What is Love? Lit Log #2

In The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, Offred and other handmaids express their need for love, hoping for love to come to fruition in their lives as a way of escaping their current role and situation in Gilead. “Falling in love, we said: I fell for him. We were falling women. We believed in it, this downward motion…”. This excerpt from the story captures Offred’s desire to love. What she considers love to be is love from god sharing how god loves his people showing the prominent religion that Offred ties close to.

In The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood says how important love is, especially for Offred and the other women in Gilead. They talk about “falling in love,” which shows how much they want love in their lives. Offred thinks about love in a religious way, like how God loves people. This connects to her strong religious beliefs. When I read this part of the story, I could see similarities between Offred’s beliefs about love and my own ideas about what love means.

Love is a big word with lots of meanings. It’s not just about romance. It can be about family, friends, or even things we really care about. When I think about love, the most important kind for me is the love I have for my family. This love is so strong and unbreakable because I know my family will always be there for me no matter what.

The book shows that Offred’s idea of love is linked to her religious beliefs. She thinks about love like the way God cares for people. In the society she lives in, Gilead, religion is a huge part of everyone’s life. Offred hopes for a love that’s like the love of God – something strong, pure, and everywhere. It’s not just about romantic love for her. It’s about a deeper connection, a spiritual kind of love.

My own understanding of love is more tied to my family. The love I have for them gives me a feeling of safety and happiness. I know they’ll support me no matter what happens. It’s not about religion for me, but about this special bond that family brings. In the story, love is not just romantic. It’s about different kinds of relationships. Offred and the other handmaids have a deep need for love, connection, and freedom. They talk about “falling in love” as a kind of belief, a hope for something better. This shows that love is not just about being in a relationship with someone. It’s about the feeling of closeness and care that you share with people around you.

For me, love isn’t just about romance either. It’s also about the strong bond I share with my friends. We support each other, have fun together, and help each other through tough times. This kind of love isn’t romantic, but it’s so important in my life. The book made me think that love changes over time. As life goes on and we meet new people and experience new things, our feelings of love can also change. The love for something or someone might grow or become different. It’s like a flower that keeps on blooming, changing its colors and shape as time goes by.

The most important thing about love, according to the book and in my life, is that it’s always there, even if it changes. Offred’s hope for love, in a society where it’s restricted, is like a light in the darkness. It shows that love is a powerful force that can help us get through tough times, even if it’s just hope. Thinking about the similarities between Offred’s ideas about love and my own, I can see that love is a big part of everyone’s life. It’s not just about romance, but about the different connections we have with family, friends, or things we care deeply about. “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a reminder that love is a huge, complex thing. It’s not just one feeling, but a mix of feelings and connections. It’s about finding closeness and care with the people around us. Whether it’s the hope for something better, the bond with family, the connection with friends, or the passion for something we love, it all shows the different sides of love and how it affects our lives in many ways.