At least since Aldous Huxley’s dystopian classic Brave New World, first published in 1932, dystopian literature has been quite popular up to the present. As for example, Suzanne Collins’ trilogy Hunger Games is one of the most influential as well as famous current dystopian novels. According to the Oxford Dictionary, dystopia as a literary term is defined as “[an] imagined place or state in which everything is unpleasant or bad, typically a totalitarian or environmentally degraded one. […]” (Oxford Dictionaries 2012).
The term paper at hand focusses on the individual living in totalitarian societies. Therefore, a closer look will be taken at the two female protagonists of Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go, Offred and Kathy. Their characters will be analyzed with special regard to their moral action as well as their use of reason living within a totalitarian system. The examination of the two characters is based on fundamental aspects of Kantian philosophy concerning the understanding of enlightenment, freedom and the use of reason.
Since totalitarian regimes, as presented in dystopian literature, usually are authoritarian and oppressive, it is interesting to consider if such a society leaves room for making use of one’s own reason (cf. Oxford Dictionaries 2012). Therefore the initial question of this term paper is: Do the two protagonists of The Handmaid’s Tale and Never Let Me Go make use of their own reason in terms of Kant’s definition of pure practical reason, freedom and enlightenment, or do they prefer to live under a self-imposed nonage?
To answer this question, the term paper is divided into four chapters. Following this introduction, the second chapter concentrates on Immanuel Kant’s philosophical theories. After a short expository passage, Immanuel Kant’s basic hypotheses on moral concepts as well as his image of man will be explained, serving as a basis for the examination of Offred’s and Kathy H’s characters.
In the first part of chapter two, the most important aspects of the Categorical Imperative will be illustrated. In the second part of chapter two, Kant’s concepts of pure practical reason, freedom and Enlightenment will shortly be introduced as well as explained.
In the third chapter, the two female protagonists’ characters will be analyzed by focussing on Kantian philosophy as exposed before. First of all, Offred from The Handmaid’s Tale and then Kathy H. from Never Let
Table of Contents
1 Introduction
2 Immanuel Kant
2.1 The Categorical Imperative
2.2 Kant’s Concepts of Pure Practical Reason, Freedom and Enlightenment
3 Examination of the Two Female Protagonists
3.1 Offred from The Handmaid’s Tale
3.2 Kathy H. from Never Let Me Go
4 Conclusion
5 Works Cited
Objectives and Core Themes
This paper examines the behavior of individuals living in dystopian societies by applying Immanuel Kant's moral philosophy. The primary research question investigates whether the protagonists Offred from The Handmaid’s Tale and Kathy H. from Never Let Me Go actively utilize their own reason in accordance with Kant’s concepts of enlightenment and freedom, or if they succumb to a state of self-imposed immaturity.
- Analysis of Kantian moral concepts, specifically the Categorical Imperative.
- Evaluation of autonomy, freedom, and the nature of reason within oppressive regimes.
- Comparative study of female protagonists in modern dystopian literature.
- Investigation into the psychological drivers of resistance versus submission.
- Critique of self-imposed immaturity caused by cowardice or laziness.
Excerpt from the Book
3.1 Offred from The Handmaid’s Tale
The dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, written by the Canadian author Margaret Atwood and first published in 1985, is one of the most famous feminist dystopias of the twentieth century (cf. Warken 2009: 47). The story of the novel is set in the Republic of Gilead somewhere in the late twentieth century and therefore in the very near future (cf. Atwood 1998: 300; Warken 2009: 47 ).
The Republic of Gilead is situated on the territory of the former New-England-states in in the north of the U.S.A. (cf. Warken 2009: 47). About three years ago, the republic was founded by a religious group called the ‘Sons of Jacob’ after the President of the United States and all members of Congress were killed and the Constitution was suspended (cf. ibid.; cf. Atwood 1998: 64 “[a] little girl who died when she was five. […] Eight, she must be now.”, 174, 307). Gilead is a patriarchal and authoritarian theocracy (cf. Warken 2009: 47).
The protagonist of The Handmaid’s Tale is a woman who is named Offred (cf. Atwood 1998: 143 “My name is Offred now, …). However, this is not her ‘real’ name. ‘Offred’ is a patronymic which is composed of the possessive preposition and the first name of the Commander of the household the protagonist lives in (cf. ibid.: 307). The real name of the female protagonist is not revealed within the story (cf. ibid.: 84 “My name isn’t Offred, I have another name, which nobody uses now because it’s forbidden.”). Therefore this term paper refers to her as Offred.
Chapter Summaries
1 Introduction: This chapter defines the scope of the study, introduces the selected dystopian novels, and presents the research question grounded in Kantian philosophy.
2 Immanuel Kant: This chapter outlines the foundational principles of Kant’s moral philosophy, specifically focusing on the Categorical Imperative, autonomy, and the concept of "man's emergence from his self-imposed immaturity."
2.1 The Categorical Imperative: This section explains the distinction between hypothetical and categorical imperatives and discusses the role of motives and maxims in moral action.
2.2 Kant’s Concepts of Pure Practical Reason, Freedom and Enlightenment: This section explores transcendental freedom, the "thing-in-itself," and defines Enlightenment as the courage to use one's own reason.
3 Examination of the Two Female Protagonists: This chapter applies the previously established Kantian framework to analyze the characters and behaviors of the two protagonists in their respective dystopian environments.
3.1 Offred from The Handmaid’s Tale: This section analyzes Offred’s struggle between resistance, hope, and resignation within the oppressive patriarchal theocracy of Gilead.
3.2 Kathy H. from Never Let Me Go: This section examines Kathy H.'s acceptance of her predetermined fate and her subtle indoctrination within a society that treats clones as biological resources.
4 Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the findings, confirming that while Offred attempts to exercise reason despite her fear, Kathy H. largely accepts a state of self-imposed immaturity due to a lack of motivation to change her reality.
5 Works Cited: A comprehensive list of the academic sources and primary texts utilized for this research.
Keywords
Dystopian Literature, Immanuel Kant, Categorical Imperative, Enlightenment, Self-imposed Immaturity, Autonomy, The Handmaid’s Tale, Never Let Me Go, Offred, Kathy H., Totalitarianism, Moral Philosophy, Freedom, Resistance, Indoctrination.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this research paper?
The paper explores the behavior of female protagonists in dystopian fiction through the lens of Immanuel Kant’s moral philosophy, specifically his concepts regarding the use of reason and enlightenment.
Which literary works are being analyzed?
The study analyzes Margaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale and Kazuo Ishiguro’s Never Let Me Go.
What is the central research question?
The author asks whether these protagonists actively use their own reason to achieve enlightenment or if they prefer to live in a state of "self-imposed nonage" (immaturity).
Which philosophical framework is applied?
The paper utilizes Immanuel Kant's moral theories, including the Categorical Imperative, the definition of Enlightenment, and the distinction between the empirical world and the intelligible realm.
How is the main body structured?
The main body is divided into a theoretical section explaining Kant's core concepts and an analytical section that examines the two protagonists' behaviors within their respective societies.
Which primary keywords characterize this study?
The study is characterized by terms such as Dystopian Literature, Kantian Ethics, Autonomy, Resistance, and Self-imposed Immaturity.
How does Offred's situation differ from Kathy H.'s?
Offred lives in a visible, harsh theocracy and oscillates between active resistance and resignation, whereas Kathy H. lives in a subtle, indoctrinated system and largely accepts her fate without seeking resistance.
Why does the author conclude that Kathy H. lives in immaturity?
The author argues that Kathy H. has sufficient knowledge of her situation to act, but chooses to remain in an immature state due to a sense of laziness and comfort in her predetermined life.
What role do the "guardians" play in these novels?
Guardians act as the enforcers of the respective systems, either through overt religious/authoritarian control (The Handmaid's Tale) or through subtle manipulation and "told and not told" strategies (Never Let Me Go).
- Arbeit zitieren
- Britta Küthen (Autor:in), 2012, Use of Own Reason or Self-Imposed Immaturity in Dystopian Literature?, München, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/232614
