Rereading: Trusting My High School Self

I'll be honest- I'm not a rereader. I have way too many books the way it is and there are constantly new ones coming out that I want to read. But, there are always exceptions, and this week Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale was one. For those not familiar with the plot, it's about a handmaid named Offred whose sole duty is to get pregnant. Dressed in bright red robes, she lives at the home of a commander, who, once a month tries to knock her up (and they wonder why there were so few births... probability, people! Once a month only works if you're drunk, sixteen, and at a party), while his wife is crouched behind, watching the whole thing. Kinky, right? Not so much. Offred is miserable, her thoughts are constantly with her husband and daughter, neither of which she knows the location of. Prudes are respected, as is silence- the government is a constant presence. Eventually, the commander's wife tries to get Offred pregnant by other means, which leads to emotional investment and possible danger. This dystopian novel is definitely in my top ten all-time favorite books.

But anyway, the rereading. It's been about eleven years since I read it the first time and while I remembered the basics, it was interesting how much I had forgotten. For example, the only thing I remembered about an episode in a gentleman's club was that the elevators were compared to glass eggs. I had also forgotten the phrase "nolite te bastardes carborundum," (don't let the bastards get you down) which Offred clings to for much of the book. I was a little apprehensive going into it- what if my high school self had horrible taste in books? I mean, Christine the teenager also really loved Cappuccino Blasts, going to Denny's with friends, and watching reruns, all things I'm not too enthusiastic about now. Luckily, my taste in books wasn't half bad (no, I'm not going to stop in and get a Grand Slam for breakfast this weekend). 

I'm also pleased with the fact that our teachers chose The Handmaid's Tale as a novel for the IB curriculum, as it is quite sexual (but then again we did read House of the Spirits as sophomores). I don't remember the class discussions, but one of the major themes has to do with whether or not women are in charge of their sexuality, as well as the ethics behind using people as just reproductive vessels. A lot of the sex is implied, but it is a bit disturbing and so different from what teenagers are used to. Personally, I don't shy away from discussing sex in the classroom. Sex is  a huge part of being human- being human is a huge part of literature. I would love to be able to use this book in my class, if only we had the budget to buy copies.

Something I did not forget was how great The Handmaid's Tale is. I think this idea of not forgetting in terms of pathos is interesting. I can tell you whether or not I liked a book and the emotional effect it had on me for every book I've read on my shelf. Perhaps I recount every tiny detail, but preference is something that apparently doesn't fade.