The Handmaid's Tale- C10

The Handmaid's Tale- C10

1. Summary

   • Offred sings about loneliness that she remembers from her mother’s cassettes. The only music in the house is Rita’s occasional humming, or Serena Joy illegally listening to recordings of her young self singing religious songs.
     • She remembers Aunt Lydia disdaining the scantily-clad women of the past. Aunt Lydia began to explain something about men and women lying out in public, she began to cry, she said she was trying to do her best for the Handmaids, and that it was not easy.
       • In a memory, Moira is planning an “underwhore” party to sell sexy lingerie. Moira makes a joke about how women feel the need to compete with porn, and Offred laughs.
         • she sees the Commander go out to his car, with Nick standing by. She imagines throwing something out the window at the Commander

2. narrator

   • sings 'amazing grace' for comfort, fill silence or entertainment
   • The faith cushion, just by having writing on it, forces Offred into a kind of passive rebellion.
   • Uses negative examples 'boiled to death'
   • pays attention to Nick

3. other characters and relationship

   • Aunt Lydia puts on a calculated show of caring, even while she indoctrinates the Handmaids to Gilead’s rules.
   • even Serena thinks to past 'remembering her own former'
   • Offred compares Aunt Lydia to 'dead mice'
   • Moira used to encourage Offred to do recreational things not study
   • Moira 'always made' her 'laugh'
   • Nick had a casual appearance but doesn't anymore 'cap is straight now'
   • offred 'ought to feel hatred' for commander but doesn't, what she feels is 'complicated'

4. plot development

   • everyone used to live by 'ignoring'
   • Nick must've been told off for his casual appearance
   • Offred wants to show the commander her anger by 'spitting out the window' but doesn't

5. setting

   • the house air is 'stagnant'
   • offred lives in a 'quiet' area
   • her room is uncomfortable

6. narrative structure

7. literary devices

   • aliteration
   • repetition of 'things' from aunt lydia to emphasise taboo
   • metaphor of aunt lydia being a 'dead rodent'
   • repetitive image of 'lilies' and flowers

8. dystopian features

   • music isn't allowed, only on tv
   • regime is strict even with seasonal clothing 'we'll be allowed to change into summer...' no freedom
   • regime teaches handmaids to feel disgusted by 'bare backs' and if someone doesn't wear 'stockings'
   • the bedroom was made to be uncomfortable 'too narrow for comfort

9. context

   • “Amazing Grace” is a religious song that also was an important slave spiritual before the American Civil War. links Gilead to the Confederacy, highlights the Bible can be interpreted both for freedom and for slavery.
   • 'faith' written on the cushion, theocracy
   • women used to feel 'competition' with 'porn'