Topic Proposal

    For my topic proposal I will explore the relationship between, The Handmaids Tail and polygamy from centuries ago.  Atwood’s story reminded over and over again of stories I’ve heard and movies I’ve watched about the history of polygamy.  Every woman in the book had their roles, as did the woman in polygamist colonies so many years ago.  In both situations the women always answered to a man.  In Atwood’s book, the wives are head of the household second to the commander. 
    My guiding question for my fourth essay is if so many of the women in The Handmaid’s Tale are opposed to the lifestyle they have been forced into, then why is there not more resistance from the women living in the Republic of Gilead?  Many of the women in the book secretly speak about their aversion to life in Gilead, so why don’t they ban together to fight back?  It seems it would be plausible if the majority of fertile women is large, then the women could fight back and regain at least some of their rights.  The ability to learn and educate themselves would seem reasonable.  Although if they were allowed become educated, then they may protest fully and then the Republic of Gilead would crumble.
    The reason I have chosen the topic of polygamy is because I don’t really know very much about it other than what you see on TV.  Every time I picked up Atwood’s book to read it, it reminded me of polygamy within a page or two.  I’m not sure how it will help me understand Margaret Atwood better, but at least I’ll learn new things about what the book reminded me of.
     Here is a link to Margaret Atwood's web page:  http://www.margaretatwood.ca/