4.3.2

The New Right in America

Test yourself

Political Context - America and the New Right

One of the strongest political links between the novel and real life is the growth of the New Right in America in the 1980s.

Illustrative background for Right-wing religious groupsIllustrative background for Right-wing religious groups ?? "content

Right-wing religious groups

  • Atwood collected clippings from newspapers to inspire her creation of Gilead.
  • A lot of her research focused on the increasing political strength of right-wing religious fundamentalist groups, especially their support for President Ronald Reagan, who was part of the Republican party.
  • Reagan promoted traditional family values, conservative beliefs and a strong, evangelical Christian faith.
  • He was voted in as President from 1981 to 1989.
Illustrative background for Reagan's rhetoricIllustrative background for Reagan's rhetoric ?? "content

Reagan's rhetoric

  • Reagan’s rhetoric appealed to the Bible belt of America and warned against the perceived sins of homosexuality, abortion and divorce.
  • Reagan was quoted as saying: "within the covers of the Bible are all the answers for all the problems men face".
    • This is very like the rhetoric of characters like Aunt Lydia, Serena Joy and The Commander.
Illustrative background for Borrowing from Puritan beliefsIllustrative background for Borrowing from Puritan beliefs ?? "content

Borrowing from Puritan beliefs

  • The New Right’s ideologies borrowed from Puritan beliefs, especially the ideas of women being primarily for procreation and seen as inferior to men in marriage.
Illustrative background for Falling fertility ratesIllustrative background for Falling fertility rates ?? "content

Falling fertility rates

  • Fears grew in America in the 1980s as a result of falling fertility rates (known as the ‘Birth Dearth’).
  • The New Right used this as an opportunity to promote traditional heterosexual family values and promote the role of women as ‘procreators’ in order to save society from the ills of homosexuality, falling birth rates and AIDS.
  • Atwood extrapolates this fear and creates a world where women’s only use is as walking "wombs" or to assist the sexual or domestic needs of men.

Jump to other topics

1Author Background

1.1Margaret Atwood

2Chapter Summaries

3Dedications & Epigraph

3.1Dedications & Epigraph

4Context

5Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques

6Themes & Imagery

7Characters

8Readings

8.1Readings of The Handmaid's Tale

Go student ad image

Unlock your full potential with GoStudent tutoring

  • Affordable 1:1 tutoring from the comfort of your home

  • Tutors are matched to your specific learning needs

  • 30+ school subjects covered

Book a free trial lesson