A Handmaid's Tale Quote

"You can see the place, under the lily, where the lettering was painted out, when they decided that even the names of shops were too much temptation for us."

        This quote emphasizes the extreme control the government in Gilead has on the women. The government does not even want the women reading signs because the only way (in their opinion) to show their tight hand on the women, is to have control over every aspect of the women, including their bodies. The handmaid's run-in with the Japanese tourist presents total opposite ideas of cultures. The Japanese women are wearing revealing clothes, while the handmaid's are totally covered in their robes. The emphasis of total control on the women's bodies is suggested again as Offred and Ofglen pass the Wall, containing hung criminals who have performed abortions before Gilead was in control. The extremity of the government is shown, as giving women control of their bodies would be considered a terrible offense.  
        The emphasis on the extreme control of the women then ties into their thoughts--the only thing that the government cannot control. Offred continually flashes back to her past with Luke and her daughter. Even though she flashes back to scary memories of running away, fleeing the borders, and leaving everything behind, I think Offred remembers it all with joy. She is completely unsatisfied and angry in her current life, so she must live by remembering her past. The government must have some sort of clue the agony the women are in from missing their family. All the memories Offred had of her daughter--the clothes, pictures, and hair, have all been confiscated by the government. The government is not only controlling their present, and future, but trying to destroy their past. Offred's memories are often recollected by certain events. Such as the doctor's office visit when the doctor attempts to seduce her. Although he is claiming that he is trying to help her, it appears to be more pressured. Other incidences such as the Commander and Offred's "fucking", brings back memories of Aunt Lydia's words. "For our purposes your feet and your hands are not essential."  Aunt Lydia's words prove exactly a women's role in Gilead. Pain, emotion, and your body no longer matter, only producing a child does. 

My Career Interest

           Walking through the doors of The Rise School, a preschool for children with Down’s Syndrome, after five summers, always makes me smile! It is hard to not feel joyous when you are receiving a big teddy bear hug from a child who cannot say your name, even if they know it. Giving and receiving hugs is only a small part of the volunteer duties at The Rise School. Helping with crafts, playground time, music, and lunch are all part of a busy morning there.  My favorite time of the day is helping the speech and music therapists work with the children.

During my volunteer experiences at The Rise School and at a camp for special-needs teenagers, I have had the opportunity to observe kids struggling to communicate.  The contact with these children has helped me realize that I am meant to help youth in a medical related field. It did not take long for me to figure out that I wanted to be a speech language pathologist. Many kids have the thought process of forming what they desire to say, but are unsuccessful in speaking and making proper sounds. A speech pathologist is the absolute dream job for me. I thrive on making a difference and helping others excel in even the smallest things

I plan to study communications disorders at University of Arkansas and then get my graduate degree in Speech Therapy. After obtaining my degrees, I want to work with children to help them speak and communicate clearly. These may be children who have learning differences, normal speech issues in early elementary school, or teens who have lost speaking abilities in an accident.  

I have loved all of the volunteer opportunities I have had working with children through National Charity League, National Honor Society, AIM High (an after school program for underprivileged students) and mission trips.  Volunteering with children has taught me patience because it takes time for kids to learn and not everything is developed or learned the first time around. I am detail-oriented and patient, which are very important traits to working in a medical field, and specifically Speech Pathology. With the skills that I possess, I know that I can be successful in this field and achieve my dreams.