Confinement

“A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze” (165). My main inspiration for this artwork was this quote and the oppressive nature of Gilead. The maze served as a metaphor for the illusion of freedom that defines life under the regime. There are multiple paths within it, but all of them lead to a dead end. There is no true exit and all paths lead to one of four different areas: Offred (Handmaid), Jezebel’s (Moira), knitting (Serena Joy), and the Colonies. These four spaces symbolize the limited roles assigned to women and the inevitable control the regime has over them, no matter which path they take. In other words, there is no true freedom in this world and these women are confined within the boundaries of maze. Even attempts at escape, as seen through Moira and Offred, are met with different forms of oppression, taking them into one of these areas.

The structure of the maze mirrors the paradoxical logic of Gilead; an illusion of choice is presented to the characters, but ultimately, all paths are predetermined and dictated. The notion of being like a rat in a maze is seen in Offred’s daily experiences. Her situation is one of the “dead ends” represented by the handmaid figure in the center left of the drawing. Even though women are given more protection in this world, they lack protection in comparison to life before the regime: “I think about laundromats. What I wore to them: shorts, jeans, jogging pants. What I put into them: my own clothes, my own soap, my own money, money I had earned myself. I think about having such control” (24). This memory contrasts with her present reality; she is confined both within the Commander’s house and the social implications of her gender identity. Not only has Gilead stripped her of bodily autonomy, she also no longer has the ability to go about simple routines.

The Jezebel’s building was drawn separate from the rest of the maze, yet it’s still within the boundaries of the maze. This visual separation between Moira and the rest of the maze hints at the illusion of freedom that these women have. While Jezebel’s seems like a break from Gilead’s rules, it still remains under its control. This was seen in Moira’s case. While she is no longer one of the handmaids or wives, she is still objectified and controlled. Despite her rebellious tendencies, the regime is able to find a space and way to keep her as part of this society. People like Moira are now seen as forms of entertainment or novelty for men: “Nature demands variety, for men. It stands to reason, it’s part of the procreational strategy” (237). Overall, the situation of these women is unique to their gender and oppression is not present for men. Due to this, the only dead ends depicted in the maze are the experiences that women have in Gilead.

The knitting drawing symbolizes Serena Joy’s life and the lack of freedom that is now present: “She doesn’t make speeches anymore. She has become speechless. She stays in her home, but it doesn’t seem to agree with her. How furious she must be, now that she’s been taken at her word” (46). Similar to Offred’s situation, she no longer has the autonomy to speak her mind and pursue her passions. Notably, her higher position as the Commander’s wife is not relevant in this sense: she is equally trapped in this system as the handmaids are. The ball of yarn itself represents the constant twisting through different parts of the maze just to end up in this continuous struggle with no end.

The last drawing is of a pickaxe, which is associated with the “Unwomen” in the colonies. They are located in the corner of the maze, or the outskirts, highlighting the lack of power they have in the regime. These people are treated less than human, making this the ultimate “dead end” or where this illusion of freedom collapses entirely.

Above it all, there is a single eye…watching. Whether this belongs to the regime’s spies or a divine figure Gilead claims to serve, this eye dictates everything in this world. The absence of color reinforces this notion of control and oppression in this mundane world. By removing the distinct red of the handmaid’s cloak, I wanted to drain every aspect of excitement in this piece to echo the monotony and emotional numbness these characters experience.