Offred

Offred

1. Setting

   • Literal
     • “I lie… out of my own time” p47 shows that she uses her room for reflection (private identity).
     • “Lilies used to be a movie theatre, before” p35 always describes the setting using the past.
   • Figurative
     • “lettering… temptation for us” p35 she is not allowed any freedom not even intellectual freedom.
     • “Good weather holds” p53 she is hopeful despite the scenario.

2. Dialogue

   • Page 31 “It’s an event, a small defiance of rule…” The only way she feels she can maintain control of her own life. She needs an act of defiance to keep herself sane.
   • Page 83 “I have failed once again to fulfil the expectation of others, which have become my own.” She has internalized their expectations. Putting as much pressure on herself as they do.
   • Use of short sentences, and colloquial language adds a personal feeling which helps the reader to empathise with her.
   • First person narrative – how reliable is this as a method of communication?
   • Page 94 “My name isn’t Offred…” She never uses her real name, she sees it as something precious that shes needs to bury away from harm, and that one day she will be able to dig it up again.
   • Page 153 “I am 33 years old. I have brown hair…” Use of vague reductive language, so she could be anyone. Later on in the paragraph she recognises her ovaries as her defining factor.

3. Physical appearance

   • Page 153 “I am 33 years old. I have brown hair…” Use of vague reductive language, so she could be anyone.
   • "red shoes... prescribed issue" p18 describes what a Handmaid looks like, which is definitive of their position in the society. Red symbolises their fertility
   • "the small tattoo on my ankle. Four digits and an eye" p75 dehumanised, kept stock of like an animal

4. Representation

   • Internal
     • Mother- "she's kicking within me" p113
     • Wife- "Luke can use your Compucount... Husband or male next of kin." p188
     • Friend- "Moira sitting on the edge of my bed" p47
     • Handmaid- "I have failed once again to fulfil the expectations of others" p181
     • Lover- "I am half out of my clothes" p281
     • Rebel- "Don't let the bastards grind you down" p303
     • Daughter- "she's not cute... she's my mother" p265
   • External
     • "The woods, as you say, were full of these" p318 An unimportant average woman of the time.
     • Protective; "pseudonyms, adopted to protect these individuals" p318
   • In relation to other characters
     • establishes herself as part of a group collective "We slept..." p13
     • "Doubled I walk the street" p33 the similarities between her and other handmaids. Society sees them all as the same person, serving the role of the surrogate mothers.
     • Rita thinks they have a choice "The Martha's are not supposed to fraternize with us...." p20
     • "If your dog dies, get another." p147 The commander treats Offred like she's disposable.

5. Symbolism

   • Colours- red= fertility, passion, danger, Handmaids "a Sister, dipped in blood" p19 blue= virginal, the Virgin Mary, sovereign, calm, control, the Wives "light blue veil" p22 green= the Marthas "usual Martha's dress, which is dull green" p19
   • Flowers- fertility & victorian flower meanings are used. Tulips meaning a declaration of love and daffodils meaning chivalry. They also differentiate between the handmaid and the wife. "Withered daffodil" p109
   • Night- represents freedom, reflection and the past "the night is mine, my own time, to do with a I will" p47
   • Mirrors- identity, reflection "I see the two of us... in the brief glass eye of the mirror" p271
   • Eyes- surveillance, Big Brother, secret service "The Eyes of God run over all the earth" p203 "plaster eye on the ceiling" p47
   • Religion- social positioning, precedent for the society biblical literalist society. "No anaesthetics... I will greatly multiply thy sorrow and they conception; in sorrow though shalt bring for children" p124

6. Actions

   • Laughs out loud (p156) "Laughter boiling like lava in my throat" she hasn't felt joy in a while
   • "'May the Lord open,' I answer, the accepted response." p29 Outward actions she is a everywoman, she is playing a part that has been assigned to her by the state.
   • Reminiscing of the past life shows she is still trying to survive.

7. Perception

   • Self
     • Putting on a façade for survival "The accepted greeting" p29
     • Knows too much "I would like to be ignorant" p275
     • Untrusting "You're starting to get paranoid" p188
   • Others
     • Suspicious- "What about them?" p177
     • Authority- "I am to undertand that I am on display" p263