Topic B: Choose a character who is involved in a struggle against his or her society. Write a response (approx 250 words) exploring two or three relevant issues listed in item C under "The Main Characters" section.
Moira is Offred's best friend from the pre-societal change. Back then, Moira was active in the feminist movement. Offred reveals later in the novel that her and Moira wind up in the same training center, and she retells Moira's types of resistance. Moria's conflict with society is that she does not agree with the Aunts and the new society that her actions as a feminist have led to. Moira struggles against the oppression and absence of her rights as a women in the pre-societal shift. She demonstrates her displeasure of society to Offred when she describes one of the Aunts as an "old bitch" (Atwood 89). In order to resist, Moira attempts to escape by bribing the Angels in the ambulance while they took care of her for her "fake" sickness. This attempt failed. Moira's feet, useless in society's eyes, were beaten until swollen like lungs, but she did not give up. On the second attempt, she tricks Aunt Elizabeth, the one who guards the bathroom, and steals her clothes while using the iron rod from the toilet as a weapon. Moira brings Aunt Elizabeth down to the boiler room and ties her up so that she can run away. She succeeds in her escape and for all the reader knows, Moira escapes the oppressive society and attains freedom. However, Atwood never explains what truly happens to Moira. Happy day.
Sidenote - the escapes that Moira attempted showed her other characteristics. Both times, Moira never asked Offred about leaving with her. Therefore, the reader is able to interpret this as her being selfish, or her looking out for Offred. I personally lean towards selfish because the reward of escaping the oppressive society outweighs the risk of getting caught.
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