CHAPTER SUMMARIES Flashcards
1
Q
Chapter 1
A
- Memories of training centre at night
- Sets up the dystopian element
2
Q
Chapter 2
A
- Describes the Commander’s house
- Describes Rita and Cora’s indifference to her
3
Q
Chapter 3
A
- Describes the garden
- Remembers her first meeting with Commander’s wife and associates her with ‘Serena Joy’
4
Q
Chapter 4
A
- Sees Nick washing the car
- Walks with Ofglen- make small talk cause she can’t trust her
- Fantasises about seducing a Guardian and holding power over him
- They go through the gate
5
Q
Chapter 5
A
- Goes into the heart of Gilead
- Remembers Luke in the time before
- Shopping- biblical references with the shop titles
- Sees Ofwarren (Janine) heavily preggo
- Fascinated by Japanese tourists
6
Q
Chapter 6
A
- Decide to walk home past the church
- Go to the wall
- See the hanging bodies- further insight into horrors of Gilead
7
Q
Chapter 7
A
- Night time at commanders- arguably where Offred is most authentic
- Remembers how her and Moira used to yap as students
- Remembers her mother burning porn
- First mention of her daughter and how she’s been given away to another family
- Debates the nature and accuracy of her narrative
8
Q
Chapter 8
A
- Funeral of Econowife’s baby- hostility between Handmaids and Econowife
- Serena Joy backstory as an evangelist
- Offred returns home to see the commander leaving her room
9
Q
Chapter 9
A
- Memories of her early relationship with Luke
- Discovers evidence in her room of a previous Handmaid
10
Q
Chapter 10
A
- Memory of Aunt Lydia’s disapproval of sunbathing
- Memories of Moira and her underwear party
- Hints that this isn’t Offred’s first assignment
11
Q
Chapter 11
A
- Doctor Office- he commits sexual assault and offers to ‘help Offred”
12
Q
Chapter 12
A
- Bath as a symbol of purity (but not to her)
- Her memories of how the panic started - attempt to kidnap her daughter in broad daylight
13
Q
Chapter 13
A
- Memories of Moira at the training unit
- Persecution of ‘loose women’ - Janine
- Disjointed memories of Luke and their attempt to smuggle their child
14
Q
Chapter 14
A
- Waiting for the Commander
- Hearing the News and more details of war
- Remembers her daughter on the way to escape
- Importance of names
15
Q
Chapter 15
A
- Commander arrives
- Memories of Moira and Moira’s punishment
16
Q
Chapter 16
A
The ceremony
17
Q
Chapter 17
A
- Returns to her room and butters her face
- Sneaks downstairs, steals a flower
- Nick kisses her and gives her commander’s message
18
Q
Chapter 18
A
- Memories of Luke when she was pregnant
- Fantasy of Luke now- dead, a prisoner, saved by a resistance
19
Q
Chapter 19
A
20
Q
Chapter 20
A
21
Q
Chapter 21
A
22
Q
Chapter 22
A
23
Q
Chapter 23
A
24
Q
Chapter 24
A
25
Chapter 25
26
Chapter 26
27
Chapter 27
28
Chapter 28
29
Chapter 29
30
Chapter 30
31
Chapter 31
32
Chapter 32
33
Chapter 33
34
Chapter 34
35
Chapter 35
36
Chapter 36
37
Chapter 37
38
Chapter 38
39
Chapter 39
40
Chapter 40
41
Chapter 41
42
Chapter 42
43
Chapter 43
44
Chapter 44
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45
Chapter 45
- Offred selfishly thankful for Ofglen's death, ready to conform
- Serena Joy confronts her with evidence from Jezebel's
46
Chapter 46
- Offred imagines ways to end it
- Van comes to pick her up but Nick suggests its Mayday
- Commander and household look on- they are all pitiable in some way
- Uncertain ending- darkness or light?
