Dehumanization

Dehumanization: to deprive of positive human qualities. Also known as the key to breaking down human beings to control them. As we were reading The Handmaid's Tale I was trying to come up with how this society was able to control everyone. Are human beings that easy to control? Then the answer came to me in my Global Issues class. Human beings are easiest to control once they have been broken down and dehumanized.

In my Global Issues class, we have been discussing human trafficking and forced prostitution. These modern day issues sounded very similar to The Handmaid's Tale to me and I couldn't help but make connections. Offred had everything taken away from her and had no ability to make choices of her own. Similarly to the many men, women and children that are trapped into being trafficked. They have no choice and are threatened and forced and their bodies are used and abused.

Similarly, Jasmine was extremely vulnerable during and after her journey to America, hence her horrific experiences, specifically with Half-Face. After being violated, out of anger she kills Half-Face. She then comments, "what a monstrous thing, what an infinitesimal thing is the taking of a human life"(Mukherjee, 199). With her own personal experience with violence, threats and rape, she learns how people are beaten so low to the ground that they become objects taken over by someone else. While Half-Face is playing with her right before he rapes her, Jasmine thinks, "for the first time in my life I understood what evil was about. It was about not being human"(Mukherjee, 116). She calls Half-Face a man "from an underworld of evil"(Mukherjee, 116). Her realizations all contain a common theme of dehumanization.

Watching "Killing Us Softly" in class reminded me of this again when Jean Kilbourne mentioned how women are made into objects in advertisements. Ad after ad was shown of women as a beer bottle, video game, or car. It completely objectifies women and dehumanizes them. I found it incredible that every image that we see of women has been photoshopped or touched-up in some way. All of those women are fake and it makes normal women feel inferior and try to reach for a beauty that can never be achieved. It makes me sick how women are portrayed in advertisements. They are not even real women, but they convey messages of sexuality and inferiority. I love the video I have posted below because not only is it hilarious, but it shows how ridiculous photoshop is. Photoshop is a tool that advertisements use to completely dehumanize women and I am appalled that they get away with it in today's society.

What is America?

Living abroad has made me stand back and analyze my home country. Growing up I thought America was perfect and there was no place better to be, but after living outside the country, my eyes have opened and I am much more aware of the world around me. Don't get me wrong, I still love my home country, but as I have gotten older, I have grown more critical and analytical of America.

Jasmine has contributed to that as well. It is a story about an Indian woman's voyage to America, hoping to find success and live a better life. In the novel, the main character Jasmine mentions several different views and experiences of America. Jasmine describes her first sight of America as this; "the first thing I saw were the two cones of nuclear plant, and smoke spreading from them in complicated but seemingly purposeful patterns...Eden's waste: plastic bottles, floating oranges..."(Mukherjee, 107). It is really quite sad that this is her first look at America, and unfortunately, her first experience of America was much worse than her first sight of America. She describes her first night; "My first night in America was spent in a motel with plywood over its windows, its pool bottomed with garbage sacks, and grass growing in its parking lot"(Mukherjee, 109). This is the same place she was raped by a man taking advantage of her foreignness.

Throughout the novel, she continues making comments about what she is seeing of America. One such observation being, "I had been in America nearly a day and had yet to see and 'American' face"(Mukherjee, 129 ). Another observation: "I am astounded by all this, the American need to make intuition so tangible, to possess a vision so privately"(Mukherjee, 125). She then ran into a more positive view of America when she met Lillian Gordon, the sweet woman who let Jasmine in, no questions asked, and took care of her. Jasmine says, "she represented to me the best in the American experience and the American character"(Mukherjee, 137). Jasmine called Lillian Gordon "An American Kind of Saint"(Mukherjee, 137).

Besides being overwhelmed by the fast pace and ever changing aspect of America that Jasmine found, she was able to see a more positive side of America in New York. She said that she "became an American in an apartment on Claremont Avenue across the street from a Barnard College dormitory"(Mukherjee, 165).  She became a part of a family. Taylor became another good example of an American for Jasmine. She comments on Taylor, "I fell in love with what he represented to me, a professor who served biscuits to a servant, smiled at her, and admitted her to the broad democracy of his joking, even when she didn't understand it. It seemed entirely American"(Mukherjee, 167).

After reading this book and seeing how many sides of America Jasmine saw, it was a reminder to me that America is not perfect and there are many dark sides to it that I don't know about. But the hope in the book and the happy ending she was able to have in American is still a good reminder of what freedom can bring.

Similarities: Part 2

The continued discussion of my last blog post:

Jasmine and Offred completely stick out in a crowd. They are both not easily accepted in their society. Jasmine is from India and eventually moves in with Bud who is uncomfortable with her "foreignness". Jasmine comments on Bud's discomfort when she says, "he's never asked me about India; it scares him"(Mukherjee, 12). In a small town that isn't used to change, an Indian woman living with a disabled, recently divorced man sets her apart from everyone. Offred is a Handmaid and many people in her society greatly dislike the handmaids. The Handmaids are supposed to be separate from normal society because they have a specific role to play that is not one that anyone enjoys.

With such difficult pasts and circumstances, both women are depressed and suicidal. After she is raped, Jasmine feels she is worthless. She lies on the bed thinking, "this would be a fitting place to die"(Mukherjee, 117). Then, she commits the extreme act of killing Half-Face, the man who raped her. After this experience she calls herself "walking death"(Mukherjee, 119). Her time with Bud is spent in loneliness and seclusion. Offred constantly comments on the fact that there are no instruments of any kind that could be used for suicide or violence in her bedroom; "they've removed anything you could tie a rope to"(Atwood, 17). She is completely alone and constantly threatened. Even with this depression and suicidal mind, these two women continue to have hope. Jasmine continues on with life and focuses on Bud and Du. Offred finds hope with the underground rescue group and she comes to terms with difficult things in her life.

Name changing is also a common link between Jasmine and Offred. With every new commander, Offred's name changes to Of plus the Commander's name. Jasmine's name changes from Jyoti, to Jasmine, to Jase and finally to Jane.

Both women have pasts that are fairly secret and close to their hearts. The difference though is that Offred is always thinking of her past life and referring to it, whereas Jasmine is totally removing her past self from her mind and heart. The similarities of these two women are remarkable once you dig a little deeper.

Jasmine and Offred: Similarities

Finishing The Handmaid's Tale and beginning Jasmine is difficult in the sense that both novels are very different. Different word usage, different narrating styles, just a very new and different story. Jasmine contains more of an undertone of racial inequalities and is a story of a woman's voyage to America and her experiences there. The Handmaid's Tale takes place in a futuristic and controlling society with no way to get out, and it's heroine has a specific role in this society and cannot move up or down in society. However, so many differences makes it all the more fun and interesting to find the similarities.

Jyoti and Offred both find themselves in situations that they are not happy with. Both are women who are not free to do or say as they will and both are trapped and finding it difficult to get out.

To begin with, Jasmine and Offred both have or had husbands that they love very much. Unfortunately, they both also have multiple lovers and are owned sexually. Jasmine was raped by Half-Face, she is in love with Taylor, she takes care of Bud, and she has a sort of adopted son who "is a phantom lover, [who] watches [her]" and by so doing, "joins the ghosts of men"(Mukherjee, 30). Offred is forced to participate in "the Ceremony" with the Commander and she has a love affair with Nick, but still constantly thinks of her lost husband, Luke.

Both women have past selves that are reoccuring in their minds. Offred never stops thinking about her daughter and her husband, Luke. She is constantly recounting on the things she remembers from her past life, especially Luke. For example when talking about not feeling anything towards the men in the book, she immediately brings up Luke; "what I feel is partly relief, because none of these men is Luke"(Atwood, 43). Jasmine had a life in India before she came to America, and she often thinks about it and refers back to it. In fact it literally follows her when she sees Sukkhi, the crazy man who killed Jasmine's husband, Prakash, in the park in New York. This encounter forces her past to return to her thoughts. After seeing him she says, "suddenly I felt filthy, having been observed, tracked, by Sukhiwinder"(Mukherjee, 189).

I have actually found so many similarities that it is just not fair to try and fit them all into one blog post. So the rest of Jasmine and Offred's similarities will be discussed in my next blog post!

What's in a Name?

 My brother and sister-in-law are having a baby in August and just found out they are having a boy. Now, they are going through the difficult process of finding a name. They have proceeded to make a list but have yet to make a decision. Thinking about names and reading Jasmine has caused me to wonder, "what's in a name"?

My full name is Abigail Kristin Tingey. "Abigail" not only because my dad likes the name but also for the Bible story about Abigail. "Kristin" is after my Aunt Kris, my dad's sister, who died of leukemia a year before I was born. "Tingey" is my family name, the name I share with my ancestors. I also have many nicknames. Abbycakes, Abby and Abs being among them. My dad has been calling me Abbycakes since I can remember. My close friends call me Abs. And I have been called Abby all my life by everyone I have met.

In Jasmine, Jyoti has many names that are influenced by where she is, who she is with and the situation that she is in. Jasmine says, "I have had a husband for each of the women I have been. Prakash for Jasmine, Taylor for Jase, Bud for Jane. Half-Face for Kali,"(Mukherjee, 197). Jyoti was the name she was given by her parents in India. Prakash wanted Jyoti to have a more American name that would be the beginning of her new life; he chose Jasmine. When she first landed in America, she was taken and forced by Half-Face and she called herself Kali after killing him. Kali means "the black one" and is associated with death and empowerment. In New York, she lives with Taylor and Duff, and Taylor calls her Jase as a nickname. And Bud calls her Jane.

Each new name she received represents each new "self" she became. She admits to the difficulty in having so many different "selves" when she says, "Jyoti, Jasmine: I shuttled between identities"(Mukherjee, 77). She describes each of her "selves" based on her different names as this: "Jyoti was now a sati-goddess; she had burned herself in a trash-can-funeral pyre behind a boarded-up motel in Florida. Jasmine lived for the future, for Vijh & Wife. Jase went to movies and lived for today"(Mukherjee, 176). She continues with her own comparison of two of her "selves". She says, "for every Jasmine the reliable caregiver, there is a Jase the prowling adventurer"(Mukherjee, 176). She makes yet another comparison when she says, "my grandmother may have named my Jyoti, Light, but in surviving I was already Jane, a fighter and adapter"(Mukherjee, 40).

With every name, she was a different person. I think that may be true with everyone. Friends and family often have different names for you and you are a different person with your friends than you are with your family. It is just interesting that in Jasmine's case, she didn't have any choice in her name change. But do we? The question is, how much do we dictate how we change? I think our names, or at least who gives us our names, dictates change a lot more than we think.

Where, what or who is HOME?

I have moved almost nine times in my lifetime. I have been to four different high schools in three different countries. As a result, I am often asked the oh so dreaded question: "Where are you from?". Where am I from? is the question I ask myself all the time and it is one I don't really know how to answer.  I have moved so much I haven't really considered any specific place to be where I am from. I usually answer, "well the last place I lived was..."

I consider each place I live to be very much a part of me. I feel like I have many different "selves". My Park City self, my Montreal self, my London self, and the list goes on with every place I have lived. With moving so much, it is difficult to find who I really am. But is it wrong to have so many different selves? Is it wrong to be defined by different selves? I have had a great life. I can't complain, I have an incredible family who I am very close with, I have lived in some amazing places and have met great friends. I mean look at me; I am living in London, England!!! I have never regretted having to move so much. Everywhere I have lived has provided me with different experiences that have shaped who I am today.

I consider myself a very adaptable person and maybe that is why I haven't minded moving so much. I also made to most of my experiences, I chose to enjoy myself. But there are those times where I feel foreign wherever I go. I consider my "home" the place I am living at that moment, but I also consider Utah a kind of "home" because that is where most of my family lives and it is the last place I lived. In the middle of my freshman year, I left Park City and moved to Montreal, Quebec. After two years living there, I returned to Park City for my Junior year. I have to admit, that was probably the hardest move I have experienced. It was extremely difficult to feel so foreign around all of these people I was familiar with and was supposed to be friends with. I have discovered that after having the experiences I have had, I am used to moving around, living in a city, and being surrounded by diversity. I didn't fit in anymore in the place I called my "home".

This is one way I really relate to Jasmine. She moved a lot in her time in America and from what I gathered, she felt foreign, like she didn't belong. When she was living with the Indian family in New York, she didn't fit in with them either. I think she was hoping that they would immediately accept her and that she would feel at home. At least that is what I felt like when I was moving back to Park City, but that is not what happened to me or her.

Also like Jasmine, I have discovered where I am happiest and what I consider my "home". I consider my "home" to be wherever my family is. I think Jasmine comes to think of her "home" as being with Taylor and Duff. I have come to a conclusion that it is the people in our lives that we love that make it "home", not the places we go. So it doesn't matter how many selves you have, because every time I move, I change and add a new part to my self, but I always have the ones I love.

Symbolism

As I said in my last post, "The Handmaids Tale" is completely loaded with symbolism. I discussed the symbolism of color last time and the significance and the role of color in this novel. But their is so much more symbolism to be discovered in this book.

Many object of symbolism in this book are very odd, every day objects. For example the chair. The chair symbolizes a hierarchy and authority. When the household is called together, Serena Joy "makes her way to the chair"(p. 92) Only the Commander and the Wife sit in a chair. The Handmaid kneels and the Marthas stand.

Odd object of symbolism is flowers. Flowers are often mentioned in this book. Offred describes Serena's garden and each and every flower. She describes Serena's perfume as "a mist of Lily of the Valley".(p. 104) When not wanting to further her story, Offred says she tried to make the story nicer with the flowers. Also, there is imagery of dried flowers in Serena's lounge. These dried flowers represent a barren womb or a man who is sterile. When Offred sees the commander with his clothes of she describes him as "something being dried"(p. 267)

Another odd object that Offred finds herself relating to is an egg. Offred says, "I think that this is what God must look like: an egg. The life of the moon may not be on the surface, but inside" (p. 120)  The egg is also a representation of Offred's desperation for contact. She is extremely lonely and has nothing better to do than form attachments with an egg. She says, "pleasure is an egg...if I have an egg, what more do I want?"(p.120) She goes on to say, "in reduced circumstances the desire to live attaches itself to strange objects."(p. 120)  The inside of the egg can also be representing life. But then she she eats the inside.

One more symbolism I am going to mention is a phrase Aunt Lydia said, "Pen Is Envy"(p.196). This can be representing the power of words and story telling, but if you shift the letters together, it could also mean Penis Envy. Women being jealous of men and the power they have. Especially in Gilead.

There is so much underground meaning in this book. So much symbolism to decipher it is hard to understand and find it all.