U2 "Acrobat" and The Handmaid's Tale

The U2 song, "Acrobat," presents many connections with Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale.

"Acrobat"

Don't believe what you hear
Don't believe what you see
If you just close your eyes
You can feel the enemy
When I first met you girl
You had fire in your soul
What happened your face
Of melting in snow

(The repetition of "Don't believe" emphasizes that it is hard not to believe the things one hears and sees. Offred clearly had to deal with facing a new lifestyle that she may have not wanted to believe. It continues to say that even if one does not make note of what is going on, it is still present. It is not hard to realize that the enemy is there. This enemy in The Handmaid's Tale is the society itself. It is the higher authorities that rule over Offred. The phrase "fire in your soul" can be compared to Offred. She lost a lot of her personality and life when she was stripped from her old life. This can also be related to Moira who had a lot of spunk. Now, under the new way of life, she works as a prostitute. This job is more gratifying than being a Handmaid in some women's opinions.)

Now it looks like this
And you can swallow
Or you can spit
You can throw it up
Or choke on it
And you can dream
So dream out loud
You know that your time is coming 'round
So don't let the bastards grind you down

(This stanza is about facing reality. It embodies the idea that life gave a person a tricky situation. Now, the choice is of how to handle the situation. Will one accept it or lash out against it? Either way, one can dream of a better way. "Don't let the bastards grind you down" is an obvious connection to The Handmaid's Tale. This phrase is meant to instill confidence and the idea of perseverance. One must not let others inhibit them from goals. In Offred's case, she must try and preserve hope. She must not let herself feel helpless. Moira went in her own direction, which is not surprising when looking at her character. She decided that being a Handmaid was not for her. Prostitution is something from the past that exists illegally. This connection to the past, and the defiance of it being illegal, is what makes it attractive.)

No, nothing makes sense
Nothing seems to fit
I know you'd hit out
If you only knew who to hit
And I'd join the movement
If there was one I could believe in
Yeah I'd break bread and wine
If there was a church I could receive in'
Cause I need it now

(The line "I'd join the movement if there was one I could believe in" draws one to think of a Messiah of some sort. There are many leaders throughout the Bible that led people to a better way of life. In relation to The Handmaid's Tale, there was an underground group of women trying to start a movement. This was more of a secretive group, however, with no definitive leader. Offred struggles with the concept of her faith, so the connection can be made to her religious views. She does not believe in a definitive god because she is unsure of her life. She cannot join in communion with herself or anyone else in her disbelief, so therefore she is unable to "break bread and wine.")

To take a cup
To fill it up
To drink it slow
I can't let you go
I must be an acrobat
To talk like this
And act like that
And you can dream
So dream out loud
And don't let the bastards grind you down

What are we going to do now it's all been said
No new ideas in the house and every book has been read

And I must be an acrobat
To talk like this
And act like that
And you can dream
So dream out loud
And you can find
Your own way out
You can build
And I can will
And you can call
I can't wait until
You can stash
And you can seize
In dreams begin responsibilities
And I can love
And I can love
And I know that the tide is turning 'round
So don't let the bastards grind you down