‘The Handmaid’s Tale’: A Must Read Banned Book

A few weeks ago, I bought a book from the Cornell Store which has been on my reading list for eons. This is, of course, the infamous Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. I could feel myself getting consumed by the pages, as I spent hours flipping and immersing myself into the world of the dystopian Gilead, which is more than just a fictional place — it is a manifestation of far-right ideologies. Gilead is an alternative future United States, one where climate change drastically drove down fertility levels, and a group called the “Sons of Jacob” came together to take the country in their own hands. 

The Sons of Jacob lead a coup and install a new regime based on strict Fundamentalist Christian doctrines with a core focus on women’s reproductive rights. In this universe, women are separated into four different categories depending on their age, status and fertility.