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As for the race issues- Like many things in the book, you have to piece things together. Offred has a thought here, and then another there. I cannot remember exactly where it is mentioned, but I'm guessing it is probably most discussed in the epilogue... I know non-whites were sent to the colonies. Which makes sense because a society as strict as Gilead would look at them as impure. Can't have that.
so the article I read was correct. In the book, she is a handmaid because her husband is black.
I see where I got this now. This article from a woman who had only seen the first 3 epis!
In the book, Offred becomes a Handmaid because her husband had been married once before, and that makes their marriage null and void and under Gileadean sexual purity laws.
We don't know yet if Offred's husband on the show was married before — it hasn't come up — but so far, it looks as though they were targeted not because of a second marriage but because of an interracial one.
I mis-remembered that to have said that the inter-racial thing was in the book. But the show is the same as the book on this!
I see where I got this now. This article from a woman who had only seen the first 3 epis!
In the book, Offred becomes a Handmaid because her husband had been married once before, and that makes their marriage null and void and under Gileadean sexual purity laws.
We don't know yet if Offred's husband on the show was married before — it hasn't come up — but so far, it looks as though they were targeted not because of a second marriage but because of an interracial one.
I mis-remembered that to have said that the inter-racial thing was in the book. But the show is the same as the book on this!
Yes, the divorce. As I said before, everyone in the book is white (see below), so interracial relationships were non-existent in the book.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jaynarie
It is because Luke was divorced. Or, rather, divorces were no longer recognized. Because they are no longer recognized, Luke is married to his first wife and Offred is his mistress. Their child is considered to have been born out of wedlock.
Luke is caucasian in the book. All of the characters are. All non-whites were removed from society at the beginning of Gilead and sent to the Midwest and forced to work until their deaths. Jewish people either had to embrace Gilead or go back to Israel.
Aunt Lydia mentioned that Offred (June) was a **** or something to that effect because she had an affair with a married man who had children and he left his wife for her.
I chuckled at the divorced thing because in the Catholic Church, it doesn't matter if you've been married 5 times as long as it wasn't in the Catholic Church. They don't recognize those marriages as I found out when my husband and I got married in the Catholic Church in 1984 despite both of us being divorced.
I just read that The Handmaid's Tale and many of the actors have been nominated for Emmy's including Elizabeth Moss (Offred).
Did anyone notice how the Commander Fred tried to lessen the punishment for his fellow commander? The guy's wife ASKED for a strict punishment for her husband. The look on Fred's face..... Wow.
I chuckled at the divorced thing because in the Catholic Church, it doesn't matter if you've been married 5 times as long as it wasn't in the Catholic Church. They don't recognize those marriages as I found out when my husband and I got married in the Catholic Church in 1984 despite both of us being divorced.
That's not true at all. The Catholic Church recognizes all marriages as being valid. You would have had to go through an annulment process in order to be remarried in the Catholic Church. And not all who ask for an annulment are granted one, even if the marriage took place outside of the church.
That's not true at all. The Catholic Church recognizes all marriages as being valid. You would have had to go through an annulment process in order to be remarried in the Catholic Church. And not all who ask for an annulment are granted one, even if the marriage took place outside of the church.
Since my husband and I went through it I believe I know what I am talking about. I was married at 18 in a Baptist church and my husband was married by the Justice of the Peace the first time. We were NOT required to ask for annulment. The priest basically told us that our previous marriages were NOT recognized as being valid. But thanks for your input.
Since my husband and I went through it I believe I know what I am talking about. I was married at 18 in a Baptist church and my husband was married by the Justice of the Peace the first time. We were NOT required to ask for annulment. The priest basically told us that our previous marriages were NOT recognized as being valid. But thanks for your input.
Sorry, but your priest was wrong. Yes, it is possible for priests to be wrong. You may want to look into the validity of your marriage. Your husband's previous marriage isn't an issue because it was a civil, not sacramental marriage. But if you were baptized and married in a church (any church), you have had a sacramental marriage. If it was not dissolved by annulment, you may still be married to your previous spouse, in the eyes of the church.
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