The novel The Handmaid's Tale, written by Margaret Atwood, exaggerates and embellishes the stereotypical roles of men and women. Margaret Atwood is a Canadian poet, novelist and activist. Many of her books include some form of feminism and her protagonists are often women with few rights. The novel takes place in a futuristic United States, renamed the Republic of Gilead. The idea of ​​rights and choice has been almost completely destroyed. People have been brainwashed to do whatever the government tells them. The three main themes of the novel are feminism, gender conflict and sexuality. Feminism plays an important role in the novel. Throughout the novel, Offred has flashbacks to her best friend Moira. Moira is rebellious and her ideas cause Offred to think about the role of women in the community compared to what they were before. The women are taken to a training center before becoming official servants. At the center, they learn how they are supposed to act and behave in front of the commander and his wife. A number of women work in each household to fulfill the stereotypical functions of what was once a single woman. Handmaids are not allowed to speak to the Commander, Wife, or other Handmaids unless there has been a birth or they use appropriate greetings and farewells. The maids can only say, “Blessed be the fruit” and “May the Lord open” (Atwood 19). “Blessed be the fruit” refers to a biblical prayer that contains “Blessed be the fruit of your womb.” The main job of handmaids is to reproduce. Often, especially among older commanders, handmaidens cannot reproduce because one person is not fertile. However, the commanders are never blamed for this misfortune; it's always the hand's fault...... middle of paper...... is not fertile, and she really wants to have a child. At this point, the Commander and Offred have held many ceremonies and Offred has not yet become pregnant. Overall, the novel is about conflicts between men and women. Most men have power and most women don't. Men know that to have a better life, women must have a worse life. This is an abusive relationship and Gilead's fear of sexuality later tears it down. Feminism pervades the entire book, with something new mentioned on every page. Before the regime, Offred's mother was a feminist. She used to participate in marches and other activist events. Offred was embarrassed by her mother and asked her to stop. She later learned that her mother was protesting for her rights, which were later taken away by the regime. Works Cited Atwood, Margaret. The Handmaid's Tale. Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company, 1986. Print.