THE HANDMAIDS TALE

STUDY GUIDE
CHAPTER 1-30
QUESTION 2
THE HANDMAID'S TALE: MARGARET ATWOOD
Read the following:
"It's amazing how often fiction applies to real life. Stories are like mirrors,
taking what we know.
– Zachary Totahmay (2015)
[Source:<http://zacharytotah.com>]

TOPIC:
Argue to what extent Atwood's, The Handmaid's Tale, reflects truths that
mirror life and present ideas of freedom through the tales of the characters.
Your response must refer to a minimum of TWO characters.

"Truths that mirror life" refers to aspects of a work of art, literature, or any form of
expression that reflect or represent truths, realities, or experiences that are commonly
observed or understood in real life. In the context of "The Handmaid's Tale," this could
include themes such as the subjugation of women, the erosion of individual freedoms, and
the complexities of human behavior in oppressive societies, all of which resonate with
aspects of real-world societies and experiences.

"Present ideas of freedom" refers to the exploration or depiction of concepts related to

freedom within a particular work. In the case of "The Handmaid's Tale," this would involve
examining the various ways in which the characters' experiences, actions, and the society
they inhabit illustrate or challenge ideas about freedom. This could include ideas such as
personal autonomy, the right to make choices, freedom of expression, and the consequences
of living in a society that restricts these freedoms.
Vocabulary
Subjugation the action of bringing someone or something
under domination or control.

PLANNING

INTRODUCTION
Reading The Handmaid’s Tale is such a transformative experience because
we find ourselves gasping at the way things are done in Gilead, but when
we look up, the same “fiction” we’ve been gasping at, is happening in real-
time, in our real lives. This novel mirrors our realities, the way we have
conditioned ourselves to ignore real issues because we are “the people who
are not in the papers” or how we define freedom – or even how we deal
with the male inferiority complex. Do we think about all this?
PARAGRAPH 1
M: Ignoring real issues because they don’t directly affect us
E: Gilead slowly changed without people noticing, or even if they did they
didn’t care enough to take action.
A: We tend to prioritize short-term peace over our long-term benefits,
because we view it as “a lot of work”. But as a society we need to get used
to taking action
L: Ignoring real issues is a central point in The Handmaid’s Tale until their
catastrophic is a mirror image of how we treat issues in real life.
Q: “We were the people that lived in the blank white spaces at the edge of
print.
“Ignoring is not the same as ignorance, you have to work at it.”

PARAGRAPH 2
M: Freedom from vs Freedom To
E: In Gilead women don’t face the constant threat of being raped or
murdered, although they have exchanged other freedoms for this kind of
freedom.
A: Is it worth It? To exchange your freedom to love, identity , free
movement, for a freedom against the horrors that women in modern
society face everyday? Nothing is worth one’s freedom, limiting women is
not the answer to societal misbehaviours
L: In Gilead because women and men are controlled they have freedom
from harm, in modern society we have a freedom to- this creates a mirror
image in which we can question what freedom really is.
Q: “In the days of anarchy you had the freedom to, now you have the
freedom from, don’t underrate it.”
PARAGRAPH 3:
M: Subjugation of women to empower men
E: In Gilead the women are oppressed by this male religious
fundamentalist, as the commander explained to Offred, men in the life
before felt that they had lost power…They had nothing left to work for. So
they felt as though the only way to regain power was to subjugate women.
A: Does equality and the empowerment of women really mean depowering
men?
L: In the real world, women rights are a highly sensitive topic, because men
feel as though by empowering women, we would be depowering them.
Q: “The Commander likes it when I …. show precocity, like an attentive pet… eager to
perform.”
“Better never means better for everyone, it always means worse for some”.

CONCLUSION
As a society we need to do better. The Handmaid’s Tale is a complex book,
with a lot of revolving ideas and controversies. But the book wants us to do
one thing. To become a problem-solving society, before we are ‘in a
bathtub…being boiled to death’
QUESTION 3
THE HANDMAID'S TALE: MARGARET ATWOOD
Read the following:
"In The Handmaid's Tale, Atwood has focused on the victimisation of
women, but she has also shunned an essential idea that would categorise
all women as natural victims and all men as evil."
[Charlotte Templin (1993) Names and Naming Tell an Archetypal Story in
Margaret Atwood's
The Handmaid'sTale Names, 41:3, 143–157, DOI:
10.1179/nam.1993.41.3.143]

TOPIC:
Critically discuss to what extent Atwood, in The Handmaid's Tale, has
focused on the victimisation of women, while also shunning the idea that all
women are natural victims, and all men are evil.

NOTES
to critically discuss the extent to which Margaret Atwood focuses on the victimization
of women in "The Handmaid's Tale," while also rejecting the notion that all women
are natural victims and all men are evil, it's important to consider the nuances of the
novel's portrayal of gender dynamics.

1. Focus on Victimisation of Women: Through the experiences of characters

like Offred, Moira, and Janine, she
-portrays the systematic oppression,
-objectification, and
-control exerted over women's bodies and lives.
The rigid gender roles and the
-relegation of women to subservient positions underscore the extent of their
victimization.

2. Rejection of Women as Natural Victims: Atwood complicates the narrative

by presenting a range of female characters who respond to their
circumstances in different ways. While some, like
-Offred, initially embody a sense of victimhood
-Moira, resist and rebel against their oppression. Moira's character, in
particular, challenges the idea of women as passive victims by actively fighting
against the regime and attempting to reclaim her agency.

Serena Joy in "The Handmaid's Tale" is not a natural victim. Her character is a
complex example of someone who actively contributed to the oppressive
society of Gilead before becoming a victim of its regime.

Serena Joy, formerly known as Pam, was a vocal advocate for traditional gender roles
and a critic of feminism in her pre-Gilead life. She played a significant role in shaping
the societal norms that ultimately led to the subjugation of women in Gilead. Her
beliefs and actions prior to the establishment of the totalitarian regime suggest
agency and a desire for power and control.

However, despite her previous beliefs, Serena Joy becomes a victim of the very
system she helped create. She is stripped of her autonomy, relegated to a
subservient role (of a commander's wife), and denied the freedom and agency she
once championed. Her character illustrates the complexity of victimhood and
highlights how individuals can be both perpetrators and victims within
oppressive systems.

By analyzing Serena Joy's character, you can argue that not all women in "The
Handmaid's Tale" are portrayed as natural victims. Some, like Serena Joy, are
depicted as active participants in the creation and maintenance of oppressive
systems, complicating simplistic notions of victimhood based on gender.

QUOTES ON SERENA JOY:

Serena Joy didn’t do this herself, she made speeches instead, but she presented this failure of hers as
a sacrifice she was making for the good of all.

Which of us is it worse for, her or me?

3. Portrayal of Men: Similarly, Atwood does not portray all men in the novel as
inherently evil or oppressive. Characters like Luke and Nick are shown to have
complex motivations and are not simply defined by their gender. Luke, for
example, is depicted as a supportive partner to Offred and demonstrates
empathy and understanding. Nick, while initially appearing as a figure of
authority, also shows vulnerability and compassion.
4. Nuanced Gender Dynamics: Throughout the novel, Atwood presents a
nuanced portrayal of gender dynamics, suggesting that both men and women
are products of their oppressive society. The Commander, for instance, is a
product of a system that grants him power at the expense of women, but he is
also shown to be lonely and dissatisfied with the constraints of his own role.

Yes, it is appropriate to argue that not all men in "The Handmaid's Tale" are
inherently evil, using the Commander as an example. The character of the
Commander is a complex portrayal that goes beyond a simplistic portrayal of
evil. While he is complicit in the oppressive regime of Gilead and benefits from
its power structure, At times, his unhappiness and need for companionship make
him seem as much a prisoner of Gilead’s strictures as anyone else. Offred finds
herself feeling some amount of sympathy for this man he is also depicted as a
multifaceted character with nuanced motivations and vulnerabilities.

The Commander is shown to be conflicted about his role in the society he

helped create. He expresses moments of regret and disillusionment, suggesting
that he is not entirely comfortable with the oppressive nature of Gilead. His
relationship with Offred also reveals a more human side to his character, as he seeks
companionship and connection in a society that has deprived him of genuine
relationships.

By analyzing the character of the Commander, you can argue that not all men in the
novel are portrayed as inherently evil. Some, like the Commander, are depicted as
complex individuals who are products of their environment and who struggle with
the moral implications of their actions. This adds depth to the novel's exploration of
gender dynamics and challenges simplistic notions of good and evil based on
gender.

PLANNING:

INTRODUCTION
Coming into this novel we all have this preconceived idea that all the
women in Gilead are victims, and all the men are perpetrators. But even if
our beliefs are correct to some extent, it becomes apparent that the
situation in Gilead is not black or white- evil or good. All the characters in
this novel are complex ranging from Serena Joy who imprisoned herself
unconsciously by openly promoting societal regress to traditional values or
the Commander who is experiencing entrapment by a system he created.
PARAGRAPH 1
M: All the women in Gilead are victims of systematic oppression
E: Women in Gilead are relegated to subservient roles and are stripped of
their autonomy and identities.
A: All the women in Gilead are victims of systemic oppression as they are
relegated to subservient roles and are reduced to their reproductive
abilities and stripped of their autonomy for the mere purpose of giving men
purpose because “there was nothing for them anymore”. The women’s
identities are representing different patriarchal values. By attaching a
woman to one colour she becomes one-dimensional. The Wives dress in
blue to represent purity, while the Handmaid’s dress in red to represent
menstruation and fertility.
L: All women are victims as they had nothing anymore, without their
identities they are nothing, but mere vessels of procreation
Q: “there was nothing to work for.”
“there was nothing for them anymore”.
“My name isn’t Offred, I have another name, which nobody uses now because it is forbidden.

PARAGRAPH 2
M: Women in Gilead are all victims of oppression under Gilead, but not all
women are victims.
E: Magaret Atwood introduces Serena Joy and as an audience we
experience complicated feelings towards Serena, because even though in
the greater scheme of things, she is a victim of oppression….is she really a
victim if in her previous life she spoke openly against feminism and even
pitched and supported the idea of women taking on subservient roles
A: Serena Joy had a platform pre-Gilead, which she used to preach about
the sanctity of the home and how society should revert to traditional
values. Fortunately for her, all the causes she was vocal about have came
true- but at what cost? She feels imprisoned by this world she rallied for
and
L: Serena Joy is not a victim, if she lives in a world that she helped create.
“which of us is it worse for? Her or Me?”
“She presented this failure of hers as a sacrifice she was making for the good of all”.

PARAGRAPH 3
M: The poses an ethical problem for us all, he is a commander and a direct
agent to a lot of women’s oppression in Gilead, but he shows sympathy
towards Offred and in some moments makes it difficult for readers to hold
him accountable.
E: Atwood makes a very crucial point with the establishment of the
Commander. One would expect that the creators of Gilead are ugly,
monsters but by introducing The Commander, she introduces the idea that
sometimes the people who commit atrocities, are those we least expect.
The Commander is a humble man for the most part of it. He offers Offred an
escape out of her unbearable life, by engaging in conversation with her,
calling himself “just a guy” or allowing her to play Scrabble and engage in
forbidden activities. However, at the back of our minds we shouldn’t let
him charm fool us out of thinking that his same guy who is unassuming
overthrew a government and subjected women to sexual slavery.
L: The Commander is complex and further proves that even in Gilead not all
men are “naturally” evil
Q: “He was not a monster, to her”
“how easy it is to invent a humanity”.

CONCLUSION
Not everything is as clear as it seems. Atwood creates a very compelling
argument on how we form judgements against people.
QUESTION 2
THE HANDMAID'S TALE: MARGARET ATWOOD
Read the following:
'Essentially, a story expresses how and why life changes for its characters.
All great storytellers since the dawn of time have dealt with this
fundamental conflict between subjective hope and cruel reality.'
– Bronwyn Fryer
[Source: <https://hbr.org/2003/06/storytelling-that-moves-people>]

TOPIC:
Critically discuss how Atwood, in The Handmaid's Tale, deals with the
fundamental conflict between subjective hope and cruel reality to address
life changes in her characters.
You must refer to a minimum of TWO characters in your response.
QUESTION 3
THE HANDMAID'S TALE: MARGARET ATWOOD
Read the following:
'Because the Gileadean government attempts to control even women's
memory, Offred's continued recollection of her personal memories
becomes an act of resistance. Indeed, it is through her maintenance of
memories that she sustains hope by keeping alive her past identity as a
multifaceted woman with agency.'
– F. Vinson, S. Katherine
[Source: 'Storied Memories: Memory as Resistance in Contemporary
Women's Literature' (2010).
Dissertations. 176. <https://ecommons.luc.edu/luc_diss/176>]

TOPIC:
Critically discuss to what extent Offred, in Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale,
uses her memories as an act of resistance, thereby maintaining hope and
giving her agency.
INTRODUCTION
The women in Gilead know what life was like before, unlike the generations
who are going to be born in that world. It is difficult to completely tame
them if they have had a taste of freedom. Surveillances can monitor the
physical resistance of people, but there is one thing that the government
won’t be able to control- thoughts. Indoctrination won’t be effective for
everyone, just as it wasn’t effective for Offred.
PARAGRAPH 1
M: Memory of Moira escaping Red Centre
E: “Moira…made us dizzy. Already we were losing the taste for freedom,
already we were finding these walls secure.”
A: After Moira escaped the Red Centre, the idea of freedom made her and
the other Handmaid’s disoriented. They had become complacent, as the
indoctrination went on. Although Gilead has very strict measures on
escaping, know that the other Handmaid’s had seen it was possible they
become agitated with their complacency.
L: Even though Offred is not as tenacious as Moira, she now knows that
escaping is possible, and this memory of a courageous act helps her
maintain hope of one day having a life outside of the bounds of Gilead
Q: “Moira…. made us dizzy. Already we were losing the taste for freedom, already we were finding
these walls secure.
“A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze.”

PARAGRAPH 2
M: Memories of her daughter
E: Offred’s main drive to survive is the hope of reuniting with her daughter.
Although she can only think of her daughter in short spans of time
A: Even though memories of her daughter are positive, they are quite
painful for Offred to recount. She “intend(s) to last” to get to the end of the
suffering back to her daughter.
L: thinking of her daughter maintains her hope and gives her agency
Q: “Thinking can hurt your chances and I intend to last”
She comes to me so clearly in the bath, When do I come to her? Does she remember me? Please,
God... Let her remember me."

PARAGRAPH 3
M: Memories of her mother
E: Offred mother was a staunch second-wave feminist, she was headstrong
and had powerful values

1. A: Inspiring Independence and Strength:

 Example: Offred recalls her mother's activism and strong beliefs, such
as her participation in feminist protests and her views on women's
rights.
 Quote: "She fought, in her way, as we all did, to the best of our ability,
against the conditions, the circumstances... She was a woman who
could not be contained" (Atwood 79).
 Analysis: This memory of her mother's defiance and determination
inspires Offred to resist the oppressive regime of Gilead in her own
way, maintaining her sense of agency and strength.
2. Providing a Role Model:
 Example: Offred remembers her mother's assertiveness and refusal to
conform to traditional gender roles.
 Quote: "I remember that she wasn't a believer. I remember her telling
me... that God was a trick on the eyesight, a joke" (Atwood 78).
 Analysis: This memory of her mother's scepticism and non-conformity
serves as a role model for Offred, showing her that it is possible to
resist and maintain one's identity in a repressive society.
3. Encouraging Critical Thinking:
 Example: Offred recalls her mother's insistence on questioning
authority and thinking for oneself.
 Quote: "You wanted a women's culture. Well, now there is one. It isn't
what you meant, but it exists" (Atwood 80).
 Analysis: This memory of her mother's words encourages Offred to
think critically about the society she lives in, enabling her to maintain
agency by not blindly accepting the rules and norms imposed by
Gilead.
4. Fostering Hope for Change:
 Example: Offred remembers her mother's belief in the power of
resistance and her hope for a better future.
 Quote: "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum. Don't let the bastards
grind you down" (Atwood 29).
 Analysis: This phrase, which Offred's mother used to say, becomes a
mantra for Offred, symbolizing her mother's spirit of defiance and her
own hope for a future where the oppressive regime of Gilead is
overturned.

L:
Q:

CONCLUSION
THE CONFLICT BETWEEN HOPE AND THE CRUEL REALITY IN GILEAD

INTRODUCTION:
Hope keeps us alive, it distorts our reality, and makes us feel like there is something waiting
on the other side- something better that our now. In Magaret Atwood’s The Handmaid’s Tale,
we go through conflicting emotions that revolve between the hope and reality. We hope that
we witness the fall of Gilead and women regain their autonomy and agency, but this novel
does a great job of separating our hope and the reality of the situation. Hope turns us into
wishful thinkers, and does little to resolve the situation. Hence, even at the end of the novel
Gilead is not overthrown.

1. M: The 3 realities of Luke

E: Offred must hope that Luke is alive and free. But the reality is that he is dead or
even if he is alive, that he has been imprisoned. She lives in these three realities of his
fate.

A: Offred must live to hope, or her existence is in danger; although she cannot
permanently live in these thoughts because “thinking can hurt your chances” and she
Intends to “last”. Although Offred never seems to think that he might’ve turned and
now he works for Gilead. Which shows us that her love and hope for him, has
romanticized him because when we think about the past “it’s the beautiful things we
pick out.”

L: Offred is constantly conflicted between her hope and her reality. She hopes that
Luke is alive, but the reality in which she lives in must conform to the fact that he
might be dead or if he is alive, due to her passivity and Gileadean restrictions they
might never see each other again.
Q:

2. M: Offred’s hope to survive and the reality of her passivity

E: Only time she discusses escaping is when Moira manages to escape the Red
Centre. Offred admits that this act of bravery by Moira made her and the rest of the
handmaids “dizzy” as they were already “losing a taste for freedom”. But it becomes
quite interesting to notice how Offred, even though becomes reckless towards the end
of the novel, grew passive about life outside of Gilead. Once she settles in, falls in
“love” with Nick and has her little nights with the Commander. She achieves her goal
of self-preservation, and resists prompts to support the resistance, as her mother said,
“Humanity is adaptable, it is crazy what people can get used to”. She self-preserves.

A: “It was those other escapes they feared, the ones you could open in yourself given
a cutting edge.” In the opening line, it becomes apparent that the theocracy of Gilead
did not permit suicide. This idea becomes contradictory because Offred was overcome
with the need to survive, but the regime made it so impossible not to. It is not like you
could escape Gilead, whether it was through crossing boarders or an escape “you
could open in yourself.” Offred was destined for survival.
L: Offred and Gilead had the same hope- that she would survive, and her reality
supported that hope.

3. M: Moira’s hope to escape and her reality of being unable to

E: Moira attempts to escape the Red Centre and fails.
Successfully escapes the Red Centre on her second attempt but fails to escape Gilead.
A: The reality is that Gilead has been heavily protected that it is difficult to leave. Her
hope and her reality don’t complement one another. She ends up at Jezebels, which
shows how unhelpful her hope really was.
L: She hopes to escape Gilead, but ultimately fails and gives in to the society. Moira
is a perfect example of how the regime can erode the spirits of the strongest.
Q: her voice is indifference, a lack of volition. Have they really done it to her then, taken
away something – what? – that used to be so central to her?

CONCLUSION:
The Handmaid’s Tale underscores that the divide between hope and reality is exceptionally
thin. We hold onto hope, although it does extremely little for our present circumstances. In
fact, it makes us passive, when this hope unanticipatedly turns into disappointment. Atwood’s
lesson here is not to defer us from hoping, but rather to “last” – to accept reality, than to
torment ourselves with nontangible alternate reality.

DICTIONARY

Relegation the action of assigning to an inferior rank or position.

Subservient prepared to obey others unquestioningly:

Subjugate bring under domination or control, especially by conquest.

Underscore Emphasize
Autonomy Independence or freedom
Agency sense of control you feel in your life
Suddenly unanticipatedly;
Very exceptionally, extremely; acutely ;
astonishingly ;considerably
Pain torment
Quickly in a trice
Docile ready to accept control or instruction; submissive.
Critically discuss to what extent, the protagonists, in The Handmaid's Tale, by Margaret
Atwood, are controlled by violence and fear, yet manage to hold on to glimmers of
human dignity and hope.

INTRODUCTION
The Handmaid’s Tale feel like a prophecy into a near future. The human spirit is tested countless
times in Magaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale. When the government falls, violence wins, and
feminism fails- is there still hope? Identity stripped; purpose wiped away- will you still live- could
you even survive?

P: Moira escaping the red centre- uses the Aunt’s powers to escape
E: The Aunts are given power- there is an unequal distribution of power with the women in the novel
and instead of being fearful of the violence of the aunts she uses their power to escape
E: “Made us dizzy, already we were losing a taste for freedom”
L: Uses fear and violence to provide hope to the other handmaids

P: Offred’s affair with Nick

E: The affair started with Offred being sent to the colonies for not bearing children- starts this affair
that keeps her sane and her life bearable
E: “women who are fruitful- women who are bearable”
“Humanity is adaptable- truly amazing what people can get used to give a few compensations”.
L: This fear of being obsolete drove her to Nick- which gave her dignity

P: Offred’s affair with the Commander

E: The scrabble games gave her purpose and kept her occupied.
E: “Thought must be rationed”
“Thinking can hurt your chances”
Realizes Commander can be exploited- in the same way he exploits her
L: This relationship gives Offred some power and freedom – restored her human dignity

CONCLUSION
“Perspective is necessary”. Even in Gilead, where the patriarchy uses matriarchal agents to subjugate
the women in Gilead- their small defiance and glimmers of hope have the power to overcome their
“reduced circumstances” Where there is hope, there is a way.
Critically discuss to what extent Margaret Atwood, in The Handmaid's Tale, reveals that
power relations between characters encourage, persuade and forbid others which.
leads to resistance.

Inequitable distribution of power among the oppressed to prevent resistance is the oldest trick in the
colonialism playbook. In Magaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale, she flips this concept on its head
and shows when unequal distributions of power inadvertently encourage resistance among the
oppressed.

Our first encounter with intersectionality in feminism in The Handmaid’s Tale is in Chapter one. We
are introduced to the Aunts, who hold “cattle prods” cause “even they can’t be trusted with guns”. The
Aunts are a matriarchal organization appointed by the patriarchal theocracy to humiliate and subjugate
the Handmaids. The relationship between the aunts and handmaids is substantially unequal even
though they are all women. In this concept, we realise how the aunts are planted to indoctrinate the
handmaids in exchange for “freedom to” read, write, and avoid being sentenced to the colonies. The
character who exploits the Aunts’ power is Moira who escapes the Red Centre and impersonates an
Aunt to search for freedom. The Aunt’s might’ve forbidden the Handmaid’s a “freedom to” but they
contrarily gave Moira an opportunity to resist.
The Commander and Offred have a unique relationship. The Commander is a member of the Sons of
Jacob and a direct agent of Offred’s oppression. In her right mind, Offred should know that this
relationship, morally isn’t okay. But she “invents a humanity” for him to maintain morality in relation
to their relationship. Unlike all the other female characters, Ofglen, Moira even Offed’ own mother;
Offred is particularly passive and the only risks she takes are initiated by men. Her relationship with
the Commander allows her to rebel and resist against the theocracy when she plays “Scrabble”, reads
magazines, and even finds internal information that the government was created because of “men’s
ability to feel”. In this relationship, Offred regains her identity as she asks for a mirror for the first
time in the entire novel.

Serena Joy and Offred’s relationship is particularly interesting. They probably have the most riveting
relationship dynamics such as intersectionality. At the Red centre, Aunt Lydia urged the Handmaid’s
to “try to think of it from their perspective”. We see the success of Aunt Lydia indoctrination when
Offred considers “who is it worse for? Her or Me?” After being raped by the Commander. Serena Joy
holds on to the power in their relationship and even enables Offred’s resistance through offering her a
cigarette and suggesting that she sleep with Nick because the Commander might be “sterile”. Even
though there is an imbalance of power in this relationship, it is also one of the only moments where
we experience womanhood and feminism in Serena Joy. This relationship does not only allow Offred
to rebel but is also the first glimpse of rebellion in the concept of “return to traditional values” that
Serena Joy supports.

What oppressors don’t realise is that they are raising pit bulls that will eventually eat them.
Critically discuss how Atwood, in The Handmaid's Tale, deals with the fundamental
conflict between subjective hope and cruel reality to address life changes in her.
characters.

There is a conflict between hoping that everything works out, but not being certain that it will.
Magaret Atwood’s, The Handmaid’s Tale shows us that there is a divide between the world we hope
to live in, and the actual world. Reality is cruel, but how cruel can it truly become and how resilient
can we grow when the waters get too high?

“Like anything, thought must be rationed.” Offred uses memory to protect herself. She floats from
memory to memory in hopes of maintaining her hope. One of her first happier memories is when she
began her affair with Luke. This memory is like a breath of fresh air, but instantly gets contrasted with
the fact that she does not know of Luke’s fate. Offred’s memories are strategically placed this way
throughout the novel. Past and present constantly alternating to represent a glimmer of hope with the
dark reality of life in Gilead.

“She was like an elevator with open sides”. Moira, unlike her passive counterpart, Offred. As a
hunger for freedom. She manages to escape the Red centre by impersonating an Aunt throughout
Gilead. The Handmaids “were finding these walls secure” they “were losing their taste for freedom”.
Moira was like what God is to Christians, but unlike God, Moira is only human and even her hope to
escape Gilead, was quickly replaced with the cruel reality that Gilead was inescapable. To Offred,
Moira was a pinnacle of hope. Offred’s own hope was crushed when she realized that there they had
“done it to her” when she sensed “a lack of volition” in Moira’s tone. The hope is that one day they’ll
be able to regain their autonomy and escape Gilead, but the reality is that they are rats “in a maze” and
they “are free to go anywhere as long as they stay in the maze.” There is no freedom, it is all an
illusion.

Even The Commander, who is an architect of Gilead, had a certain hope that men will regain they
ability “to feel”. It becomes quite obvious that the Commander’s hope for Gilead was met the cruel
reality that male fragility wasn’t going to suddenly disappear with the suppression of women. Jezebels
as well as the Scrabble games with Offred, go to show how the Commander’s hope was crushed. The
Sons of Jacob, hoped to “return to traditional values”, but the cruel reality is that their Christian
theocracy hasn’t turned anyone into true believers. Very few in Gilead are “pious”, they are controlled
by fear and “The Eyes”. Their hope to turn everyone into believers has inadvertently created a hatred
of religion.

Hope is like looking at the Sun directly and hoping that one day you can hold that big, beautiful ball
of light. But the reality is that touching the Sun would one thousand percent kill you. Reality can be
extremely cruel, but it’s the hope that keeps us resilient. The crueller reality becomes, the more
hopeful we need to grow.