There was old sex in the room and loneliness, and expectation, of something without a shape or name. I remember that yearning, and was never the same as the hands that were on us there and then, in the small of the back, or out back, in the parking lot, or in the television room with the sound turned down and only the pictures flickering over lifting flesh. We yearned for the future How did we learn it, that talent for insatiability?
In "The Handmaid's Tale," Margaret Atwood evokes a sense of nostalgia and longing through the memories of a past filled with intimate experiences and desires. The atmosphere is charged with an acknowledgment of the complexities of sexuality, loneliness, and the unfulfilled longing for something more profound in life. The reminiscences about touch and connection convey a juxtaposition between past experiences and present emotional states, reflecting a deep yearning for fulfillment.
This yearning is tied to an instinctive understanding of insatiability, a desire that persists despite changes in circumstance. The references to physical actions and shared moments of intimacy highlight the tension between desire and the limitations imposed by societal norms. Through this reflection, Atwood explores the ways in which individuals navigate their desires, the often unexplainable nature of those wants, and the impact of such emotions on their identity and sense of self.
