Test makeup

Symbol - "A mist of Lily of the Valley surrounds us" (Page 93). In the Handmaids tale, fertility is widely seen throughout the book in many forms. One symbol of fertility itself include references to eggs and flowers. This is done to establish the motif of fertility itself.

Euphemism - "Maman died today. Or yesterday maybe, I don't know. I got a telegram from the home: 'Mother deceased. Funeral tomorrow. Faithfully yours.' That doesn't mean anything" (Page 3). The euphemism used here by Camus constructs the contrast between the method the director and Meursault state that his mother is dead. This contrast immediately portrays Meursault as someone close to emotionless by simply stating the facts about his mothers death.

Consonance - "But the stillness was the sleep of swords" (Page 81). The use of imagery as well as consonance is the author attempting to vividly illustrate the point for the reader. This in turn will increase her ability to effectively communicate her overall message.

Irony - "The pistol and the rifle rang out almost together" (Page 184). This quote is of Janie being forced to shoot Tea Cake after he goes mad with delirium caused by the rabies. This when you take in the fact that Tea Cake only got the rabies protecting Janie is extremely ironic. The purpose of this is to create a theme that does not always lead to being fully satisfied.

Hyperbole - "'Ah ruther be shot with tacks than tuh hear dat 'bout mahself'" (Page 79). The overstated wish acts to clarify feelings that could possibly could be mistaken. Here, Hurston attempts to make it absolutely clear to us how a character feels and in turn how we should interpret it.

Oxymoron - "FREEDOM IS SLAVEY" - This is a 1984 Party slogan. The purpose of the writer including such an impossible figure of speech seems to be to identify the Party itself with such impossibility. This then links the Party to contradictory statements.

Juxtaposition - Zora Hurston juxtaposes the narration of the book, Their Eyes Were Watching God which has a very southern and uneducated dialect with the actual writing of it, which is very educated, deep and intentional. "Tea Cake, put down dat gun and go back tuh bed!" (Page 184)

Paradox - Angels wielding guns is extremely paradoxical. We would never normally expect this to occur, however in the Republic of Gilead this is reality. This is added to show just how abnormal this society is. "Guns were for the guards, special picked from the angels” (4).

Chronology - "The good weather holds. It's almost like June, when we would get out our sundresses and our sandals and go for an ice cream cone. There are three new bodies on the wall" (Page 43). This quote is used to starkly contrast Offred's previous life with her current life which is done with Margaret Atwood's effective use of chronology.

Metaphor - "The heads are the heads of snowmen, with the coal eyes and the carrot noses fallen out. The heads are melting" (Page 32). This quote is used to emphasize the fact that the dead's beliefs are no longer tolerated. Therefore, they are like an old snowman that is melting, out of place in the Republic of Gilead.

Structure - The structure of the method that Margaret Atwood writes with is one constantly interrupted by flashbacks. "Not many things are plastic, anymore. I remember those endless white plastic shopping bags, from the supermarket; I hated to waste them and would stuff them in under the sink" (Page 27). The use of these flashbacks right next to the shocking descriptions of the Republic of Gilead add a level of realism to the possibility of such a society.

Alliteration - "Then again the gold and red and purple, the gloat and glamor of the secret orders" (Page 89). The use of alliterating g's helps to emphasize the repetition of power connotative words. This helps characterize Jody as powerful even in death.