Appraisal-Emotion Theory

The scene when Serena makes June take a pregnancy test is a less than ideal way to find for June to find out she is pregnant. When Serena storms into June's room and shouts "You could have left me with something" and hits June so hard her head hits the ground and she begins to bleed. June is stunned by Serena's rage. Serena then orders June to take a pregnancy test right then and there. Serena looks at the test and with a smile on her face says "praise be his mercy," implying the test was positive. Serena then goes on to thank the lord for answering 'their' prayers. June's first appraisal emotion is anger, and replies to Serena, "you think I prayed for this?" Junes action of the appraisal is to shake her head. After a few seconds, June begins breathing heavy and is in full disgust looking at Serena's joy filled face. June feels anger and disgust with this news and responds to her emotion with 'smart' remakes towards Serena. 

Basic Emotions

I will say that every episode of The Handmaid's Tale is FULL of emotions, for June and viewers. One scene that encompassed multiple strong emotions was the 'fake execution scene' of all the handmaid's. It was crazy. 

After the handmaid's refused to stone Janine, a handmaid from Offred's district who had her eye removed for lack of obedience, the handmaid's were rounded up like cattle and were threatened, beaten, and herded into an old baseball stadium, when they realize what is about to take place. 

As they are physically pushed into a hasty walk, they see, standing in front of them, a wooden platform with nooses. All at once, the handmaid's hands are bound in rope and their mouths are covered with leather. All of the women are seen trembling in fear, tears streaming down, eyes wide open, and heart pounding. The women standing next to June wets herself at the sound of "by his hand" spoken by the executioner, signaling to drop the floor beneath them. But nothing happens. Much to their surprise (and ours), the handmaid's hear aunt Lydia reprimanding them for not following orders. It was all a hoax.

Physically and mentally these women are put through an array of emotions, anxiety, fear, sadness, and finally relief when they discover they are going to live another day. 

Emotional Intelligence

The entire show of The Handmaid's Tale is full of emotional drama that just oozes empathy and sympathy for June, as she struggles to stay 'obedient' to the Waterford's, aunt Lydia, and the laws of Gilead, especially when it comes to her newborn baby, Holly, who now belongs to Serena and Fred Waterford. 

After giving birth all on her own in an abandoned mansion, June is found by government authorities and is placed back into the Red Centre (where she was taken when first captured) to pump breast milk, while Serena and Fred Waterford are overjoyed with their new baby. June beings to feel the separation anxiety from her baby, though she is able to keep her cool, knowing that on 'good behavior' aunt Lydia will allow her to go back to the Waterford's house, where she can at least breast feed and hold her baby. Serena is less than happy about this, but it's what aunt Lydia orders. 

Overtime, both June and Serena become increasingly territorial over baby Holly (whom Serena names Nicole) and tensions rise. June however, can see how much the baby means to Serena and understands that having a baby was why she supported the Gilead movement and religion all along. June, though more understanding of Serena's love for the baby, will not let her new daughter be trapped in this dogma world where she will never have a chance at life. June and the Martha's soon gather and devise a plan to get the baby out of Gilead. 

One night when a house fire arises across the street from the Waterford's, Rita, the Waterford's Martha, tells June it's time. Right when June is about to leave the yard with the baby, Serena tries to stop June. With no time to spare, June empathizes with Serena saying that she knows Gilead is not safe for 'Nicole' and that they both want the same thing for the baby. When Serena finally let's go of the baby, June says a heartfelt "Blessings on you" to Serena and she means it. 

Primary/ Secondary Control

In this post, I will first, identify and address primary and secondary control. After, I will relate June's character to how she exhibited secondary control by re-framing failure while being forced to be a handmaid in Gilead.  

Primary control is the pursuit to change the world to fit in accordance within one's personal desires and needs. Whereas, secondary control is what one relies on when primary control cannot be attained. Secondary control allows humans, in some way, to make sense of uncontrollable events in their life. For instance, Rothbaum (1982) highlights a few ways in humans utilize secondary control; luck (illusory control), identifying with powerful other (vicarious control), and deriving meaning from uncontrollable events (interpretive control). 

In June's case, she and her daughter Hannah are captured by the Gilead government, despite her and her families efforts to escape the city being overrun, she inevitably looses all sense of primary control. 

Once captured, June has no other choice other than to live as a handmaid for Fred Waterford (one of the architects of the Republic and its laws) and Serena Waterford (his wife). She is forced to follow the religion and laws that exploit women who are fertile and make them commit unspeakable acts. During this time (mostly during season 1), we see June following the laws and religion reluctantly (giving up her primary control), until she realizes her 'walking partner' Ofglen is a part of the Mayday resistance. Once ofglen reveals some insider information about an 'eye' (a spy) in her house, she becomes suspicious and discovers she has more power in herself than she previously thought. 

Overtime, June discovers who the eye is in her house. It is Nick, the driver for the Waterford's, who (luckily for June) turns out to be a part of the resistance. June and Nick develop feelings for each other while he watches out for her. June feels as though she trusts Nick as he acts as a secondary control for June. When Serena, who is endlessly praying for June to get pregnant, she grows impatient and arranges for Nick and June to procreate. This furthers June and Nicks trust and June finally becomes pregnant. Nick then arranges an attempt for June to escape. Though June ends up deciding to stay in Gilead to find her daughter, she continues to rely on Nick for trust, comfort, and connection.Nick allows June to feel empowered and in control of her life, even in Gilead.