Topic Proposal

My guiding question is for this research essay is, how does the method of totalitarian thought control contribute to the ways of the women in Handmaid’s Tale?
The topic I plan to research is methods of totalitarian thought control. I want to understand what exactly totalitarian thought control is. My understanding of totalitarian thought control is very sparse. The research will help me to better understand why these women felt the way they did and how they were coached into the actions they carried out. I am not too familiar with what really goes on in the totalitarian thought control processes except for what I have read in the “Handmaid’s Tale”. My research will focus on understanding these methods and how they will help me better understand the ways of this era. I want to know the events that lead up to this way of government, and why they took it to these extremes besides the fact that they just could. I’m interested in finding out the processes and amount of time it takes to gain control over one’s thoughts.
In the Handmaids Tale the women are forbidden to read on top of many other things. I understand that at this time this was a man’s world and women just lived in it. Women all over the world are still forbidden to have rights and live a life that Margaret Atwood explains. I know this and it still doesn’t dawn on me that this is happening in this world right now.
I chose this topic due to the lack of knowledge I have about methods of totalitarian thought control. This will clear up my confusion on why the women were treated in these manners and the reasons behind them going along with everything they were told. This is a tough topic for me to relate to because growing up having all the freedom in the world has made me wonder how this could actual is a reality. Hopefully this research will give me an understanding of how and why this way of control has occurred and the reasons for it continuing till this day.