The Handmaid’s Tale features reference to information being censored and the use of propaganda.
For example, Ofglen tells Offred news of the war, and Offred remarks that it may not be true, but she was desperate for any kind of news, true or not. This suggests she isn’t allowed to know the progress of the war.
Also, before the ceremony takes place, in Chapter 15, Serena Joy switches on the television and watches the news. Offred remarks how the Jewish people in the boat shown could be actors and that they looked stereotypically and almost comically Jewish. This introduces the idea that the authorities aren’t being truthful to people and are using distorted information to control them.
This is like the Defense of the Realm Act (DORA) passed in 1914 which disallowed any negative ideas of the war, even in private letters!
Similarly, the story of Jacob, Rachel and Bilah in the Old Testament of the Bible has also been used for propaganda. Like the poster promotes war against Germany, the Bible verses present the idea that the ceremony practice is good and what God intended.
North Korean censorship of the internet
Similarly, Chinese, Russian and North Korean society have also been controlled in this way.

	Created by Summer Pearce over 8 years ago

A-Level (Year 1) (Year 1) English Language and Literature (The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood) Slide Set on Historical Context of The Handmaid's Tale, created by Summer Pearce on 11/08/2016.