By Allie Reczek

Welcome to Falvey’s Flick or Flip? My name is Allie Reczek, and I am a sophomore undergrad and student worker in the Library. For this blog, I will pick a book that has been turned into a movie, and argue which I thought was better.

This week on Falvey Flick or Flip, I will be discussing The Handmaid’s Tale, written in 1985 by Margaret Atwood. The novel is set in a future dystopian society in which societal roles consist of patriarchal men and subservient women. Offred, the main character, sets out to escape the confines of this life and be reunited with her family. The Republic of Gilead, which is the name of the totalitarian state that takes over after the fall of the United States government, limits the role of many women to “handmaids” who are forced to bear children for barren women and their husbands. Offred is defiant of the new role she has been forced into and works with other handmaids to secretly destroy this toxic government. Throughout the novel, Atwood pushes the boundaries of the human mind, highlighting gender stereotypes and the dangers of technology, leaving readers wondering if we are not that far away from reaching this hypothetical future. 

Rather than a movie adaptation, The Handmaid’s Tale was converted into a TV series on Hulu in 2017. In the first two seasons, the show follows the same storyline, with some changes that take a modern-day approach to this 1980s novel, like the inclusion of an interracial couple and highlighting the fear of expressing same-sex relationships in Gilead. 

While very well-directed and produced, I feel that after the first season I was not as invested in the series as I was reading the book. For anyone who can keep up with a TV series, I highly suggest this show. However, unlike a movie that tells a whole story in less than two hours, I grew bored of the plot line as more episodes were released.

Ultimately, regardless of the format in which you unfold this tale, The Handmaid’s Tale is a story that should not be overlooked. 

So, Flick or Flip?

FLIP

Hi! My name is Allie Reczek, and I am a sophomore Psychology Major. I work as a Marketing and Communication Assistant in Falvey. Hope you enjoy this blog! Which flips or flicks should I debate in the future? Message @villanovalibrary on Instagram or tweet us @FalveyLibrary!