Hulu’s adaptation of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale‘, has become a cultural phenomenon, though it has been adapted from Margaret Atwood’s seminal novel. Despite being based on a single book, the show managed to get on the screens as a multi-season television epic. Though the show has ventured far beyond what the original text suggested, fans are often curious about how the story concludes in the book and what lies ahead for its protagonist, June Osborne.
Set in a dystopian future where America is ruled by a totalitarian regime called Gilead, the narrative of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale‘ revolves around fertile women forced into reproductive servitude. The TV show, starring Elisabeth Moss as June Osborne in the lead role, has garnered critical acclaim and numerous awards, especially for its gripping first season.
But where does June’s story end in the book? The season 1 finale of the show mirrors the conclusion of June’s story in Atwood’s novel, with June discovering she’s pregnant and being whisked away in a mysterious van.
While the show has further expanded the events that follow, the book leaves it to its readers’ imagination where June may have been taken and what the future might have had in store for her. The show creators made this deliberate choice to allow for a seamless transition into the expanded narrative of seasons that followed.
Related: “It’s Horrifying”: Elizabeth Moss Says ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Has Become More Relevant In The Real World
June’s Journey In The Book Has An Ambiguous End Unlike On The Show
As the series progresses, June’s journey takes her to new and unexpected places, including Canada. However, the show has retained the spirit of Atwood’s original work, maintaining the core themes of resistance and survival amidst oppression. Though June’s story ends there, the novel extends beyond her uncertain departure.
The story offers glimpses into the future through an academic lecture set in 2195 when it’s revealed that Gilead has fallen, and June’s recorded accounts have become a historical artifact. The ambiguity around June’s fate in the book leaves room for interpretation, allowing readers to speculate on her ultimate destiny.
The open-ended conclusion is rather typical of Margaret Atwood’s storytelling, inviting readers to ponder the implications of June’s struggle for freedom. In her more recently released book, ‘The Testaments’, Atwood has brought back to her readers the world of Gilead and the eventual downfall of the regime.
With ‘The Testaments‘ also set to be adapted into a spinoff series, fans can look forward to getting the complex and compelling universe of ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ back on the screen.
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