How should I go about answering a broad thematic question for a novel? For example, why is religion a significant theme in The Handmaid's Tale?

For this example, I will be using The Handmaid's Tale as an exemplar novel, as it is a text studied widely at A-Level. For such a broad question regarding one of the novel's most prevalent themes, it is important to produce a response that is perceptive and detailed in terms of literary analysis, but which also covers elements of the entire novel. it is highly recommended that you produce a short introduction at the beginning of your essay- perhaps maximum three or four sentences. A good introduction should be concise but should contain an overarching statement which answers the thematic question. For example, you might suggest that religion in Atwood's novel is deployed as a power tool by the totalitarian regime to justify its abuse and enslavement of women. Although this is a general point, your objective will be to break this down into but specific points of analysis throughout your response.The main body of your essay should contain around three or four paragraphs, which contains a thorough and perceptive analysis of the theme you are being asked out. In order to reach the highest band, you should select a few extracts from different parts of the novel to show an awareness of the structure of the whole novel. By choosing particular extracts, this will allow you to provide a more close literary analysis which supports your overarching statement, along with some essential contextual information. For example, for this question you could select the extract where Offred recalls the soul scrolls. Perhaps you might pick up on the link between the soul scrolls and the indoctrination of women through abuse of biblical practices. In order to provide a fully perceptive analysis, you should do some research and think about the novel's religious context. Are there any links between the regime's treatment of religion and how religion prevails in different societies and cultures today? After all, you might want to remember Atwood's point about nothing in the novel being totally fiction.In order to access the higher bands, you should be thinking about context in terms of context of production and reception. Production is concerned with Atwood’s influences and what was happening in religious America at the time. Do some research and think about particular emerging Christian movements and the fact that American politics was becoming increasingly theocratic. This is also linked to the prevailing abortion and feminist movements at the time which saw a huge religious backlash. Context of reception focuses on what Atwood is warning of in her novel. Think about what is going on in modern society in terms of certain religious practices across the world and how this could be linked to Atwood's dystopian story world.Once you have completed one paragraph, it should be much easier to complete the rest of your response as you may want to follow the same structure as you did to analyse your first extract. For this question, you might want to find other examples of religion in the novel and examine their significance. For example, you might want to focus on language such as the communications between Offred and Ofglen, and the fact that they are only allowed to communicate using a pious vocabulary. In order to demonstrate an awareness of the whole novel, you might want to select certain narrative motifs which can be classified under the theme of religion, such as clothing and colour imagery. It goes without saying that Atwood's focus on the colour red can be argued as having multiple religious connotations.It is a good idea to provide a very brief conclusion to your essay as this shows the examiner you can produce a sophisticated and thorough response, and is a good way of summarising the points you have addressed in your essay, and how they relate to the overarching statement(s) you made in your introduction.