Colors of Control
In The Handmaid's Tale, what color do the Handmaids wear, symbolizing fertility and their role as child-bearers?
Red
What is the name of the secret police in Gilead who spy on everyone?
The Eyes
The Wives wear blue. What figure from Christian theology does this blue color associate them with?
The Virgin Mary
The motto “Under His Eye” is repeated throughout the book. What does this phrase symbolize for the people of Gilead?
The idea that they are always being watched under constant surveillance.
The Marthas wear green. What does their color mostly symbolize about their role in the household?
Domestic servants who blend into the background
An eye symbol appears on vans and buildings. What does this symbol mainly represent about Gilead’s power?
Its total control through spying and fear.
Red is usually linked to love or passion, but in Gilead it has a grosser meaning. Name one darker idea that the color red comes to represent for the Handmaids.
It represents blood, violence, and reproductive oppression.
Offred sometimes imagines eyes hidden behind objects, walls, or even in other people (that they may be undercover spies). What does this recurring image reveal about her inner state?
She feels paranoid, trapped, and unable to trust anyone.
Offred often notices the red of her dress against the white wings around her face. Together, what does this color contrast suggest about her position in Gilead?
She is both exposed and controlled. Specifically, her sexuality is displayed, but she is contained.
The nickname “Eyes” plays on both religious imagery and government power. Explain one way this symbol connects religion and surveillance in Gilead.
It suggests that the regime uses the idea of God’s all-seeing eye to justify human spying and control.