The theme of power and control as demonstrated through The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

It is necessary for the government to impose a certain amount of power and control on its citizens in order for a society to function properly. However, too much power and control in a society eliminates the freedom of the residents, forbidding them to live an ordinary life. In the dystopic futuristic novel, The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood demonstrates the theme of power and control through an oppressive society called the Republic of Gilead. The …

…and it also uses military control and the Particicution to establish power in society. The Aunts indoctrinate the Handmaids and control them by using fear and intimidation. Furthermore, power is shown through the patriarchal society, which includes the Commanders, the Commander's Wives, and the Handmaids assigned to them. Overall, the Republic of Gilead institutes power and control in society, therefore forcing its residents into submission and causing them to loose control over their own lives.