Why did you choose English Language and Literature?

Because I wanted to study language as well as literature. The thought of studying literature on its own didn't interest me.

What do you like / dislike about the subject?

I like studying texts that I wouldn't normally chose to read.
I dislike having to try and remember and learn all of the literary terms and their meanings.

Which texts have you enjoyed studying most?

A Streetcar Named Desire, The Importance of Being Earnest and The Handmaids Tale because they're all in modern English and I find this easier to enjoy and understand

What do you think of the mix of discussion and writing on the course?

I like that we don't write all the time because I feel I often learn better from discussions.

Are you using the blog to help you work outside of the classroom?

Yes.

How do you use the blog to help you develop essays?

It's easier to edit my work using the blog, meaning I can make changes and develop my work easily. I can also look through past notes on my blog and on the class blog to find points.

What is your approach to writing essays?

I don't have a specific approach. I just prefer to look through past notes rather than make a plan.

Next term you will be studying Cup Cakes and Kalashnikovs - how do you think you can use the blog and other online features to enrich your study?

I can use past notes and previous classwork on The Handmaids Tale and The Wife of Bath to compare with work on Cup Cakes and Kalashnikovs.

Subjugation in Women

Throughout the novel, women are treated differently to men in the society. Women are oppressed and have to believe what they are told to believe. The men own and are in control of the women.
          An example of the way that women are owned is Offreds name. The fact that her name means "Of Fred" shows that she is his possession. The possessive term "of"shows her as an object, that she is "of" him because she is belongs to him because of her fertility. This is significant because his name features in her "name", but her real name is not specified. This makes her seem of a much lower status than him, showing the oppression she suffers.
          However, this point is contradicted in Chapter 38 when Offred is telling Moira about her commander. She says "He's my Commander". The possessive noun "my"makes it seem as if Offred is in possession of her commander, as if she's proud and showing him off to Moira. However, this is far from the truth as, previously stated, she is his possession and she's definitely not proud of him. If she had stated "I am his handmaid", it would have shown her acknowledgement of the fact that he owns her.
          In the society, women are assigned jobs and are only allowed to remain in those given roles. They are colour coded in their uniforms, objectified and restricted by the clothes they are told to wear. When Offred and her Commander are in the club and she questions the pasts of the girls, he replies "Well, we have quite a collection. That one there, the one in green, she's a sociologist. Or was. That one was a lawyer, that one was in business, an executive position; some sort of fast-food chain or maybe it was hotels." The term "we" shows that the Commander feels more powerful than these women, he doesn't speak of them as individuals, he groups them all as women he and the other Commanders own. He also doesn't describe them as women when speaking about them, he refers to each as "that one", this shows a lack of respect and courtesy. 
          Considering the fact that women are not allowed to have jobs other than their assigned roles in the society, it is shocking that there are still prostitutes at Jezebels. Offred is surprised to discover Moira working there. They escape to speak together and Moira comments on Offreds appearance. She says "You look like the Whore of Babylon." "Whore" is a derogatory term for a prostitute, this is ironic because Moira is a prostitute. However, Moira does not seem ashamed of this being her career as she can fulfil her sexual desires and it's acceptable for her to be a lesbian. This is also shocking because in the society, people are punished for being gay so it's surprising that there is somewhere that it is acceptable, the Commander also describes it as "Walking in to the past".