Night XIII Flashcards
What happens in chapter 40?
Back in her room at the house, Offred has removed her makeup and put on her Handmaid clothes. Serena plans to meet her at midnight to take her to Nick so that they can have sex. In the middle of the night, Serena comes and tells Offred to go to Nick’s apartment. Serena will wait for Offred to return.
Offred twice tells the story of what happens next.
1st- thick with passion and desire, told in the breathy language of a romance novel.
2nd- probably more accurate, awkward, uncertain, and full of sadness for the lost courtship rituals of the pre-Gilead world.
Offred takes pleasure in the act this time. Says neither of the versions are completely accurate, that every story is by nature a reconstruction. After sleeping with Nick, she feels ashamed. She feels she betrayed Luke and wonders if she would feel differently if she knew Luke was dead.
