The quote from Margaret Atwood's "The Handmaid’s Tale" reflects the deep entrapment experienced by the characters within a dystopian society. It suggests that once individuals delve deeply into this oppressive system, they may find it impossible to escape its grasp. This sense of hopelessness speaks to the nature of totalitarian regimes, where personal freedoms are suffocated, and alternatives vanish as one becomes more enmeshed in the state's control.
This sentiment resonates throughout the narrative as characters navigate their restricted lives, illustrating the powerful psychological and emotional toll of such an existence. It serves as a warning about the dangers of losing oneself in an environment that systematically erases individuality and autonomy, making it clear that the deeper one sinks into such a reality, the harder it becomes to find a way back to freedom.