Tragedy+Time= HUMOR

A Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood

In the historical notes, the professors from the future of the society, which is no longer a dystopia, tend to make fun of or mock the past society. "The Underground Female Road since dubbed by some of our historical wags, The Underground Frail Road (laughter, groans)" suggests the feel of "humor is tragedy plus time". An understanding is revealed through this shorter quote because these professors freely joke about the past demonstrating apathy. Any moral human would not be able to joke about something that horrific unless it happened far back in time. Even through the voice of the professor speaking can a perceive a mocking tone or low hum of laughter in what is being said by the professors.

The abrupt switch in ideas reflect on the idea that they are mocking the past. When a person typically makes fun of something, a person typically switch topics in height of the joke to not feel like a "jerk"  which is being demonstrated and suggested by the professors in the historical notes by the third and forth paragraph. Also the quote "I hesitate to use the word document." gives a sense of  doubt or disbelief to what is being said by the professor. The continuation of mocking and doubt suggest that the words coming out of their mouth is similar o that of a "tall tale" or a "old myth" rather than "true tragedy which allows them o be insensitive and uncaring of their behavior.

Many people tend to forget and not fully comprehend the severity of the past. These handmaid's paved the way for the future generations, like the professors, to not have to endure suffering. People joke and laugh, but the insensitivity of the scholarly people is rather insulting since the maturity level and intelligence level of the professors should be higher than most. I, being a person from the outside looking in would think that they were not as smart as they really are/ or supposed to be. All in all the quote "humor is tragedy plus time" is an incorrect source of reasoning for people to be apathetic to past situations rather than accept and come to terms with it. People rather block something out than actually face it.

Also another reason why people make fun of history is to try to jade people's mind into thinking, that situation is not as serious and should not be taken as seriously. It is the way to keep people unaware of what happened to keep them oppressed. Maybe the professors want the society to come back. I am not sure, but not knowing your history or not fully understanding will always keep people ignorant and not in control of themselves fully. I know this argument seems weird, but when people do not know where they came from, they tend to not strive to be better and that is when oppression rises. That is why one should never joke with the past because it truly does affect one's future. Enough said.

(I do not think this is right, but I feel like this is the attitude of the professor's in the historical notes!)