“Pro-creation” as a means of Protest in The Handmaid’s Tale

Abstract

This paper, will aim at examining Atwood’s use of the theme of “reproduction”- both as a creative art and as a biological function, within a dystopia. The main argument would be that the theme of reproduction, usually seen as a female discourse, as used in the novel, subverts the patriarchal discourses of religion and science, which are the two main discourses used to supress women/underprivileged within the novels.

            This paper will also closely look at Atwood’s choice of dystopia as a genre. Looking at the conventions of the genre, the chapter will also focus on how The Handmaid’s Tale subverts the discourse of “reproduction” so that the protagonist eventually finds liberation.