The Handmaid’s Tale - Margaret Atwood

The Handmaid’s Tale is a dystopian novel set in the near future in a theocratic society called Gilead, which has replaced the United States. In this oppressive regime, women have been stripped of their rights, and their roles are strictly defined by the government. Offred is a woman forced into the role of a Handmaid — a fertile woman whose sole purpose is to produce children for the ruling class. Handmaids live under constant surveillance in Gilead, are forbidden to read, write or speak freely. Their bodies are considered the property of the state and each must participate in a ritualized and disturbing process of conception with members of the ruling class to whom they are assigned. Before the rise of Gilead, Offred had a family and a career, and remembering these things sends her on an unforgettable journey of rebellion. The novel explores themes of patriarchy, control, reproductive rights, freedom, and the ways oppressive systems manipulate gender roles and sexuality, making it one of the country’s most classically banned and challenged reads.