The Handmaid's Tale- C16

The Handmaid's Tale- C16

1. summary

   • Offred lies on her back on Serena Joy’s canopy bed, clothed except for her underpants.
     • Offred lies between Serena Joy’s (clothed) legs, and they hold hands. The Commander has sex with Offred’s lower body, in an impersonal, disjointed style, which Offred doesn’t call rape because she chose to be a Handmaid.
       • After coming, the Commander leaves quickly and politely
         • Serena Joy makes Offred leave immediately, although she’s supposed to lie down for ten minutes to increase the chances of conception.

2. setting

   • The atmosphere is serious, as arousal, love, and kissing are unnecessary.
   • Serena's room has an 'outsized colonial- style four poster bed' with 'flowers', 'sprigged curtains'
   • the room is 'not warm'

3. narrator

   • unexpectedly, Offred doesn’t picture Luke or love when having sex with commander, but remains emotionally removed
   • she avoids connection with the commander as he has sex with her by stating he is 'fucking the lower part of my body'
   • she dislikes her job as a handmaid and closes her eyes to make it more bearable
   • unreliable narrator 'eyes closed'

4. other characters and relationship

   • Serena Joy’s action shows that, for now, woman-on-woman hatred outweighs her desire to have a baby at all costs.
   • Serena is 'in control' when it comes to Offred's offspring
   • commander 'has other things on his mind' and even seems bored but is determind
   • serena 'grips' offred's hands as if she finds is pleasurable or painful

5. plot development

   • offred has sex with commander in an impersonal, disjointed style

6. literary devices

   • rhetorical questions 'why does he have to wear that stupid uniform?'
   • metaphor 'mist of Lily of the Valley surrounds us'

7. dystopian features

   • the sex 'is not exciting', is not passionate or loving, has no 'sexual desire' it is 'serious business'
   • the 'ceremony' where offred has to have sex with commander

8. themes

   • fertility- 'propelled forward by a swollen belly', pregnancy is the only thing that gets you anywhere
   • gender roles- serena has woman on woman hatred so is not thinking about offred having a baby like she should do

9. context

   • theocracy- while the ceremony is happening a religious 'mist' surrounds them