on your car that reads: “Apocalypse or Bust” then…yes, it's for you.)
BOTTOM-LINE: This book is poignant without being preachy, heavy and yet still thoroughly enjoyable. I would highly recommend it to anyone! In fact, it’s such easy reading that even chicks will like it.
By Robert - 7/28/2006
3 Comments:
i still think those people overreacted. it was clearly a joke (as it was a comic). and you definitely should not have lost your position in The Lantern.
Hey, Atwood.. that's a Canadian. Heard her on the radio last week, saying she's finishing her last book as she's retiring. I must read more of hers but I have an Ayn Rand in the queue now.
Which Rand?
I've only managed to get through Virtue of Selfishness which I loved even though I didn't agree with her totally.
In her every-man-for-themselves philosophy she fails to make a distinction between childern and adults. How can a child get exactly as much as they earn?
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