English 11 Unit One Essay Outline Sasi Ounpiyodom

I. Introduction
A. Thesis statement: In Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids Tale, the
Salvaging illustrates public execution, the act of saving and the power of
repressed anger.

II. Body Paragraph #1

A. Topic sentence: The Salvaging illustrates public execution.
B. Supporting evidence:
i. p.273
ii. Men and women were segregated, all social classes within the gender were
present
iii. The public hangings
C. Clincher sentence: This emphasizes the forced violence used in the public
executions during the Salvaging.

III. Body Paragraph #2

A. Topic sentence: The Salvaging illustrates the act of saving.
B. Supporting evidence:
i. saving the rest of the people in the society from being harmed
ii. Salvage literally means to save in Christianity
iii. Copycat criminals
C. Clincher sentence: Regardless of the criminals purpose, the Salvagings purpose
is to save good people from evilness, as well as insanity.

IV. Body Paragraph #3

A. Topic sentence: The Salvaging illustrates the power of repressed anger.
B. Supporting evidence:
i. p.279 last paragraph
ii. Particicution that follows the salvaging
iii. Handmaids are angry that the Guardian convicted of rape killed the
victims baby, after what theyve gone through, it
C. Clincher sentence: This proves that handmaids find their fulfillment in
releasing their anger by joining the Salvaging.

V. Conclusion
A. Rephrased thesis statement: The Salvaging is a symbol of public execution,
which contradictingly is also an act of saving and has an effect of bringing out the
repressed anger within people.
English 11 Unit One Essay Outline Sasi Ounpiyodom

The Salvaging: Seeking Fulfillment in Death

One can only imagine what it is like to live in a restricted condition, unavoidably

making babies with strangers, in a society of strangers, under control of strangers. For Offred,

the protagonist of The Handmaids Tale, life itself is forcing her to give up. What if there is

one event lending handmaids an opportunity to release their rage, consequently washing

evilness out of society and saving the rest of them who are still scraping through? Writing

this dystopian novel from the Berlin Wall, the author uses symbolisms to depict her idea of

dystopia. One of those includes the Salvaging. In Margaret Atwoods The Handmaids

Tale, the Salvaging illustrates public execution, the act of saving and the power of

repressed anger.

The Salvaging illustrates public execution, an occasional ceremony where either all

women or all men in a district come together to witness the execution of criminals taking

place in a yard at a former university. The ropes and post on a stage are used for hanging

which is the governments preferred way of execution because criminals are not only

suffering from breathlessness, but also humiliation. During the Salvaging, everyone is

watched, as Offred describes, We take our places in standard order: Wives and daughters on

the folding wooden chairs . . . and Handmaids at the front, where everyone can keep an eye

on us (p. 272). Once the ceremony starts, Aunt Lydia says, Im sure we are all aware of the

unfortunate circumstances that bring us all here together on this beautiful morning . . . and it

is in the name of duty that we are here today (p. 274). This quote reveals the nature of

females that they dislike violence and will not use it unless forced upon. This emphasizes the

forced violence used in the public executions during the Salvaging.

English 11 Unit One Essay Outline Sasi Ounpiyodom

The act of saving is seen through the Salvaging. In Christianity, Salvation means

being saved from sin or evil, which contradicts the Salvaging which refers to killing. The

author uses this contrasting idea to induce readers thoughts that when bad people are killed,

good people are saved from being harmed. However, that does not confirm that washing out

evilness results no more evil budding out. As Aunt Lydia announces, It has been the custom

to precede the actual Salvagings with a detailed account of the crimes of which prisoners

stand convicted. However we have found that such public account has followed by an

outbreak of exactly similar crimes (p. 275). This reveals the human nature of conformity.

The reason why people are courageously stubborn enough to commit such crimes is because

either they want to die or hope that if there is enough copycat criminals, then that might come

out as a rebellion against the government. Regardless of the criminals purpose, the

Salvagings purpose is to save good people from evilness, as well as insanity.

The Salvaging proves the power of repressed anger capable of killing. Women who

were once disgusted by violence become bloodthirsty monsters who care less of goodness.

The informal section after the Salvaging is called the Particicution. It requires handmaids

to participate in an execution together. The aunts let the convict out and describe what he has

done: a rape that caused a miscarriage. The handmaids become furious because of how

difficult it is to carry a baby. They aim to kill no matter of the mans denial of the crime.

Once Aunt Lydia blows her whistle, they mercilessly kick and bruise him. The air is bright

with adrenaline, we are permitted anything and this freedom, in my body also, Im reeling,

red spreads everywhere, Offred explains (p. 279). The fact that they finally have freedom

after being restricted for so long further emphasizes the power of anger buried within them as

handmaids. This is the freest they are allowed to be and they highly take advantage of that.

However, they also have the freedom not to fight, like Offred. Instead of feeling satisfied, she
English 11 Unit One Essay Outline Sasi Ounpiyodom

feels empty after the Particicution because she did not participate. Death makes me hungry,

Offred said (p. 281). This proves that handmaids find their fulfillment in releasing their anger

by joining the Salvaging.

In conclusion, the Salvaging refers to public executions portrayed sorrowfully, but the

truth is people are secretly happy to get rid of evilness, taking advantage of temporary

happiness and satisfaction. It brings out their dark side by using violence to overcome

violence instead of stopping it. This method maybe justified lawfully, but ultimately it is not

a sustainable method to use in Gilead because the population will decrease instead of

increase. Aside from saving the rest of society from evilness, there is almost no advantage in

this ceremony. This idea can connect to present situations on a milder level, such as the death

penalty.