Brian Barton
The Colonies in The Handmaid's Tale are areas contaminated by radioactive waste, former war zones, or agricultural regions. The colonies are located in the western US, except for LA, and are situated in areas where nuclear power plants lie. The colonies are used as penal colonies, where Gilead sends women convicted of various crimes, known as \Unwomen\, to punish them. The women are made to work in the radioactive landscape, removing toxic waste and radioactive soil so that Gilead can plant crops in the area. The colonies are known for their inhumane living conditions, with contaminated water leading to intestinal tract infections, and most convicts die of malnutrition and sickness caused by the pollution.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Reason for the colonies' existence | To restore the polluted landscape |
| Cause of pollution | Radioactive waste, nuclear meltdown, nuclear exchange/accident, nuclear plants |
| Affected areas | Arizona, Arkansas, California, Missouri |
| Impact | Sickness, malnutrition, cancer, skin lesions, intestinal tract infections |
| Population | Convicted women, "Unwomen", "Unpeople", gender traitors, people who try to escape, old women, intellectuals, a quarter of the prisoners are male |
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What You'll Learn
Radioactive soil and debris
The Colonies in The Handmaid's Tale are introduced in Season 2 as ecologically contaminated areas located in what was once the American Midwest and Southwest. The landscape is described as a bleak, radioactive wasteland where \"Unwomen\" are sent to work. These women are forced to shovel radioactive soil into bags and use hoes to break the cracked land. The soil is steaming and radioactive, with symbols indicating its toxicity.
The Colonies are the result of industrial pollution, chemical/radiological accidents, and possibly nuclear warfare or compromised nuclear reactors. The actual cause of the environmental decay remains vague, but the pollutants in the air and land do visible damage to the bodies of the workers, despite their protective gear. The radioactive landscape is also contrasted with the relatively cleaner environment of Gilead, which has switched to growing organic crops and reducing carbon emissions to address the global infertility crisis.
The official goal of the Colonies is to restore the radioactive landscape and make it fit for growing crops again. The "Unwomen" are essentially slave labour, condemned by Gilead to work on cleanup projects as a death sentence. Their labour is both a solution to the pollution problem and a political tool, as Gilead views women's bodies as meant to be used.
The Colonies are marked as radioactive on maps, with two large sites in Arizona and Missouri corresponding to nuclear reactors. These sites are within regions indicated as the Colonies on Gilead's maps, which include states like Minnesota, Wisconsin, Indiana, and New York. The show hints at an unnamed war between Gilead and various factions, including the United States government, which may contribute to the environmental decay in the Colonies.
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Contaminated water
The colonies in Gilead are contaminated by radioactive waste, which has turned them into wastelands. Radioactive soil is placed into bags with radioactivity warnings on them. The colonies are located in areas where nuclear power plants were based in America, suggesting that a nuclear meltdown or nuclear exchange/accident led to their creation.
The colonies are used as labour camps for convicted women, known as "Unwomen". These women are tasked with clearing away radioactive debris and pollution, which often proves fatal. The water the Unwomen are given to clean with is contaminated with E. coli, leading to intestinal tract infections.
The colonies are known for their inhumane living conditions, with the majority of convicts dying of malnutrition and sickness caused by the pollution. Convicts are also used as slave labour and are worked to death.
The colonies are used as a threat to keep citizens in line. During lessons at the Red Centre, handmaids are taught about the colonies and told that if they do not behave, they will be sent there.
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Nuclear reactor meltdown
The colonies in The Handmaid's Tale are areas contaminated by radioactive waste, resulting from a nuclear reactor meltdown. Aunt Lydia alludes to this in the Testaments when she asks, "why hadn't someone decommissioned those atomic reactors before it was too late?".
The colonies are located in former agricultural regions of the midwestern and southwestern United States, including Arizona, Arkansas, California, and Missouri. These areas were once home to nuclear power plants, and the colonies are now radioactive wastelands where convicted women, known as "Unwomen", are sent to work and face harsh living conditions. The water they are given to clean with is contaminated with E. coli, leading to intestinal tract infections, and the radiation exposure causes skin lesions and cancer.
The colonies serve a dual purpose: to restore the polluted landscape and to threaten citizens into submission. The idea is that by removing the radioactive soil, Gilead can plant crops in the area and solve the fertility crisis caused by the pollution. However, the labour is also used as a political tool, with handmaids taught that if they do not behave, they will be sent to the colonies and worked to death.
The colonies are considered a fate worse than death, as the majority of convicts die within three years due to malnutrition, sickness, poor living conditions, and over-exertion caused by the pollution.
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Poor living conditions
The Colonies in Gilead are known for their poor living conditions, where prisoners or "Unpeople" are subjected to slave labour. The polluted landscape of the Colonies is the result of a combination of industrial pollution, chemical or radiological accidents, and chemical or nuclear warfare.
The Colonies are located in what was once the American Midwest and Southwest, including states such as Arizona, Arkansas, California, and Missouri. The regions were formerly war zones or agricultural areas contaminated by pollution and radioactive waste. The prisoners in the Colonies are forced to work in these hazardous conditions, leading to severe health issues and even death.
The "Unwomen" of the Colonies are convicted women who have been sentenced to labour camps for committing various crimes in Gilead. These women are forced to dig and collect toxic soil, attempting to clean up nuclear pollution and restore the polluted landscape. However, the task proves fatal for many, as they are exposed to radioactive debris and pollution.
The poor living conditions in the Colonies are characterised by malnutrition, over-exertion, and sickness caused by pollution. The prisoners often die quickly from these harsh conditions, with most surviving only up to three years. The Colonies are utilised by Gilead to threaten citizens into submission, demonstrating the severe consequences of disobedience.
Despite the harsh environment, instances of camaraderie and affection have been observed among the women in the Colonies. They tend to each other's wounds and provide emotional support to one another. This sense of solidarity forms a stark contrast to the depraved landscape and harsh living conditions they endure.
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Inadequate nutrition
The women sent to these colonies, known as "Unwomen", face harsh living conditions with inadequate nutrition, contributing to their deteriorating health. The colonies are essentially dumping grounds for those deemed unfit for Gileadean society, and the prisoners are used as slave labour, often dying quickly from sickness, malnutrition, and over-exertion. The polluted environment also affects their physical health, as the toxins in the air and land cause visible damage to their bodies, despite their attempts to protect themselves with headscarves and gloves.
The Unwomen are forced to work in the fields, digging and collecting toxic soil, which further exacerbates their nutritional deficiencies. Their diet is likely already inadequate, and the strenuous labour depletes their energy reserves, leading to a state of malnutrition. The colonies are marked as radioactive, with prisoners working to clear radioactive debris and pollution. This toxic environment not only damages their physical health but also their ability to absorb and utilise nutrients effectively, further contributing to inadequate nutrition.
The inadequate nutrition in the colonies has severe consequences for the Unwomen. Their bodies are weakened by the lack of proper nourishment, making them more susceptible to the harmful effects of pollution and increasing their risk of developing various health issues. The combination of malnutrition and exposure to toxins likely contributes to the high mortality rate among the prisoners, as they often succumb to sickness and the harsh living conditions.
The inadequate nutrition in the Giliad colonies is a direct result of the polluted and toxic environment, as well as the harsh labour the prisoners are subjected to. This highlights the dire situation these women face and the brutal reality of their existence within the colonies.
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Frequently asked questions
The Gilead colonies are contaminated by radioactive waste, presumably from a nuclear meltdown.
Aunt Lydia alludes to a nuclear meltdown in 'The Testaments'. Additionally, maps of Gilead show that the colonies are located near nuclear power plants.
The pollution causes sickness, malnutrition, skin lesions, and cancer. The majority of convicts die within three years.
The Unwomen are removing radioactive soil and debris so that Gilead can plant crops in the area.
The colonies are used as a form of punishment for convicted women, or "Unwomen". They also serve to threaten citizens into submission.
