 Margaret Atwood employs three epigraphs at the beginning of The Handmaid's Tale to establish the novel's tone. Based on the epigraphs provided, analyze how each epigraph contributes to an understanding of:
Successful responses will cover:
Key Terms: Anachronistic: Something that seems to belong to a different time period than the one it is portrayed in. Imperative: A command or instruction given in the form of a sentence that starts with a verb. Metaphor: A way of describing something by comparing or calling it something else, creating a vivid image or meaning. Satire: A way of using humor, irony, or exaggeration to criticize or mock societal issues, individuals, or systems. Epigraph #1 “And when Rachel saw that she bare Jacob no children, Rachel envied her sister*; and said unto Jacob, Give me children, or else I die. And Jacob's anger was kindled against Rachel; and he said, Am I in God's stead, who hath withheld from thee the fruit of the womb? And she said, Behold my maid Bilhah, go in unto her; and she shall bear upon my knees, that I may also have children by her.” - Genesis 30:1-3 Epigraph #2 But as to myself, having been wearied out for many years with offering vain, idle, visionary thoughts, and at length utterly despairing of success, I fortunately fell upon this proposal.... -Jonathan Swift, A Modest Proposal Epigraph #3 ‘In the desert there is no sign that says, “Thou shalt not eat stones.”’ - Sufi Proverb Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): Minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add a word count. Due by 11:59 pm Friday night, 1/30/2026!  Click the image above to listen to the NYPL podcast, "Frankenstein: Our Dark Mirror." In this Primary Blog Post, please copy/paste the notes from your favorite chapter ONLY of the New York Public Library's podcast, Frankenstein: Our Dark Mirror. You may want to "flesh them out" (pun entirely intended) first, as your classmates will be reading and commenting on them this weekend.
Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above): 200-250 words, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Thurs night, Feb 6th! Secondary Blog Response Expectations (read everyone's primary responses, select two that interest you, and respond to their ideas): 100-150 words EACH, minimal errors in grammar and usage, thoughtful and thorough writing. Please use the name you were assigned in class as your nom de plume and be sure to add word count. Due by 11:59pm Friday night, Feb 7th! In Part 1 of A Thousand Splendid Suns, Nana says the following to her daughter, Mariam: “Women like us. We endure. It’s all we have.” Select three distinct passages from Part 1 (add page #) that show how this sentiment informs Mariam’s life and how it relates to themes you believe will be intrinsic to the larger meaning of the novel. Primary Blog Expectations (respond to the prompt above):
--200-250 words --minimal errors in grammar and usage --thoughtful and thorough writing --Use the name that you were assigned in class as your nom de plume. --Be sure to add word count. --Due by 11:59 PM on Sunday night! --REMEMBER, this is a Practice Assessment and, therefore, will not be accepted late. There is often a sense of moral ambiguity that one can experience because of cultural conflict. I’ve often been faced with questions such as, "Do I believe this is right or wrong because of the way I was raised, or is it right or wrong because of a universal set of morals that all humans share?"  Reflect on these tensions for yourself, and compose a piece of personal writing addressing some (not all) of these questions:
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