Major characters can find themselves in collision with forces beyond their control, and in many

cases their responses to the collision can be described as morally questionable.

In situations of trauma and fear, people often act in ways that are contradictory with their
character in order to survive. In order to survive, morals must be disregarded. It is impossible
for those who have not been in difficult situations to judge how others acted in order to survive.
The real difficulty is to keep cruel and horrible acts to a minimum when in a place of such cruelty
themselves. The idea that major characters can find themselves in collision with forces beyond
their control, and in response they act morally questionable is an idea that I agree with
significantly. Whether these morally questionable acts can be judged by the reader when we are
unable to know how we would act in this situation would be unjust of the reader. Thus, it is
suffice to argue that in times of trouble people will act in a morally objectionable way. [This could
be clearer e.g. The real act of survival, it appears, is maintaining a level of humanity when
inhumanity and immorality is the norm. I unreservedly agree that in literature major characters
can find themselves in collision with forces beyond their control, and in many cases their
responses to the collision can be described as morally questionable. It would be unjust of the
reader to sit in judgement of such acts when we ourselves are not posed with the same moral
dilemma, however, we can accept that in times of trouble humanity will act in a morally
objectionable way. An example of this is in the textThis is evident in the dystopic novel The
Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood, in which a totalitarian government takes control, and
many of the main characters act in a way that would be considered unacceptable, or very
different to their character, in more normal times. This constant pressure and stress causes the
traditional morals that we, the reader, are familiar with to be forgotten in order to survive. [You
are clearly tackling the question and moving beautifully into level three territory well done]
A person may cause evil to others not only by his actions but by his inaction, and in either case
he is justly accountable to them for the injury. John Stuart Mill, when he said this identified one
of the greatest issues our society can face. The idea that by not trying to stop a thing occurring,
you are thereby enabling and encouraging the act.[rephrase] In war zones or similar tenuous
places, often it seems impossible to fight against what is happening. But it is important to keep
the motivation to fight and to try to protect others wherever possible. When injustice is no longer
fought against, it is allowed to win. In Tthe Handmaids Tale, many of the characters infuriatingly
accept their restriction of rights without any murmur of rebellion. Offred is particularly apt at
accepting her situation, making no real attempt to fight the system or for justice. Rather she
accepts her passivity. Even more than that, she works hard to remain passive. As many women
in the society do, Offred lived, as usual, by ignoring. Ignoring isn't the same as ignorance, you
have to work at it. Actively choosing to remain passive Offred accepts her position in society
and her denial of human rights. Morally, this action is questionable as condoning the denial of

human rights to oneself and others is morally wrong. Even prior to the totalitarian takeover,
Offred is seen as a passive character in accepting her position as a women in society. She
juxtaposes strongly to Moira and her mother who are both staunch feminists. Like many women
in both the 1980s and in the present day, Offred represents those who have accepted what
rights they have and no longer fight against the still unjust system. UNtil equality is achieved this
is a denial of human rights. The first human right is that All human beings are born free and
equal in dignity and rights. Offreds passivity and those throughout the world who act in a
similar passive way are not only allowing but enabling the conflict which keeps them constricted.
Fantastic you have totally got your head into level three thinking.