Meu nome não é Offred : enlaces e representações femininas entre a História e a Literatura em O Conto da Aia

Abstract

The whispers and noises that permeated women's roles in History for so long were overcome by the cries of resistance that did not ask for permission—they tore through the fabric of a history that was male-dominated, yet populated by complex, resilient, and in no way fragile characters – figures who defied silence. Thus, the field of Women's History and Gender Relations research has demonstrated its importance and necessity, increasingly expanding its studies and academic reach. This work proposes, within that perspective, to analyze women's participation in two themes present in historical studies: the ideal of womanhood in Colonial Brazil (16th–19th centuries) and the Second Wave of feminism (1960s). These two themes will be discussed through a dialogue with literature in the teaching of history. The literary work used is The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood, which depicts a radically hierarchical society in which women no longer have rights and (barely) survive in subordination to men. Although fictional, the work allows for reflection on similar situations experienced by women in Brazilian society. Literature, therefore, becomes a powerful tool—it provokes, touches, sensitizes, and fosters critical thinking in history lectures. In the teaching of history, this discussion is progressing, with teachers and researchers promoting the inclusion of women as agents of the historical process. We propose the development of didactic sequences (DS) on the themes, using literature as a teaching resource. The DS are created and implemented based on Peter Lee’s (2006) concept of historical literacy. The pedagogical proposal involves analyzing the implementation of the DS through school ethnography, focusing on participant observation.