The Handmaid's Tale Notes PDF

Page 9 2nd paragraph Speaker: Offred Context: Offred is about to go shopping; catches a glimpse herself in the mirror Significance: “eye of a fish” - Surveillance (foreshadow)- isolation and projection -​ Distorted view of self- loss of identity? -​ Parody- not authentically herself...

Page 9 2nd paragraph Speaker: Offred Context: Offred is about to go shopping; catches a glimpse herself in the mirror Significance: “eye of a fish” - Surveillance (foreshadow)- isolation and projection -​ Distorted view of self- loss of identity? -​ Parody- not authentically herself -​ Develops character and Offred has critical consciousness -​ “Sister dipped in blood”- ironic -​ Nightmare world -​ Projection- fear of danger and immortality ​ Allusion- Little Red Riding Hood- superego -​ Might be tempted to go to id due to being trapped Marthas- Rita and Cora (infertile, but become useful in society) Guardians- lower ranking soldiers Angels- High ranking (more higher up military officers) Econowives- lower class Cora- false consciousness Rite- critical id Colonies- Radioactive wasteland Handmaid's take on the name of the men they’re living with: Offred- Of Fred Ofglen- Of Glen Fear mongering - manipulative technique to control Chapter 4 paragraph 4 -​ He is a risk and he is risking himself for her -thinks he is possibly an eye and is testing her- -​ Sexually repressed- she objectifies him from being so repressed- Offred likes when the men look at her pg 21 -​ Makes her feel powerful to tempt her with her body -​ Fantasizes about the men taking off her clothes Dichotomy- dangers of extremism -appearance vs reality- Set in Cambridge Massachusetts- Harvard Gilead is no longer worried about giving higher education Projects that women are safer since they can walk around without fear Trying to put people under false consciousness with saying they’re safer Cambridge- Puritans- Mass hysteria Psychosomosis Mind Body Chapter Page 32 chapter 6- “Paints the men like dolls”  -Loss of identity -Dehumanize Narrative perspective romantic/comedy -irony/tragedy -She tries to reach for that hopeful light in the dark Chapter 7 -Moira is id driven - offred’s mom and friends are extreme feminist- just as bad as the extremist and the aunts - extremists can be ignorant - possibly drugged her to get rid of her memories (page 39) - “you’ve killed her” she’s changing completely. Pain from taking her kid and from the daughter she knew - “i would like to believe this is a story I’m telling” hoping it isn’t real and she can write it and change it. Almost a trauma response and a way to cope - in medias res- in the middle of things - not a linear narrative Chapter 8 -propaganda( religious) - serena joy- wears blue- colours means justice - promoting women being oppressed and staying at home- people tried to kill her - fought for this- then disapproves how how little freedom she has Chapter 9 -​ Imagines what the other handmaids were like before her- find the message- nolite te bastardes carborundorum- -​ Talks about how free she was in the old days- the hotel rooms -​ Rita -uses euphemism when offred asks about the handmaid before (handmaid most likely sent to colony) Chapter 10 -​ Bans amazing grace and songs like that to make people not have any ideas -​ Victim blames the women for dressing free- bikinis -​ Calls aunt lydia a dead rat -​ Aunt lydia- possible narcissist- mouth piece of propaganda -​ Too liberal and sensationalized- from before- feels on wheels Pg 56 “We lived as usual by ignoring….” -​ Easy to ignore towards what is happening in society if it isn’t happening to her -​ If people had been aware- people possibly could’ve not been so fucked Pg 57 “ we were the people who were not in the papers…” do not use and is about the time before Offred could’ve been and econowife Chapter 11  -​ Impossible decision- he could be an eye, he could be using her, she could be caught, but if she doesn’t do it she may not get pregnant with the commander Chapter 12 No things the handmaids can kill themselves like razor -​ Reference to holocaust- branded with tattoo -​ Compares herself to animals since they are treated like one -​ Talks about her daughter being taken away in the grocery store when she was free and taken when she wasn’t free as well -​ Steals the butter to moisturize her face -​ Does anything to make themselves feel better and good Chapter 13 -​ Puts men in positions of power compared to women -​ Talks about Janine gets gang raped- she testifies- speaking the truth -​ Safer to make something up so they don’t beat her -​ Chanting saying it’s Janine’s fault -​ Creates false beliefs from the higher class -​ Janine is hated since she is so weak- like crying -​ They use scapegoating on Janine and the common enemy Janine Moira -​ False consciousness -​ Critical consciousness -​ passive/ surrendering -​ resisting/fighting -​ superego -​ Id driven -​ Conforms -​ Rebels -​ Victim -​ Empowered -​ Acknowledgement of her own body and how it is important as a vessel -​ Says her identity is concealed around the moon -​ She used to think as herself as a full person and her worth is reduced down to her uterus -​ Moon- feminine symbol sun- more masculine -​ Moon- is overlooked -​ Thinks about her daughter- tragedy to satire -​ Weather reflects the situation -​ Chapter 14 -​ Religious ceremony Speaker: Offred Context: Offred is describing the painting in the walls before they start to read the Bible Significance: Plot, Character, Theme, Conflict This is significant because she not only personifies the paintings by giving the women life, but they don’t exactly have life. She talks about the women like they’re restricted and not free and don’t even look alive. They look almost grey and stiff like they’re stuck. This is mirroring her exact feelings in the book, like how she almost feels not alive, but close to death. The living state she’s in representing how she isn’t properly living a true happy life, where everything is grey toned and black such as the ladies/ What Miss says for significance - (Surveillance/watching)-Projection of feelings/oppression - Grey- lost of emotion/ life- drained - Elite class- passing on - Blind to past times -Apps vs. realty -Questions reality - no voice - always shown victories and never defeat- it’s why they show it- manipulation Speaker- Offred Context- Offred is sitting watching the anchorman Significance- How is this significant to the entire book Marxism- Uses his charm and “level” smile to manipulate those watching. He is trying to convince them that everything is good and peaceful as long as they give in and trust them. He uses euphemism and gas lights, those watching to trust them and fall under his false consciousness of feeling safe. He is acting like he is their “loving” grandfather figure through his wise wrinkles and his authority. This can be seen when he says “you must go to sleep, like good children” -Romance- ideal grandfather- sage figure -irony - Gilead is not wise and caring as a leader - Manipulation- this is propaganda - false consciousness- citizens are under an illusion that their society is prosperous - children- no autonomy - totalitarian government - Patriarchal society- power imbalance- “God like” state - appearance vs reality- irony - “i struggle against him”- she’s being hypnotized and has to struggle against what the news anchor is saying Chapter 15 - Commander is late to the ceremony every time- lack of respect to wife and people- he can break the rules - uses fake passports and lie to their daughter to escape- remembers what went wrong when they tried to escape - and even before they took control of the country she felt that her identity was lacking - Commander with black uniform- Offred not impressed - Nick rebels- touches Offred’s foot - Women are dependant on men- watch commanders every move- she’s the watching - Doesn’t even know if the Bible quotes are real- they’re trying to put them under false-conscious- it’s easier to want to believe it but she doesn’t - Narrative is so fragmented- reflect Offred’s fragmented mind- in state of human turmoil- memory isn’t linear - Commander’s still under pressure but still can make rules- must be very silent- no one is honest or authentic - They created this society (the men)- no one is happy - Aunt lydia is manipulative- Changes around the beatitudes to put people under the false consciousness -Moira tries to escape- tries to use the ambulance- beat her so badly on her hands and feet since it’s not valuable to use for baby making- beat with thin wire - Hands- do everything to help her since she couldn’t even walk Chapter 16 -​ Offred is very detached -​ Signs off that she isn’t raped- she is under false consciousness- it’s either she does it or dies- doesn’t understand that it’s not a choice- rationalization -​ Serena joy squeezes her hands- lies on her pubic bone- very nasty -​ Gilead is “supposed” to be amazing -​ Closes her eyes to ignore what is happening Chapter 17 -​ Puts butter of her hands to comfort herself -​ Always feel that she is always being watched -​ Looks up at the moon and personifies it- makes her want to steal something- feels empowered to stand up and let her id out -​ Steals a withered daffodil- dead or dying- daffodil means rebirth and new beginnings and first flower of spring- ironic it’s dying- intentionally taking a risk- -​ Passionately makes out with Nick -​ Commander wants to see Offred- That she did something wrong- it’s a risk and maybe something out of the norm -​ Nick and Offred project their feelings and submission -​ Wants to take the makeout further- she is so repressed and needs to feel -​ She feels guilty for cheating on her husband Chapter 18 -even more fragmented memory- keeps thinking of flashback- she is losing it- very conflicted - she is limited with what she knows - she remembers the thunderstorm when sleeping with luke - when she feels the most safe- thunderstorm- danger -she says nobody dies from lack of sex, people die from lack of love - isolation leads to tragedy, something leads to victory - tries to convince herself that nick is like luke - she thinks luke been shot dead- very sad - also believes he is safe - also believes luke could be in jail - no closure of what happened nick Chapter 19 -She dreams about her mom and daughter- romance- sunflower on the dress- land of fruitfulness- land of togetherness- a wish fulfillment dream - No better feeling then a child holding you- you feel safe and they feel safe - projects her fear of being infertile- men can't be blamed- sterile is forbidden - janine is pregnant- yippee - they want all the handmaids to go so they can learn that this is rewardful - raining- rebirth regeneration -ofwarren (janine) -why are a lot of the babies are deformed- air too full of chemicals- polluted- lack of concern for environment - aunt lydia judges people for taking advantage of the planet- were to blame for the deformed babies- shreds babies - the planet is being destroyed so let's go back to olden times- is their justification - women can't have anything when giving birth - unconscious woman gives birth to baby -ofwarren is hanging out with the wives- says janine is so obedient- puts offred to shame - janine is all superego- worrying about conforming to gilead WRITE CHARACTER LIST ABOUT EVERYONE AND WRITES TWO POINTS Offred- Main character of the book. She is a “choosing” handmaid with the critical consciousness under the regime of a totalitarian government. She is very aware of everything and almost mirrors her emotions in her environment around her. The commander- The commander of the household. Seems to break rules in small ways such as: waits outside offred’s door, is late to every Bible reading before the ceremony. All commanders wear black Serena joy- Wears blue which represents her power she has compared to the other handmaids. She used to be known to sing to kids’ Bible stories and was known to cry and smile. Her name is ironic because Serena Joy makes her out to be a very happy person compared to her real personality. She tends to be very cold and distant from the people around her, especially to Offred. Nick- Tends to be a rebellious bad boy. He seems to be id driven and tends to do rebellious things that are rebellious such as whistling at Offred. Offred is very wary of him because he could possibly be an eye, testing her. This bad boy persona attracts Offred since he is physically rebellious in secret, such as kissing her. He is a guardian Moira- She is Offred’s rebellious friend who is very critically aware of the rules Gilead is enforcing. She keeps not only Offred in line and teaches her to do exactly what they want, but helps others. She made a mistake by trying to escape through the hospital, in which they find out and smash her ankles in with wires Luke- dont know too much about him. Dont know if he’s safe, dead, or in jail. He originally cheated on his girlfriend and or wife to be with Offred. Aunt lydia- She is very insane. She is almost like a teacher for the women. She teaches them how to be good handmaids. Her takes a crazy such as she blames janine for being gang raped. Janine- Originally struggled with the red center after being separated from her daughter. She loses it and starts to reenact her old life, in which Moira has to slap her to snap her out of it. Rita- very almost bitchy to Offred. She is a martha, bound to serena joy. She is focused on not breaking the rules and does not want to conform with Offred. She tends to gossip with Cora, another martha. Cora- tends to be friendlier than Rita, but still doesn't interact much with offred.Tends to be more optimistic and happier, but still careful. Ofglen- Offred thinks she’s a bitch. Offred believes she may have some critical consciousness of what’s really happening to them, but she isn’t entirely sure. Doctor- Kinda a creepy doctor. -Marxism Euphemism Manipulation Critical/false consciousness Scapegoat Common enemy -Feminism Oppression Patriarchal Objectification Marginalization Sexualization Dichotomy Totalitarian government Ideology Chapter 20 -​ Why does the birth right decline the more freedom women have?- how do women choose to not have kids- they get to be in control of their own bodies -​ Lack of care in the world- means no fertility -​ Aunt lydia is blaming women for being infertile- calls them- jezebel- she tried to kill prophets and believed in idols -​ Aunt lydia calls them bad words like sluts- -​ Dont read about the new testament- god is super forgiving- 0 love -​ Class differences from wifes and handmaids -​ The wives treat them bad- so they can feel better -​ Women in the society have a hierarchy - wives, aunts, marthas, -​ econowifes - loyal to regime and can keep their own families -​ The handmaids are treated like children- given juice, milk, and sandwiches 160 -​ The wife is pretending that they're gonna give birth- they're delusional and gray- narcissistic and jealous- to feel validated because they can’t get pregnant -​ Grey hair on the rug looking like mildew- making them sound icky -​ When you reduce people's worth to one thing- it tanks- the wives try to feel this -​ Why do they show violent porn in the red center- to make them feel disgusting- it was so extreme before and now its the completely opposite side  -​ The women is being abused in the porn vids- undermined saying that's how they could’ve been treated but they're lucky now- even though they hurt moira -​ When do they show the womens protests- why are women considered un-women, if you wanna be free, youre unwomen- turn off sound so they don’t get any ideas -​ Her mom was a very extreme feminist- not a nice feminist- her mom doesnt like men -​ Her mom was mean to luke- ignorance to offred’s mom- atwood digs at extreme feminist Chapter 12 -​ Why do they talk at the birth ceremony- they're trying to pretend they're the ones giving birth and having sex- in denial of reality -​ Offred jokes around that someone spiked the juice- -​ Atwood is sayong birth is beautiful and feminine if you choose that -​ Why does the wife look at the baby likes it a prize- shes taking it on from the handmaid- she had no effort in the birth- flowers are beautiful but theyre not human beings- the wife won’t be a good mother -​ Might project and displace her anger on the daughter Chapter 23 -​ Aunt Lydia thinks Janine would be a good snitch because shes so obedient- Janine doesnt snitch -​ Moira does her escape- breaks stereotype of women not fixing things or dont know how things work- she pulls something from the toilet to stab someone- courage to stand up against the aunt -​ Page 133 -​ Why is it important that moira escape- the handmaids feel hope -​ Memory is a construct- memory is subjective, something you could feel or make Chapter 24 -​ He wants to play scrabble- its a dilemma because its the same thing with the doctor -​ No nurture or love in the society -​ She lets him win the second ame so he doesn't think she is smarter -​ Him saying kiss me like you mean it- is ironic because she doesnt really have a choice and or connection with him- men are deprived too -​ Has a mental breakdown of laughter- -​ Story about nazi mistress- makes excuses for the man- the nazi guy couldve been agressive towrads the msitress, since he’s bad -​ SPRING IS TURNING TO SUMMER FOURSTORY MODEL -​ Cora thinks she’s dead when she fell asleep on the cbinet -​ “The opposite of anxiety is not calm. It is trust.” -​ chapter 25 -​ Aunt lydia- oppresses men and women- 153- Serena is chopping the flowers off- projection or displacement- cutting fertile parts of plants -​ why does offred want a weapon- to either kill herself or other people- give her feeling of power Why is it sumbolic that serena doesnt know- because its bad -​ Offred doesnt know what the commander wants  -​ He gives her a vogue magazine- magazines would be take it or leave it- she remembers it and it is very exciting- selling romantic age- idealism -​ What could you say about him- appear charming- possibly manipulative -​ Asks for hand lotion- he laughs when she does- arrogant and ignorant, hypocritical- jas no idea what the handmaids are experiencing- tells her to put it in her room- he doesnt understand why she cant -​ totalitarian governments breed anti-heros- make you brainwashed and too scared to do anything Chpater 26 -​ Tries to touch offred’s face during sex and offred yells at him- make it seem like they’ve built a further connecttion- he says oh it makes it impersonal -​ Sympathizes for serena joy that offred was secretly seeing the commander- pities serena joy -​ Aunt lydia says itll be normal one day- no way jose Chapter 27 -​ No fish nbeciase- they died form pollution- only grown and farmed Page 167 parag3 -iorny/satire - citizewbs ysed/ dehumiazed - cyclical\ - oppresed/limited choices - irony prayers are supposed to be authentic and emotionally charged - detached -isolation - decay -Ofglen asking offred if god is listening - resistance called mayday - first authentic convo - offred thinks theres hope- man was taken into van right in front of her Offred gives info about the takeover- congress stormed and all emmebers of congress shot in the head- DAMN 535 PEOPLE -​ Why was the takeover effective- they killed everyone- once the government is dead- its easy to take over -​ Gays being a crime -​ Moira- critical consciousness -​ Moira tries to start a resistance but caught -​ She realized some other army was there- new regime -​ Why does -​ Who did they blame the takeover on- fundamentalist islams- the regime becomes the hero -​ Offred feels resentment towards luke for the bank account being frozen -​ Bystander effect- a theory that people thin “someone else will help” -​ If you see something say something Chapter 29 The commander almost treats offred like a pet thats hes amused by Why does commander look at her like that when she reads- it excites him to do something that isnt allowed anymore; to feed into the taboo, breaking the rules. Why does offred bat her lashes- to find info about mayday (she's a mole for the organization) When she entices him about his position in power - Trying to make him feel good about himself- he was doing market market research- learning how to manipulate the public -​ She asks about the latin message on the cupboard- it means dont let the bastards grind you down- gilead/commanders -​ The message reveals that he has done this before with other handmaids -​ The last handmaid hung herself- serena joy found out -​ “If your dog dies, get another.” - contextually, Offred is the dog. -​ People died for their religion -​ Offred shows ehrself to very clever- pretending to be complacient and manipulating him -​ She is a horny babe for nick- because why would he do all this -​ Why’d they have to kill the cat- cuz it would die- luke kills the cat and calls it- he dehumanizes it and objectifies it Steam of Conflict- between how she is and how she should be- conflict between id and superego- and Chapter 31 -​ If they catch her its pretty bad -​ She stares at the reef about her head- where the last handmaid was hung -​ Jezebel sex club or smth -​ Serena joy says- maybe he's sterile- we need to get her pregnant- HELPS WOAH STEP UP- GETS NICK TO HELP -​ More worried about the baby -​ Shes gonna give her a picture of her daughter- CRAY CRAY Chapter 32 Commander says you can't make an omelette without breaking eggs- he’s basically saying women can take the brunt of it- basically someones gotta suffer and fail in order for others to succeed What is a prayvaganza- celebration for prayer and girls get married- no separation from church and state from the banners- god is a national resource- the nation of gilead is coloured by God- suing God to justified the human rights breakage in gilead -​ A religious government never works -​ Girls as young as 14 to angels (men) -​ Janine’s baby is a shredder -​ Janine sleeps with the doctor to get pregnant -​ Commander justifies this society- this is the best way forward, sure we’re a little strict but women are safer- not true -​ Janine thinks it’s her fault because she broke the rules- no youre under pressure janine 216 -​ Janine has a psychotic break- men pressure to repress her id and be over-developed with her superego- she starts to fragment  -​ Moira smacks her- you cant let her go slipping over the edge- symbolic of mental state- descending into darkness- moira a leader 218 -​ Theres a balm in gilead- there’s a bomb in gilead- balm (healing_, bomb ( explosive) -​ Why is clothing equal your identity - bad thing because its degrading and taking away your individuality, no one is an actual person, loss of identity, way of control -​ They use the bible to explain the patriarchal system -​ This society is meant to camaraderie amongst women-wtf -​ Forcing nuns to convert- they have to be celibate -​ Why does offred think about the day they escape- saw the border guy pick up the phone so they booked it- she is devastated she didnt escape -​ Why is love banned in their society- youre free -​ Offred doesnt love the commander- only likes the interactions with him -​ Serena joy gives her the picture- her daughter is growing up without her so shes really upset- shes like a shadow in her daughters life -​ Offred is 33- Jesus was 33 when he died- sacrifice and death -​ They treat her like a kid -​ Chapter 36 -​ Puts her in weird lingerie -​ Why is it weird that the clothes feel weird- shes different and ses not used to it- symptom of the nightmare world- dressing up deosnt feel right, not natural -​ Doesnt feel inplace -​ They go to jezebel’s- a sex club -​ He says simething weird saying they need some variety and its natural yet this stuff is banned Chapter 37 234 -​ “The women are sitting… too clownish -​ That hyperbolically dressed up at the sex club- almost clownlike- purpose to please the men -​ They ply the women with alcohol and cigarettes 238 She dressde obsurdly… she always hated high heels. How is it symbolic- the animal she’s dressed as is like a deer and or rabbit. This is completely the opposite of her personality and tenacity. Moira is not meek or prey but rather a fierce tiger, who is very strong and willful as well as a fighter. The outfit not fitting her shoes how this submission and change, does not suit the person she is. -​ Our hero turning into an anti-hero -​ They broke her -​ Going against everything she stood for- she wanted her own freedoms -​ They saw offreds mom in the colony videos -​ Offred feeks like shes being trapped like an animal -​ He rubs her ankle where the tattoo is Chapter 39  -​ OFFRED LOVES NICKY POOS PENIS -​ She feels likes more of a choice- reminds her of Luke -​ One is more about control- the other one is more of a hard situation -​ Offred kinda is hungry for Nick- Offred stops being a spy because she is hungry for nick -​ She is craving love that’s why she stays -​ If life is isolation, Nick is connection -​ Why does Offred tell is two different ways of the way she sleeps with Nick- leans more into the fact that Offreds memory is going, confusion, conflict with id and superego- memory is constructed- the whole story could be false and or fake Cahpter 41 -​ Offred tries to tell us she tries to be nice about how bad the story is -​ Offred goes back to that PENIS -​ The foreshadow about falling of the edge- Symbolizing that something bad may happen -​ Offred thinks she is prego- she admits to herself she may not be Chapter 42 -​ The salvagings- ironic -​ They hang people -​ They dont know why they were hanged -​ They stop telling people what their crimes were- so they can hang who they want- they make fake crimes to hang people -​ Threaten people they love -​ She thinks they’ve been drugged -​ Drag the rope around so the handmaids can touch it- Offred says it reminds her of a snake- evil -​ Why do they put their hand on it- they may be the next person on the rope and that they working together for this -​ Says it’s been years since she’s seen Aunt Lydia -​ People are throwing up -​ Offred doesn’t want to watch this -​ It’s fear mongering to make them watch and struggle -​ Salvaging means to save- opposite meaning for this -​ Tell them to form a circle- they bring in a guardian- particicution- participate in the execution -​ The guardian- convicted of rape -​ Thinks that Aunt lydia is throwing in random details to amke them want to hurt them more- Aunt Lydia spins the lies -​ She thinks he’s drugged -​ He’s been tortured -​ They dehumanize him -​ He smiles -​ He says I didn’t -​ Ofglen kicks him to possibly end his suffering -​ He becomes and it- trying to take the person from him- objection- easy to persecute someone as an object rather than a person  -​ Janine- has blood smeared on her cheek and is smiling- her eyes have come loose- shes gone cray cray- her superego was so developed that she has released her id- babes is holding his scalp in her hand, saying hi -​ No freedom here Chapter 43 -​ They replaced her- Ofglen -​ Under her eye says the treacherous Ofglen- Offred calls her that because shes not part of the revolution -​ She hung herself Chapter 44 -​ Why is offred happy that ofglen is dead- maybe that Ofglen doesn’t need to suffer anymore -​ She wants to survive- she would do anything to live Chapter 45 -​ Serena joy has the cloak that has lipstick and sequins- caught Chapter 46 -​ Offred is tempted to kill herself -​ She is wondering if she’ll ever be reborn -​ Day fading to night- tragedy or irony/satire -​ Thinks about freezing to death in the weather -​ She sees the handmiad- just another handmaid -​ Nick tells her mayday is here- the commander and serena is surprised about mayday being here 295 -​ The last sentence -​ Offred was reading the voice notes Historical Notes Layered narrative- a bunch of different ideas- a story within a story Part of a lecture