I really don't get it: there are multiple refugees of the Gilead regime in Canada (and probably other countries), I am sure they have all told their stories, and stories of Gilead in general, many times over.
What exactly changed when the women's letters were leaked?? Why was diplomacy possible prior to that point, but suddenly became impossible now?
It was all about public perception. The bombing painted them in a sympathetic light, at least enough for Canada to see an opportunity to restart diplomatic relations, try to get them to make changes and avoid a war. There were already protests against the Canadian government for inviting them into the country, but the situation was manageable. When the letters got out, they just reminded everyone of what was still going on in Gilead. It made the protests larger and more intense, and the Canadians could no longer manage the backlash.
shareThe audience (us) know that the handmaids are fertile but considered morally soiled. Few if any of them have volunteered for the job. Gilead portrays themselves as having a happy, content populace and have hoodwinked the world to the point that established cordial diplomatic relations with Mexico and going to establish a relationship with Canada, which up to now has been very critical of Gilead. Now there is a sheaf of letters written by handmaids telling the world how they are regularly being raped in some sick ceremony.
These letters are telling the world how the sausage is made.
I don't see how that changes anything considering many of the refugees are former handmaids themselves?..
It's not clear how many of the Candian refugees were former handmaids. June was part of that first group of handmaids and the
Most of the refugees weren't fully integrated into Gilead, a lot of them left early on or even before the war. The full scope of what that society was was still under wraps or beginning to evolve. Also, you would assume that a refugee would speak negatively about the place they left. Anything they might say would be counteracted with propaganda from Gilead.
Also, it's been at least a good year or so and people have short memories. All of the media coming out of Gilead shows an idyllic society. They aren't talking about people being sent to the colonies or gay people being hung and their bodies left on display.
Finally, there is the power of personalization. It's one thing to read, "these outrages are happening" and another to read, "this terrible thing is happening to me". It's the difference between reading about the Holocaust and reading Primo Levi or Anne Frank. It's not one or two people, Gilead can talk that away. But that stack of letters were personal narratives that put the readers in the shoes of women who are being repeatedly raped and impregnated.
I mean, you are entitled to your opinion, but the foundation of my argument is simply that none of that information was new to anybody. That it was suddenly news (and to politicians, of all people) did not seem realistic to me.
I don't remember if they did all of this for the show, but in the book they were trying to create a tourism market for Gilead. In particular, there was a lot of interest from Asia. They liked to come for the spectacle- handmaids, wives, etc., and the colors they wore, the choreographed rituals and the way people would interact (or not) with each other. The handmaids were warned not to talk to the tourists, who would sometimes try to come over and have a conversation with them even though they knew the handmaids wouldn't respond. But before these groups came in, there was a big deal made about cutting down the dead bodies and washing the blood off the walls.
shareYeah, that was in one of the episodes in season 1, that the handmaids had to wash the blood off the execution wall along the river because the officials had some delegation coming in.
My problem with that is how did they not easily put the pieces together? So we have a diplomatic mission to Canada and then one day later - golly gee - the letters got leaked to Canada! My stars! I wonder who coulda done it??? I just wonder?...Hmmmmmm..... Even Inspector Clouseau could make those pieces fit.
shareYeah, I also mentioned this in another thread.