Teaching The Handmaid’s Tale in Upper Secondary School : A literary analysis of theme and character and the novel’s affordances for learning regarding gender equality

Abstract: This essay demonstrates what affordances for learning the dystopia The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood has in upper secondary school to promote gender equality. The importance of covering gender equality is evident since Skolverket decided to include the topic in every subject in the Swedish upper secondary school with the start of July 1, 2022. This essay explores a possible way of covering the topic in the English subject with the help of fiction. The essay uses the concept of Louise Rosenblatt's transactional model of reading and literary analysis to explore The Handmaid's Tale's potential. The analysis demonstrates teaching potential, several aspects of "sexualitet, samtycke och relationer" 'sexuality, consent, and relationships', and educational outcomes of The Handmaid’s Tale.