Society itself is a transgression upon our modern ethics - what is considered orthodox in HMT is a transgression to us - its like the opposite - highlights how transgressions are unique to the society they fit in bc they are breaking social norms - punishes a transgression with a transgression - particicution - doctor helping get her pregnant - considered a transgression in our world but a - accepted transgressions vs bad transgressions Society in HMT is like an ethical anarchy bc no one has morals anymore Freud - society is built on suppressing perversion, and transgressions threaten to shatter society bc they go against this suppression - all types of transgressions, whether geographical, physical, etc. break societal norms and can shatter society - transgressions lead to punishment - bc transgressions, if left unchecked and allowed to proliferate, will release the suppressed perversions which society is built upon - e.g. incest is considered unethical and hence it has a punishment - if incest was not punished and allowed to go unchecked, genetic disorders would more common and society (healthcare, economy, research) would suffer as a whole - in HMT, the suppression mainly involves women's bodily autonomy and desires; while men have more freedom, they are also forbidden to love The fact that everyone has transgressions in HMT is indicative of the suppressive nature of Gilean society - the commander wants more than a baby-making relationship with Offred - nick and offred bang bc they love it - serena joy lets it happen bc she wants a family - ofglen is part of the mayday resistance - doctor offers to make offred pregnant bc the commander may be sterile Even thought Gilean society is extremely suppressive compared to our own, their existence is reflective of our own society's suppressive measures, exaggerated to make *us* support the transgressions for a change and to make apparent, at the root, why transgressions are performed (in HMT and in real life). At first glance, not everyone performs transgressions for the same reason - offred and ofglen want resistance against the government of gilead - to send a message and to protect themselves - the commander wants a personal connection - serena joy wants a family Yet, upon closer inspection, all transgressions (expressions of suppressed perversion) seek only to serve the one committing them - perhaps this is human instinct. All of the above says 2 things about society and transgressions 1. Societies repress perversions to be stable and doles out punishments for committing transgressions 2. Everyone performs transgressions to benefit themselves