essay: Aunts

“‘The power of cults lies in their ability to make people act against their own personal and collective interests.’ In light of this statement, explore the presentation of the Aunts in The Handmaid’s Tale. “

• chapter 20

• particicution » ch43

• “the Republic of Gilead, said Aunt Lydia, knows no bounds” (ch5, pg29)

• “Gilead is within you” (ch 5, pg 29)

intro n judgement:

• in agreement w statement

• presented as enablers, blind disciples and epistemological manipulators

p1: Aunts presented as not simply submissive like the Handmaids, for protection, but taking a further step in enabling the regime to work

• AO2:

  • “think of yourselves as seeds” (ch4, pg24)

  • “at her feet stands Aunt Elizabeth, in her khaki dress with the military breast pockets; she was the one who taught Gyn Ed” (ch20, pg123)

    • seeing the fruits of her ‘labour’

• AO3:

  • reminiscent of Nazi Regime where people would not only adhere to the rule, but also enable by reporting ‘offending’ activities to the appropriate authorities

• AO4:

• AO5:

• this controlling fear indeed displays a cult power of an ability to make people act against their own personal and collective interests, implying that the Aunts’ roles are simply instinctive

p2: Aunts = walking propaganda » despite the likely lack of genuine belief, the Handmaids live by what they have been taught = genuine beliefs fail to matter officially

• AO2:

  • “the Republic of Gilead, said Aunt Lydia, knows no bounds” (ch5, pg29)

  • “as if they were festering sores. You know the way the Aunts look when they say the word man.” (ch38, pg253)

• AO3:

• AO4:

• AO5:

• whether the Aunts act in accordance with their personal beliefs or not, they are successfully acting on Gilead’s behalf » blind discipleship

p3: epistemological manipulators

• AO2:

  • “blessed are the meek. she didn’t go on to say anything about inheriting the earth” (ch12, pg70) « lydia

  • “you are a transitional generation, said Aunt Lydia. it is the hardest for you. For the ones who come after you, it will be easier. They will accept their duties with willing hearts. She did not say: Because they will have no memories, of any other way. She said: Because they won’t want things they can’t have” (ch20, pg123)

  • “she’s wearing the kind of outfit Aunt Lydia told us was typical of Unwomen in those days” (ch20, pg125)

• AO3:

  • Enlightenment: revolutionary ideas and movements such as the French Revolution were heavily influenced by the prominence of new ideas of what rights citizens should be allowed, and how state rule should work » knowledge and experience can provide optimism “we once had this”/”we can become this”

• AO4:

• AO5:

• to control the narrative, however partial, and make it believable is to hold much power in subsequent behaviour of subordinates

conclusion: