Part 2 Final exam for English( Questions for the handmaids tale)

What are the women "allowed" to do? (And, what does this point tell the reader?)

The Wives keep order in the house; The Handmaids' duty is to procreate; and The Marthas' job is to cook and clean. It stands to reason that since the powers-that-be want to keep women ignorant and suppressed, reading should not be allowed.

What's important about the ceiling, the window, the picture frame, the décor, the images?

Description of the way she takes to go from her room to the hallway: "hallway" (upstairs) and "pink carpet", "staircase", "the clock", "the mirror", "hat-and-umbrella stand". All of these elements show she lives in a wealthy house.

As Offred describes her environment, she makes some reflections on Gilead. There is a shift from perception to thought.

"Aunt Lydia" says that this place is "not a prison but a privilege." The protagonist calls this an either/or fallacy. Why is it significant that someone makes such a claim?

What the protagonist means by either/or fallacy is a false dilemma arises when we allow ourselves to be convinced that we have to choose between two and only two options, when that is untrue. It's significant of this claim because Aunt Lydia tells the handmaids this to make them think that the place they're in is a place they have to earn and not the real reason why they are there.

Who is Rita? Is that her real name?

Rita is one of the two Martha's assigned to the Commander's household, mainly in charge of cooking. She's strict, disapproves of the narrator, and doesn't want to get involved. It's not as though she dislikes the narrator; she just doesn't want to get to know her. Her real name is Serena Joy.

What are tokens? Why do they exist? What's on them?

Tokens are coupons which Handmaids and other women use to shop at the stores still open under Gilead rule. They feature no text (much like the product labels for which they can be exchanged), because in Gilead, women are forbidden from reading.

How does Cora misrepresent what's done to the Handmaids?

She's one of the two Martha's assigned to the Commander's household, primarily in charge of household cleaning and menial errands. She treats the narrator with more kindness than many of the other characters.

What are the colonies?

The Colonies are areas of the Continental United States that have been contaminated by pollution and radioactive waste. Gilead, using the system devised by Commander Joseph Lawrence, often sends women convicted of various crimes, known as Unwomen, to the Colonies, to punish them.

Why would the protagonist like to stay in the kitchen with Rita and Cora even though they are not allies?

Because Rita doesn't want to know the narrator, the narrator doesn't get to know her. Both Rita and Cora sometimes treat the narrator like one of their chores: more like an object than a person.

What does the protagonist mean by a "hunger to commit the act of touch"? (Don't make assumptions. Instead, reflect back on the first scene with the Handmaids pressing fingertips together and exchanging names.) What has been done to basic human contact (such as handshakes, hugs, and other simple tactile sensations) under this regime?

The narrator transmutes her "hunger" for something edible, bread, to what would really nourish her: touch, and, correspondingly, love. What has been done to basic human contact under the regime is using pleasure for exchange of power and desire for men's pleasure, which the handmaids don't know a tactile touch.

Why aren't the Marthas supposed to interact with Handmaids?

Handmaids are women who have given birth before (proven fertile) and have committed a crime against Gilead laws. A Martha is a woman who really has nothing to note about her.

Why does the protagonist wonder where the Commander's Wife is?

Wives are a class of women in Gilead. They are among the highest ranking women in the nation, though they are still oppressed and in subjugation to their husbands. And the protagonist wondered where his wife was.

What's the point about how Handmaids enter?

When one of the Handmaids gives birth, all the other Handmaids attend her; a complex ritual showing that the baby really belongs to a Wife accompanies the birthing process. When Offred presents herself in the Commander's office, she is surprised to find that he wishes to play Scrabble, even though women are forbidden to read.

What does "Aunt Lydia" say about speaking? Why should the Handmaids have to think about the Wives' situation? (Consider the double standard.) Aunt Lydia's maxims are a leitmotif.

"Aunt Lydia tells the handmaids to not speak until being asked too, because this gives them power over them and being seen by the regime. What the handmaids do about the Wives situation is to feel sympathy for them and to not approach them until asked too.

The protagonist recognizes the Commander's Wife. Who is/was she? Why is that bad for the protagonist?

Serena Joy is the commander's wife. June's status reminded Serena of her own and showed her that, as a woman in Gilead, she was one wrong move away from a life of pain.

Why did Aunt Lydia make the Handmaids memorize maxims and treat them like "TRUTH"?

To teach other women from Gilead to be adaptive. She belongs to the whole class of Aunts who prepare future Housemaids for their work. Aunt Lydia is portrayed only in Offred's memories.

Why doesn't the protagonist ask about the Handmaid who used to be her shopping/chore partner?

Because she didn't want to interfere with the actual truth on what happened to her or what the regime did to her.

What is revealed about sexuality in this authoritarian regime?

Is extremely manipulated and appropriated by men. The Handmaids, while taking their maternal tasks in bearing children, are regulated and oppressed based on their sex because of their restricted roles and subordinated position in Gilead.

Who is Luke?

Offred's pre-Gilead husband and father of her daughter. He was previously married and had a long affair with Offred before divorcing his first wife.

Who is Moira?

Is Offred's best and oldest friend. She is often seen in Offred's memories, but the two meet at the Red Centre and again at Jezebel's.

What girl does the protagonist remember and why is she taken?

Her daughter was taken away because she was born prior to the rise of Gilead, and was separated from her parents after a failed escape attempt.

What does the name "Ofglen" indicate?

Every time the women hear their names, they are reminded that they are no more than property.

What is the danger in the Commander approaching her just outside her door?

Because there are strict rules about who can be where and when. Offred gets upset when she sees him outside her door and wonders if this might endanger her.

Where does she find a hidden message? What does it say? In what language?

He explains that it's a joke Latin phrase and loosely translates to "Don't let the bastards grind you down." Turns out, that's exactly how Margaret Atwood, the author of the original book, came up with it.

What's the name of this place (where part of the United States) used to be? Why is it called a "Republic"?

The Republic of Gilead, colloquially referred to as simply Gilead or elsewhere sometimes called, by its leadership, the Divine Republic, is the totalitarian patriarchal theocracy that rules over most of the territory that belonged to the former continental United States in The Handmaid's Tale.

What fallacy does the protagonist outline in Aunt Lydia's claim that this situation is "freedom from"?

Despite all that the women have lost, Aunt Lydia and Gilead argue that they are free now. They have "freedom from" things like sexist catcalls and potential abuse from strangers.

Why is a person referred to as a "carrier of life"? What's the desired propaganda impact?

By "carrier of life" means you carry the life of a baby and provide it to the regime commanders and their wives, you're not your own person but property of the regime. This impacts the handmaids on what they have to do and where they stand.

Why are the Marthas driven to engage in "gossip" (and how is that part of a gender stereotype and card-stacking fallacy)? How does the behavior serve the regime?

They can gossip because since they aren't the ones providing what the regime needs they criticize whatever they want, this is part of gender stereotype because they are women. This behaviour serves the regime as to defending their rules and how they work their government.

What's the purpose of the Japanese tourists? (We need to address colonialism and Victorian appropriation to get this element.

The Japanese tourists presented in chapter five may only cover a page and a half in the novel, however, this passage should not be underestimated as the tourists importantly act as a subtle representation of everything that the Handmaids have been stripped of, most importantly their freedom.

To what does the protagonist compare the "salvaged" men?

Salvaging is the term used to refer to executions held in public in Gilead. Those who are executed are referred to as having been Salvaged.

What does it really mean that a woman would be "lucky" to conceive? (Consider the Wall and the Handmaids' lives.)

It would be "lucky" to conceive for the handmaids because they would be able to leave.

Why does Aunt Lydia say that "[t]his" "will become ordinary"? What is telling in that phrase?

Ordinary" isn't a word that seems to accurately describe the dystopia of Gilead. However, according to Aunt Lydia, "ordinary" is simply "what you are used to." These words come back to Offred as she is looking at the lifeless bodies hung upon the Wall for the citizens to see.

Why is music forbidden or dangerous - even for Serena Joy?

Because it gives a sense of power and sense to something and is not allowed in Gilead.

What does the protagonist think about the Commander as she watches him walk to the car?

Her first impressions surprise us; we expect the Commander to behave cruelly, but he seems almost likable. Like the women, he seems to be a prisoner of Gilead, starved for genuine human contact. He behaves in a shy, courtly fashion around Offred, careful not to make unreasonable demands or intimidate her. He seems to want her to like him, and even to feel attracted to him, which explains his wistful disappointment at the coldness of her kiss.

Explain the doublespeak "Gender Treachery." Why are these men killed?

Gender Treachery committing homosexual acts.After looking at the bodies for a while, Offred tells Ofglen that they should continue walking home.

Why does Aunt Lydia claim that it's a woman's obligation to fend off men? Why does she present men as predators? How does this false logic work to blame victims and protect current and future predators?

What Aunt Lydia says about fend off men is you have to respect yourself and not provoke them, basically to stay silent around them. This false logic works to blame victims and protects predators by making them feel the victim as they are the problem and need to act a certain way to not get hurt.

Why was the protagonist unable to find Serena Joy's actions funny as her husband Luke did? What does the protagonist finally begin to admit to herself regarding Luke and her marriage?

Serena Joy is basically demanding Offred to let herself be raped by Nick, in efforts to get her baby one way or another. She admits that her relationship with Luke is at its limits will either become something bad or good.

What does Nick do?

June's current lover and the biological father of Nicole, Nick Blaine (Max Minghella) is a mysterious character that isn't offered much screen time in The Handmaid's Tale series. Prior to the establishment of Gilead, Nick worked at a steel mill with his father and brother, until they all lost their jobs.

Aunt Lydia describes women wearing shorts or short sleeves in the heat and claims that it is "no wonder those things used to happen." How does blaming women for rape allow her to not recognize her own complicity? What does that view assume about all men?

By saying that crimes wouldn't happen to nice women who cover themselves up, Aunt Lydia places all the blame on the women who are the victims rather than on the men who are the perpetrators.

What does the protagonist say about her name?

Her name is actually June. Not Offread, which means property in the regime.

Explain the "generic term" and "[w]e are all honey."

The doctor calls her 'honey' as a careless term of endearment. Offred senses that, like all predatory men, he sees women as a pleasurable catch.

Why does Aunt Lydia misrepresent women's clothing from the time before as "[u]nhygienic"?

Aunt Lydia would never have used an expression like crotch rot. Unhygienic was hers. She wanted everything to be very hygienic.Nakedness of a woman's body was not clean.

What does the physical description of the Commander indicate?

He is intentionally meant to be a sympathetic character, as Offred sometimes views him as a victim of Gilead. While intentional, Atwood intends for this sympathy to be deceptive.

What's the protagonist's reaction to speaking to her friend? How do they speak?

Blessed Be the Fruit": The standard greeting amongst Gilead residents. The traditional reply is "May the Lord open." "Under His Eye

What's the point of men displaying their bodies? Are they treated as inherently sexual things? How do the Aunts influence the way the Handmaids see themselves and their own bodies?

They want women's attention as a way to lure them. No they re not inherently sexual items because they're men. They have to tell themselves that their bodies aren't theirs but are used like an oven or an object not one's own body.

How has her sense of self been altered and focused by these expectations of her body? What has it/she become due to the regime's control over her?

In the patriarchal society of Gilead all female bodies are viewed as inherently objects.

The dream shifts to traumatic memory. What's the trauma?

The traumatic memory demonstrates the realistic, irretrievable loss of innocence, genuine emotions, and love in the women who were traumatized.

What's significant about the dress and posture of the figures in the two paintings?

Red is for the handmaids. Blue is for the lawful (and upperclass) wives. In the book, the "econowives" wore striped dresses...and brown is for the aunts.

Who is Aunt Elizabeth?

an executive assistant to a female senator in DC who had presidential potential. She was selected to be one of the four Founding Aunts of Gilead.

What is Moira's escape plan? What is she willing to do, for even a brief escape from the Aunts and their indoctrination?

Moira succeeds in taking Aunt Elizabeth captive by dismantling the toilet and using a piece of metal from it as a weapon. She ties the Aunt up, takes her clothes and pass, and then simply walks out.

What sorts of films are the Handmaids shown? What fallacies are displayed through these choices? What impact are they to have on the Handmaids?

They are shown pornographic movies in which men practiced violent sex on women. Aunt Lydia said that was how men thought of women in the old days. The impact is how they're supposed to act when the men are raping them.

What is "no longer thought necessary"? (We need to deal with the Augustine rhetoric that inspires the idea.

Arousal and orgasm are no longer thought necessary..." (Atwood 94). It seems as though this ceremony is strictly business; there is no longer a meaning to sex, other than reproduction.

Why do the Aunts play the soundtrack on some types of films but not others?

The Aunts did not play the soundtrack, because they did not want the Handmaids to hear what the women said. In one of these movies, Offred saw her mother as a young woman, marching in a feminist rally.

What's the double meaning in her wish for "[a] familiar"?

anything at all familiar,' double meaning with, shape shifter, escape. link to context.

Why aren't the Handmaids allowed anesthetics when giving birth?

Anesthetics are not used because the Bible said women would suffer giving birth. Handmaids and Wives are present at birth days.

Why must Janine think of "nothing"?

They despise Janine's weakness, therefore she stays quiet and doesn't think of anything.

What was the rationalization? What was the real reason? How is it used now by those Atwood critiques?

Atwood creates an oppressed society in which she critiques the role of oppression in everyday culture.

What warning does she receive? How does she know that it is a warning?

Her purpose in writing this serious satire is to warn women of what the female gender stands to lose if the feminist movement were to fail. Atwood envisions a society of extreme changes in governmental, social, and mental oppression to make her point.

Aunt Lydia is depicted as a saintly figure of the "darker ages." What's the point

It hovered over her head, like the golden mottoes over the saints.

What did Canadian authorities do to refugees? Why?

has traditionally provided a safe haven for refugees from Gilead.

Why is a "lack of fear" dangerous?

fear controls every character at every level in Gilead society. Having fear is good according to the regime.

What's the symbol of the regime? What does it evoke

It was a power in itself, a signifies of both social status and humiliation.

How does June respond to the claim about Ofglen? Why? What does she mean that she finally understands the Gileadean rulers' "true power"

Immediately afterward, she realizes that in feeling so, she has betrayed herself: "I am abject", she says. "I feel, for the first time their true power"yet not one worth admiration.