In Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid's Tale," the protagonist navigates a dystopian world fraught with oppression and control. The quote, "And so I step up, into the darkness within; or else the light," captures the internal struggle between despair and hope. The character is faced with the choice of confronting her inner fears and truths or remaining in a state of ignorance and compliance.

This statement emphasizes the tension between embracing one's own identity and the potential for self-liberation. It reflects the broader themes of the novel, where individuals must choose between succumbing to societal pressures or actively seeking personal enlightenment and resistance to tyranny.