Summary of Handmaid's Tale - Includes character notes, analysis and themes
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Modern Texts
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AQA
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The Handmaid's Tale
- Comes from student currently attending Oxford University after getting 4 A*s at A Level
- Is good for all round revision on Atwood's Handmaid's Tale with comprehensive notes on the entire book
- Contains nuanced points on the importance of clothing, Jezebels, rebellion and Offred's relationship...
The Handmaid's Tale AO5 Key Critical Quotes Revision Grid
Important Quotes from the Handmaid's Tale by Atwood
EDEXCEL ENGLISH LITERATURE- An essay on the presentation of setting in The Handmaid's Tale and Frankenstein
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Handmaid’s Tale - Whole Text Document
Summary
Atwood is concerned with the social movement of 1980s America as there was a rise in
social conservatism as a backlash to second wave feminism. She uses Gilead to express
her concerns by demonstrating how removal of identity and indoctrination causes the
internalisation of damaging views and how the consequences of this are staggering, such as
loss of one’s own self. However, she does offer hope against this by highlighting how
connections with other people and memories are a form of rebellion against regimes and
these repressive views, particularly in regards to the repression of women and their
autonomy.
This is a dystopian novel - extrapolates contemporaneous fears and accentuates the very
worst features of the human condition in order to reveal the dangers of humanity and current
social problems.
PAGE NUMBERS IS THOSE IN THE EXAM BOOKS (page numbers in my book)
Page numbers in exam books = page numbers in my books + ten.
Thematic Quotes
Suppression/removal of identity
Page Quote Extra details/important analysis
17 (7) ‘A chair, a table, a Removes all sense of ownership and personality
lamp’ because their rooms are so bare. They want them to
‘The window … it only feel like objects/shells rather than people so that they
opens partly.’ ‘no glass’ are easier to use - they are shells for babies. Also, they
have removed their autonomy to kill themselves -
shows the horror of the state and they know that it is
horrific because they are scared that they will harm
themselves. Her body belongs to the state.
This is different to the commander’s room - there’s a
‘potted plant … oriental rug … a fireplace…a television
set’ 147 (137) - he has personality.
29 ‘The truth is that she is Paranoia and lack of trust - even with those who are in
(19) my spy, as I am hers’. the same situation as she is in.
70- 71 ‘ “honey” ‘ Doctor Scene. She is vulnerable and naked - he can
(60- ‘Sliding up my leg’ see her face and has total control over her test results.
61) ‘Fingered her breath’ Whereas, she has no power over him - unfair power
‘Genuine, genuine
dynamics that are enforced by a society with gender
sympathy’
bias. As well as this, the regime does not want this to
happen but because it has placed women into places of
inferiority and danger it does - reiterating more about
control than religion.
She is being nice to him - psychological acceptance of
what is happening and the denial of the fact that he is
abusing her and attempting to get sex from her.
104 ‘What he [the She cannot deal with her trauma - she is denying that
(94) commander] is fucking it is as bad as they thought it was. This is part of the
is the lower part of my society which is trying to repress those and make her
, body. … nor does rape feel as if she doesn’t haven’t any feelings. Atwood is not
cover it’. downplaying the fact that she is being pinned down by
‘With a regular two-four two people and being raped.
marching stroke, on ‘Marching’ - militaristic language that suggests that it is
and on like a tap his duty to make her pregnant - they have made this
dripping.’ law. This is backed up with the continuation of the
description on 106 (96) - ‘one detaches oneself. One
describes’. This shows her inability to deal with what is
happening to her.
106 ‘Which of us is it worse Offred is worrying more about how other people are
(96) for, her or me?’ affected rather than thinking about herself and what she
is going through. Her own sense of self has been
marginalised.
136 ‘We’re the same as The baby is all of theirs. The baby is a physical
(126) her’ manifestation of the loss of personhood. Their own
identity is controlled by babies and whether they have
children. This private moment is also made into a public
spectacle.
146 ‘We are two-legged She knows that she has been objectified. Is she starting
(136) wombs, that’s all: to accept it - is there a sense of futility?
sacred vessels,
ambulatory chalices.’
242 ‘There are cups for the She has been forced to wear this and her agency has
(232) breasts, covered in been removed. It identifes her as a sexual object - she
247 purple sequins … the is still just a body to be objectified and so it seems like
(237) feathers are around
an act of rebellion, it is not actually but she had her
the thigh holes and
along the top.’ autonomy to choose removed.
‘ “It’s like walking into Also Atwood is arguing that by trying to remove female
the past” ‘ sexuality (as social conservatives wanted), it is still
there and instead it is controlled and exploited by those
in power who want to fulfil their own sexual desires.
‘ “It’s like walking into the past” ‘ 247 (237) - this is a
sexual fantasy of the commanders. It is the
commanders’ sexual fantasy of past rather than the
actual past.
Moreover, by revealing the hypocrisy of those high in
power in theocratic states, Atwood is highlighting that
they are more concerned with power and controlling
women than actually believing in their religious laws
and ideas.
Indoctrination
Page Quote Extra details/important analysis
14 (4) ‘Something could be They are thinking of themselves as bodies - even
exchanged, we though it would be an act of rebellion, they are reducing
thought, some deal themselves to what the regime wants them to be
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