By Isabelle King (Y12)
The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood explores a dystopian world called Gilead, where women are seen as objects to be impregnated because of a population crisis. This book reflects real-life circumstances, as all events that occur in the book are based on historical occurrences. It follows our main character, Offred, who is a handmaid, and she is striking as a character because she is a completely normal woman, which highlights the idea that this society could one day become a reality. This book adds excellent insight into the atrocities that happen and might happen to women, as well as adding commentary on how oppressive regimes function through taking away citizens’ identity and autonomy.
I admit that I read this book for English class; otherwise, I would have been too intimidated by its fractured structure to have fully read it. However, it is understandable once you don’t just read it but stop to analyze and fully understand the meaning of the similes, etc. Moreover, its structure adds insight into the mental state of Offred, who is traumatized in many ways, giving the reader an added layer of immersion into the oppressive world of The Handmaid’s Tale.
Contrastingly, the TV series was worked on closely with Atwood, meaning that it follows the book closely and is definitely one of the best film adaptations that I have ever seen. It won an Emmy Award for its excellent cinematography in 2017 and then continued to win other awards. It follows Offred through the events of the first book, and then in the next five seasons, it makes original content based on the guidance of Atwood. The show has mostly dark shots, which contrast with the occasional lighter scenes, adding emphasis to the show’s overarching theme of the glimmers of hope within the darkness. However, this show can be straight-up torturous with the slow-moving pace and the decisions made by the main character, Offred. I have to comment that the screenwriter must be a sadist because the amount of extra tension and stress the main character goes through is simply absurd, considering they had full directive writing choices over this sequel to the book.
There were also many creative decisions used in the chronology used within this TV series, as it differs from the original timeline of the book. Which could be a creative decision used to further distance this piece of work from the original piece of work, giving them, in a way, their own individual idea/message. The TV series is also faster paced and more dialogue- and action-packed, which is a necessity for the medium of film, but it gives it an entirely other feel as it’s more a story of rebellion, while The Handmaid’s Tale could be seen more as a book following what it is like to live in a very controlled area. So they have a very noticeable difference in the way that they are intended to be consumed. Though, both tackle the idea of the loss of autonomy and how women are objectified and taken away from their minds to become a simple means of reproduction.
Overall, these two pieces of media are both astounding in their content and the insight that the reader is able to deduce from the excellent use of literary devices and poignant messages intertwined within the narrative story. I would absolutely recommend this book and TV series to any audience and would say that the best order to go about this adventure is to read the book and then watch the show. As the book gives deeper insight into what Offred is innately feeling in the scenes, the show gives a visual representation of the atrocities that are committed within this universe.
Work Cited Pickering, Victoria. “Filming of The Handmaid’s Tale at the Lincoln Memorial.” Flickr, 18 February 2019, https://www.flickr.com/photos/vpickering/46407159414. Accessed 9 December 2025.