Topic Proposal

TOTALITARIANISM

Atwood’s novel was exceptionally engaging. The end of the novel was fascinating because it left an open-ended question, which allows the reader to analyze the text and think of possible options of what happened to Offred. This novel was thoroughly based off of a totalitarian society in Gilead, but how does a totalitarian society function? I believe learning more about what a totalitarian society is will help me understand the text meticulously.

For essay #3, I plan on researching totalitarian societies and their composure. I believe learning the information about how a totalitarian society functions will help me understand the text in detail. I have an idea about what totalitarianism is, but how does it function? I want to know how closely Atwood’s novel follows the general definition of a totalitarian society and I also want to know the reason for a totalitarian society. I plan on possibly researching if there is anywhere in the world that still has a totalitarian society if there is, and how that place functions altogether. Maybe researching women’s right in a totalitarian society will help comprehend the story better, if there are even women’s rights. This may help me understand the females in the story and what they had to go through.

I chose this topic because it is an educated issue that I could benefit learning from. I think we all have a general understanding about a totalitarian society from the novel, but learning it in more detail would be of great help. I know that there is plenty of information out there that I can use for this essay. I just need to find the right sources. Understand totalitarianism is going to give me an idea as to why women are being treated the way they are in Atwood’s story. Not only that, but it will help me understand why men don’t dispute Gilead’s ways. Is it that they are too afraid to fight authority or do they actually enjoy their ways of life? Pretty much, understanding totalitarianism might help understand each character’s points of view and justify for their actions in more detail.