The Handmaid's Tale Chapter Summary

The Handmaid's Tale

Chapter Summary

Chapter 1

The reader is introduced to Offred, who speaks of her new life, and how different it is to what she is used to.

Chapter 2

Offred is getting ready to go shopping, and goes to collect the tokens from Rita, a Martha. She overhears some news about pregnant women being attacked, before talking about how she wants to socialise with them, but later leaving for shopping.

Chapter 3

Offred meets her third family, realising that the woman that she will have children for is Serena Joy, someone that she used to watch sing choir songs on the TV. She realises that no one has been spared from this, not even the well known people like Serena.

Chapter 4

Offred goes shopping with Ofglen, and takes note of the gardener Nick, and how he stares at her. The girls go into town and through the barrier, making small, tight talk. At the barrier Offred makes eye contact with a man and becomes flustered, before using her 'womanly power' on him as she leaves, swinging her hips as she thinks it will provide him pain and pleasure.

Chapter 5