In Margaret Atwood’s novel, The Handmaid’s Tale, the Aunts play a significant role in the oppressive society of Gilead. These women are responsible for training and indoctrinating the Handmaids, who are used solely for reproductive purposes. One interesting aspect of the Aunts is the deliberate choice of names associated with household products commonly used by women.
The use of these names, such as Aunt Sara, Aunt Lydia, and Aunt Elizabeth, serves a specific purpose in the narrative. By giving the Aunts names that are familiar and commonly associated with women’s roles in the household, the Aunts are made to appear more approachable and relatable to the Handmaids. This is a deliberate tactic used by the regime to establish a sense of familiarity and to erase any sense of rebellion or resistance.
The choice of household product names also reinforces the traditional gender roles that Gilead seeks to enforce. In the novel, women are primarily defined by their domestic duties, and their worth is determined by their ability to fulfill these roles. By associating the Aunts with household products, their authority and legitimacy are reinforced, as they become symbolic representations of the idealized female roles in Gilead.
Furthermore, the use of these names highlights the dehumanization and objectification of women in the society of Gilead. Just as household products are seen as interchangeable and disposable, the Aunts and Handmaids are treated as mere tools for reproduction. Their individual identities are stripped away, and they are reduced to their assigned roles and names.
It is worth noting that the choice of names for the Aunts also serves as a commentary on the commodification of women in patriarchal societies. By associating them with household products, Atwood critiques the objectification of women and the way in which their value is often reduced to their ability to fulfill domestic roles.
The Aunts in The Handmaid’s Tale are deliberately given names associated with household products commonly used by women. This choice of names serves multiple purposes, including establishing familiarity and relatability, reinforcing traditional gender roles, and highlighting the dehumanization and objectification of women. Through this narrative device, Atwood offers a critical commentary on the oppressive and patriarchal nature of Gilead’s society.