Frankenstein and The Handmaids Tale - Experience of Learning

The Handmaids Tale - The handmaids are forbidden to learn

When Offred meets with the commander in his office, he allows her to read a magazine: "on these occasions i read quickly, voraciously, almost skimming, trying to get as much into my head as possible before the next long starvation."

"The pen between my fingers is sensuous, alive almost, I can feel its power, the power of the words it contains"

Frankenstein - Victor is overambitious in his acquisition of knowledge

Victor was "engaged, heart and soul, in the pursuit of some discoveries"

"After days and nights of incredible labour and fatigue, I succeeded in discovering the cause of generation and life; nay more, I became myself capable of bestowing animation upon lifeless matter"

"From this day natural philosophy, and particularly chemistry, became nearly my sole occupation"

The Handmaid's Tale - dangerous impacts of knowledge

male authoritative characters in THT are granted the ability to learn and use this to oppress the handmaids. The commander is a high ranking official in Gilead, disclosing that he used to work in "market research".

Upon Offred's second meeting with the commander, she describes his office "But all around the walls there are bookcases. They're filled with books... Its an oasis of the forbidden"

commander - "You may say i'm a sort of scientist," he says "within limits"

Frankenstein - dangerous impacts of knowledge

victor's acquisition of knowledge leads to injustice and death, which he eventually takes responsibility for - this accountability lacks in THT.

"I considered the being whom i had cast among mankind, and endowed with the will and power to effect purposes of horror, such as the deed whcih he had now done.... my own spirit let loose from the grave, and forced to destroy all that was dear to me"

"you may give up your purpose but mine in assigned to me by heaven, and i dare not. I am weak, but surely the spirits who assist my vengeance will endow me with sufficient strength"

The Handmaids Tale - Offred uses her experience of knowledge as a resistance against the oppressive society she is contained in

"Why did God allow such a terrible thing to happen? Teach her a lesson. Teach her a lesson. Teach her a lesson."

"I enjoy the power; power of a dog bone, passive but there"

Frankenstein - the creature uses learning to rebel against societal preconceptions and his creator.

"I knew, and could distinguish, nothing"

"I found that these people possessed a method of communicating their experience and feeling to one another ... this was indeed a God-like science, and i ardently desired to become acquainted with it"

"there was none among the myriads of men who existed who would pity or assist me ... from that moment I declared everlasting war against the species, and, more than all. against him who had formed me."