Identity

Relationships do not exist in the book in "The Handmaid's Tale". There are not allowed to be friendships between the women in the society and each woman is assigned a role. In your role you do what is asked of you, and mind your own business. Even though there are marriages and mistresses, they are all formulated by the society and none of them are chosen because the actual feelings of the individuals in the society. It is a like a big movie production, everyone is assigned a role and expected to put on a mask,  act as best they can and make the director happy. Except in the book, when they put on their mask they never take it off. They also put on more than a mask they are assigned colors for who they are supposed to be. In the beginning of the book Offred is getting dressed and she has her "red gloves, red shoes, red cloak, and red dress" (18-19). With the mask on and the clothing with a specific color there is a name and a new identity that they are forced to follow. There are many people who put on masks even in our society and do as they are told and try to make everyone happy, when in reality they are depressed and unhappy themselves. Society is cruel and I would do anything to change how people think of each other, and stop the immense amount of judging that happens. A lot of judging in society isn't even about who people truly are it is about what they look like on the outside and what they pretend to be. Similarly to the handmaids tale when Offred says " the frown isn't personal; it's the red dress she disapproves of , and what is stands for" (20).  In this new society all of the women are judged on the color that they wear and the role that they have been assigned rather than who they truly are. Sadly are society is exactly the same in many ways, although we don't have specific colors that define who we are politically we do wear the clothes that we like and sometimes define our personality and many people base their opinions off of first glances and clothes tend to be something that is judged and talked about among everyone. I have to admit that I can look at what someone is wearing and make a comment about it, and after thinking about it and reading this book it puts things into perspective and I've learned not to judge other people from the outside and base my opinions on their personality and what I actually know about them.
I was at a restaurant the other night and I saw a guy with a tattoo on his arm that said "Only God Can Judge Me". I have never been able to forget that tatoo and I think it should be told to everyone, and maybe some people will change they way they view other people and stick to their own business. Another quote I've heard and never forgotten is "It's my life. Remember that when you talk about it". I love this quote and can't even express how true it really is and how much people need to realize how gossip and judging has no good outcome for anyone, let alone themselves or they people they are talking about.