The Handmaid's Tale- C23

The Handmaid's Tale- C23

1. summary

   • Offred muses about how all of her memories are “reconstructions.” If she ever manages to escape and tell her story, that too will be a reconstruction, even further separated from the original events.
     • Offred wakes from her nap when Cora brings dinner. Cora is happy about the healthy baby and hopeful that Offred will have one too.
       • Offred goes to meet the Commander in his office, as Nick previously instructed her. Offred is powerfully aware of the illegality of this action, and how Serena Joy would punish her.
         • Commander’s study is filled with books. he has posed himself impressively in front of the fireplace. When he says hello to Offred, she feels she might cry. The Commander finally says that he wants to play Scrabble with Offred.

2. narrator

   • She thinks that maybe her biggest concern isn’t who has control, but who can do terrible things and still be forgiven for them
   • she corrects her negative self talk 'I intend to get out of here'
   • She’s worried about disappointing others, but she was afraid to take the doctor’s offer.
   • there is an expectation for her to 'repay the team' by having a baby
   • she's paranoid about getting into trouble 'what have i done wrong?'
   • she overthinks the possibilities if she got caught with commander
   • in the study she is surrounded by ordinary things which has taken her back in time and she mistakes her mother being with her
   • she is surprised when she doesn't get any violent thoughts about the commander 'should have thought about that..but i didnt'

3. other characters

   • Offred wishes that Cora were disapproving of her not had a child yet instead.
   • Offred knows that she now has some amount of power over the Commander. The Commander is friendly and sits across from her, showing that he’s not going to take physical advantage of her.
   • Commander rebels not by taking advantage of Offred, but by being more gentlemanly and friendly than Gilead would allow.
   • cora may be missing her family, wants normality 'wants a little child to spoil'
   • commander has a 'weakness', he was 'before now impenetrable'- serena may not be giving him what he needs
   • commander must think offred is very special/he is desperate as 'not even serena joy comes here'
   • commander is ina 'studied pose'- thinks about how he presents himself to offred
   • offred is 'terrified' to be with commander
   • commander says 'hello' the 'old form of greeting'- craving for the past
   • commander's 'smile is not sinister'- offred is surprised

4. plot development

   • Commander asks Offred to 'kiss' him
   • 'It's forbidden for (Commander and Offred) to be alone' but offred goes to see him anyway as she could get in trouble if she doesn't

5. setting

   • Commander's study- 'desk' 'black leather chair' 'potted plant' 'oriental rug' 'fireplace' 'sofa covered in brown plush' 'books and books and books'

6. themes

   • gender roles- men will 'never be subjected to the temptation of feeling you must forgive as a woman
   • memory- Offred links memory and forgiveness. When you can’t remember the horrible specifics, you’re more likely to forgive—and when you forgive atrocities, you allow others to have power. Perhaps all of her memories of Aunt Lydia aren’t brainwashing, but an obsessive desire not to forget and forgive.
   • rebellion- Offred is more willing to rebel when someone instructs her to do so—she’s risk averse.
   • fertility- It's so rare for a birth to occur that Cora has to hear Offred's words to 'make it more real'
   • gender roles- 'household discipline, thats women's business'

7. literary devices

   • simile- 'feeling like a child who's been summoned, at school'
   • polysyndetic list 'books and books and books'
   • anaphora 'now it is..'

8. dystopian features

   • regime restricts Marthas too, they aren't allowed to go to birth days
   • regime has transformed the handmaids so they have 'been removed from the category' of 'concubines'
   • men's way of acting has completely changed to be alert and assertive, they never look 'sheepish' until commander does
   • regime has changed the future, 'young ones' will never know anything different
   • offred feels starved of being able to talk freely, wants to put scale letter in her 'mouth'

9. context