"An Open Letter to White Women..." and The Handmaid's Tale

Tomorrow, 5/05, during our class time, we will screen the first episode, Season 1, of The Handmaid's Tale. If you have Hulu, you can watch it on your own. If not, it will be important to show up in our virtual classroom tomorrow at 2:10 pm to view it. (Note: No one showed up last week. That's fine, but I won't screen the show to an empty room. If no one arrives by 2:30 pm tomorrow, then again, I won't show it. You'll have to watch it on your own.)

1. "An Open Letter to White Women Concerning The Handmaid's Tale and America's Cultural Amnesia":

• Why is this "letter" addressed to Dakota, Jezebel, etc.? Who are these women?
• What is The Indian Maiden's Tale?
• Why is Tiffany Midge "resisting the urge to cram [her] face into the couch pillows to keep from screaming"?
• Were you surprised by any information reported in this brief essay? 
• What is "America's Cultural Amnesia"? 
• Do you understand her point of view? Explain.
• Does the role of Samira Wiley, who is black, as the character Moira on The Handmaid's Tale complicate this critique at all? 

 2.  The Handmaid's Tale:

• What is the world of The Handmaid's Tale like?
• Like I said last week, most sci-fi is commenting on our world now. What does the show seem to say about the world we live in? 
•  Protestors in the US and across the world have donned handmaids costumes. What do these silent protest actions represent?

What questions do you have about the essay and/or TV show?

This week:

• Although there is no group critique this week, you still have to make four entries on the blog, at least two in response to your classmates. Many of you aren't doing this. You can't make this requirement up. 
• Reminder: Next Thursday, 5/14, at 4 pm is the last day that I'll take collections. Upload these to Blackboard. If you can't make this deadline, you should drop the class before then.

 Let me know if you have any questions.