“The floor was of varnished wood, with stripes and circles painted on it , for the games that were formally played there”
Freedom, happy place
- Rules enhanced freedom
- In the present, rules are dreadful so ironic
The pungent scent of sweat, shot through with the sweet taint of chewing gum and perfume from the watching girls, felted skirts….
- Valued individualism and uniqueness which contrasts with Gilead
There was old sex in the room and loneliness, and expectation, of something without a shape or a name. I remember that yearning
- Nostalgia and hope
- Sexual yearning and desire freedom to pursue your own relationship
We tried to sleep in the army cots tat had been set up in rows, with spaces between so we could not talk. We had flannelette sheets, like children’s and army issue blankets, old ones that still had….
- Regiments, discipline, lack of communication
- Cots and children, images of innocence
Like a trained pig
- Ofglen has no personality and this makes Offred disinterested
University life with Moira Chp 7
- Education was free, “psychology, English, Economics”
-Dressing was free “purple overalls, one dangling earring” - Money: “I’m borrowing five bucks off you” economic freedom
- Freedom to smoke “Lets go for a beer”
- “Date rape”: male violence against women, sexual freedom, autonomy
What is Offred’s attitude and response to the doctor? Chp11
Stoical
What does Offred’s interaction with Nick suggest?
Suggests that her humanity is not killed and gives hope to the reader
Sexual desire between Nick and Offred
- “I want to reach up, taste his skin”
- “To be felt so greedily, to feel so greedily”- Nostalgia
- Mutual desire between Nick and Offred
- Spontaneous
Why does Atwood place this meeting between Offred and Nick after the ceremony Chp17
- To show that Gilead does not have total control over people’s desire
- Emphasize the risk in breaking Gilead’s rules
Give quotations showing how the handmaids operate as one body, in unison with each other during the birthing ritual and why? Chp21
- “We grip each other’s hand”
- “We are jubilant”
- “We are one smile, tears run down our cheeks, we are so happy”
- Use of inclusive pronouns
- To show loss of individualism
- They are mentally and physically with Ofwarren
