Characters
Who is the novel's narrator?
Offred
At the beginning of the novel, the handmaids are housed in what type of building?
A repurposed gymnasium
Why do the handmaids always travel in pairs?
To act as eachother's spies
Handmaids wear this color, a symbol of fertility and sin, similar to Hawthorne's The Scarlet Letter.
Red
Who said it?
"He's just that. My husband. I want that to be perfectly clear. Till death do us part. It's final."
Serena Joy
Who is the narrator's walking partner and fellow handmaid?
Ofglen
What is notable about the windows of the narrator's room in the commander's house?
They are shatterproof
The narrator often recalls memories of her college friend named _______.
Moira
What is symbolic about the names given to the handmaids?
Of (Commander's name) represents the handmaids' treatment as property rather than individuals.
Who said it?
"I enjoy the power; power of a dog bone, passive but there."
The narrator
What is the commander's wife's name?
Serena Joy
Where the executed enemies of Gilead are displayed to the public.
The Wall
The narrator is shown a picture of this person wearing a white dress.
Her daughter
Another symbol of fertility (or lack thereof) is where the commander's wife is frequently working.
The garden
Who said it?
"'You should throw out some of this junk,' she says. 'I'm giving an underwhore party.'"
Moira
Who is the commander's driver who quietly rebels against the rules of Gilead?
Nick
This former university is now the headquarters of Gilead's spy agency, The Eyes.
Harvard
What notable discovery does the narrator make in her room?
She finds the phrase "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" scratched into the floor
When the narrator sees the group of Japanese tourists, she is particularly drawn in by their ____________, a symbol of freedom, expression, and personal choice.
Shoes
"Who's doing the bath?... I got to tenderize this bird."
Rita
Who is the fanatical woman who serves as a twisted motherly figure and teacher to the handmaids?
Aunt Lydia
Why does Gilead's currency and signage use pictures instead of words?
To restrict language, particularly for women.
Based on the bodies hanging on The Wall, readers know that Gilead persecutes these particular groups of people. Name at least two.
People who are gay (gender treachery, it is referred to as), doctors who once performed abortions, and Catholic priests.
What color do the wives wear, and why do you think Atwood chose this color for them?
Blue
Stark contrast to red (handmaids)
Sadness
Who said it?
"'Here,' she said, 'toss it in, quick.'"
The narrator's mother