On these occasions I read quickly, voraciously, almost skimming, trying to get as much into my head as possible before the next long starvation. If it were eating it would be gluttony of the famished; if it were sex it would be a swift furtive stand-up in an alley somewhere.
In "The Handmaid's Tale" by Margaret Atwood, the narrator describes periods of intense reading as a desperate attempt to consume knowledge before facing prolonged deprivation. This experience mirrors the physical act of gluttony, implying a hunger for information that reflects a deep need for sustenance in a world lacking freedom. Such urgent ingestion of literature highlights the intrinsic connection between knowledge and survival.
The comparison to a hasty sexual encounter emphasizes the urgency and secrecy involved in this quest for understanding. Both acts signify a longing for something vital amidst a life of restriction and despair. The narrator's rushed reading underscores a stark contrast between the hunger for knowledge and the bleak reality of her existence, where every moment of intellectual engagement becomes precious and necessary.
