A-level English Literature: The Handmaid's Tale

The novel depicts significant human suffering and loss without a happy ending, mirroring the characteristics of a tragedy.

Offred's survival in Gilead is a complex balance of physical and mental strategies, including obedience and submission to maintain physical safety, yet needing some personal identity to maintain mental survival.

In Gilead, Offred's value is solely based on her fertility and reproduction capacity, leading to a feeling of losing her own identity and worth.

The story's progression is not strictly chronological. It focuses on pivotal events and incorporates flashbacks for depth.

The final chapter is a lecture, given many years after the fall of Gilead, offering context and describing the events.

Offred tells the story from her perspective, reflecting her experiences and perceptions within the Gilead society.

The narrative, experienced by Offred, is recorded in found cassette tapes long after Gilead.

Tragedy isn't always just drama about human suffering. It can apply to other types of literature.

Ofglen, a Handmaid, hangs herself after being discovered, viewing it as the best outcome.

Offred adapts to survive in Gilead, prioritizing her safety and making necessary compromises.

Serena, Offred's Commander's wife, is enraged by Offred's clothing choices and criticizes her, comparing her to previous Handmaids.

In Gilead, Harvard Yard, once a symbol of academic freedom, is the site of public executions.

Offred rationalizes her relationship with Nick by saying she's making the best of her situation and that humanity is adaptable.

The novel suggests Offred and others' complacency may have contributed to Gilead's rise.

Offred desires a more heroic narrative for her life, comparing her own inaction to Moira's imagined actions.

Offred feels guilty about her relationship with Nick, as it feels like infidelity to her former love.

The novel subverts the traditional male gaze, focusing on the Commander's vulnerability when observed by Offred and other women in Gilead.

Offred struggles to define the Ceremony, feeling disconnected from her body and denying it as sexual violence due to Gilead's conditioning and her limited choices.

Offred's choice between the Colonies and becoming a Handmaid feels limited, leaving her with a sense of being trapped and blaming herself for her situation.

Offred uses memories of her family and friends to cope emotionally and avoid succumbing to depression, a common fate among Handmaids.

Offred's survival extends beyond mere physical existence; it includes emotional well-being, achieved through her memories and hopeful anticipation.

Offred manages her hopes about Luke by simultaneously envisioning him dead, imprisoned, or escaping across the border, creating a framework to cope with uncertainty.

Gilead restricts Offred's agency, reducing her to a reproductive tool, leading to a sense of lost identity and a distorted sense of responsibility for her situation.

Offred denies the traumatic nature of the Ceremony to cope with the emotional pain and avoid the psychological consequences inflicted by Gilead.