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From this introductory chapter I can say that the narrator is very observative and carefull, because she gives vivid description of a gymnasium: ´´There was old sex in the room and loneliness, and expectation of somthing without a shape or name´´

I can infer that the narrator is constantly living with fear, loneliness, depression, anxiety, when she comments desccriptions of her way of living. For example, she says: ´´We weren´t allowed out, except for our walks, twice daliy, two by two around the football field, which was enclosed now by chain-link fence topped with barberd wire´´

Also, is evident that in this reality that the narrator is living with more women in a same house, so maybe they are living in an orphanage, or they are sisters, or roomates. Moreover, it is show that women weren´t able to speak from theirselves, they were usless without rights. This is show in the quote that says: ´´We learned to whisper almost without sound...We learned to lipread our heads flat on the beds, turned sideways, watching each other´s mouths. In this way we exchanged names, from bed to bed: Alma. Janine. Dolores. Moira. June´´

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From this introductory chapter, what impressions do you have of the narrator? What can you already tell about the situation in which the narrator exists?

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What are the ways in which the society in the novel controls and restricts women? In your opinion, what would be the worst limitation to endure? Why?

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“…if it’s a story, even in my head, I must be telling it to someone. You don’t tell a story only to yourself. There’s always someone else.” Why do you think Offred finds comfort in pretending that she is telling her story to someone else? What effect does this “you” have on her tale?

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How do you feel about the doctor’s proposition to Offred? Do you think this makes him an honorable or deplorable character? Why? Lastly, what would you do if you were in Offred’s position?

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In the beginning of the chapter, Offred discusses how hard it is to endure “the amount of unfilled time, the long parentheses of nothing.” Recall a time that you had a large amount of unfilled time with nothing to do. Describe the circumstances, how you felt about them, and what you did/thought about to maintain your sanity. How are these long stretches of nothingness a means of control for the society?

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There a lot of ways in which society controls and restricts women. Handmaids, aunt´s, Martha´s and even the Commander's wife had restrictions, For example Martha's weren't supposed to fraternize with the handmaids. Men were the only ones capable of living their lives without this pressure of society as women are facing.

In this section, Offred, the main character narrates mainly the restrictions that the handmaid's had. For example, the windows can just open partly, their hands were folded, they didn´t had luxuries or the liberty to choose what clothes to wear, Handmaids were clothing made almost entirely of red, they have to use everyday a ankle-length skirt, and a flat yoke that extends over the breasts, also it was necessary to use ´´white wings too are prescribed issue; they are to keep us from seeing, but also from being seen´´ In the sitting room handmaid's can't sit they just kneel.

Personally, the most shocking restriction is that the handmaids couldn't go outside everyday, they were assigned just one day to go shopping, they always had the company of other handmaids. Also, they weren't allowed to read. These two limitations are the most to follow, because I think that reading is important in order to be independent, and have my own thoughts, also I can´t never imagine myself just going outside and being monitored If I made something illegal in Gilleads rules.

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As handmaids are lonely persons, they cannot have a social life outside the house, that's why they use use white wings that keep them from seen others, and also from hers to be seen, so that's why I think that Offred needs to tell her story, she feels comfort pretending this because she says in the book: ´´You don't tell a story only to yourself. There's always someone else´´ Also, she need to pretend that sheñs telling her story to someone else, because she need to believe that it is a story and it isn't true, stories can be altered in order of the narrator choice so she can have control over the ending, and that ending could be escaping far away from Gillead. So I can conclude that she needs to tell this story to someone else because she needs to believe and have hope to have a lovely and happy ending in her story.

On the other hand, this generates an effect on the reader that not everything she's telling is true, for example, when she narrates her memories before Gillead her mind might twist them  so she can attach to them in order to control her emotions in the suffering she´s living. Furthermore She gives tons of rhetorical questions along the novel that quativate your intrigue about certain details that make you continue reading. For example: ´´Angel makers, they used to call them; or was that something else?´´ ´´She's in good hands, they said. With people who are fit. You are unfit, but you want the best of her. Don't you?´´

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I don't trust the doctor's proposition to Offred, the doctor could be part of the Gillead´s secret police, so if she agrees to this deal, she might be sent away with the unwomen.

Gillead is a nation where people make favorable decisions, men are never going to be wrong, so I don't trust the doctor. I think of him as a deplorable character because I consider him a rapist. The doctor wants to sleep with Offred with the excuse that Commander Fred is sterile, and if she doesn't get pregnant it will be her fault, so the doctor offers her his ´´help´´. I think that if she really care about her, he would help her escaping from Gillead, but apparently that is not the case, I can infer that the doctor feels safe or satisfied in exercising his profession, because he can take advantage on the difficult life that women are living and rape them.

If I were in Offred's position, I would immediately say no in the most careful and gentle way, also I will started to empathize with him, because there were high possibilities that the doctor falsificate medical exams indicating that I might have a mortal disease, sending me to the unwomen

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´´There´s time to spare. This is one of the things I wasn't prepared for - the amount of unfilled time, long parentheses of nothing. Time as white sound´´ As Offred, I have lived in long-term situations where I have a large amount of time with nothing to do, and a clear example is the pandemic. In Ecuador, because of the pandemic at the beginning of 2020´s the government declared quarantine. I spend various days in my house. I had to figure out what to do in this lockdown. The first week was terrible, I spent to much time watching netflix, and sleeping. To maintain my sanity I found several activities that keep me entertained such as painting, cooking, reading, teaching my little sister to write, etc …

In Gilead, or in real life, a government wants to control the society, they want power, the majority of them are unfair and corrupt, and they can obtain this when they forbid several types of liberty in people. When the government gives these long stretches of nothingness to people, they control the society, because no one is seeing the government actions, and because of these long stretches people do not take action or place in a government.

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After reading about the Ceremony, for whom do you feel more sympathy, Offred or Serena Joy? Which character do you think the Ceremony is worse for? Why?

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What do you think the anchor and hourglass symbolize on the gravestone in the cemetery? How do they connect with the words, “In Hope”? What role does hope play in Offred’s existence?

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In the beginning of chapter 23, Offred states that her tale is all a “reconstruction.” What does that mean? To what extent do you feel that Offred is a reliable narrator? Explain.

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What do you make of the interview with the mistress of the Nazi concentration camp supervisor? Do you think that a person can have such conflicting identities? Is the man still a monster even if he was truly kind in his personal life?

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Serena Joy has to humiliate herself (or maybe she finds pleasure in this act)by watching her husband having relations with someone else. This is shown in chapter 16:´´Serena joy lets go of my hands. You can get up now, she says Get up and get out. She's supposed to have me rest, for ten minutes, with my feet on a pillow to improve the chances´´ Here, is evident that Serena didn't want to look at Offred, she feels humiliated, and kind of angry

Serena´s position is sad, but I sympathize more with Offred, I think that the ceremony is worst with her because she's losing her privacy in front of a man that she didn't know, she´s being raping by a men in front of a women, just to get pregnant and give her children to them. She knows that this action is not love, but she doesn't have any choice, she just needs to do it if she wants to stay alive, if Offred refuses to participate in this ceremony, she will be sent to the unwomen to die. I can infer that in this chapter, handmaids are seen as objects or containers. There only use is to carry a child, or to use handmaids to please their commanders  and keep them content

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A reconstruction mainly mens to rebuild something after being damaged or destroyed. In chapter 23: ´´This is a reconstruction. All of it is a reconstruction. It's a reconstruction now, in my head´´ What Offred means by using this word is that she hopes she'll escape someday and says when she does, she'll restructure her experience once more. She wonders if maybe the act of forgiveness is the greatest power. Because of this, I consider that Offred is an unreliable narrator, she makes too many theories or hypotheses, that we don´t know for sure if she's telling the truth. When she mentions this reconstruction, It is just a theory, with lack of fundamentals or proof. Also, we need to remember that it is forbidden to write, even though we are reading her narration we can´t forget that it actually is Offred's oral narrative. We can't trust this narrative, because we can 't trust in some traumatized woman's memory, her brain might create several versions of events since her trauma. In conclusion, she is an unreliable narrator.

Also there is more evidence that she is not a reliable narrator. For example: ´´The story passed among us that night, in the semidarkness, under our breath, from bed to bed´´(page 133) Offred is narrating how Moira ran away from the Red Center. We can't trust this narration because Offred is just telling us gossips that she hear from other women.

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The connection of this anchor has with the words In hope, is that with this object the closest people of the dead person have hope that this person is going to be in a good place after dead, and also the dead person may have hope that their special people are going to live a long and happy life without them, and not going to be constantly depressed or sad as a result of its lost.

On the other hand the hourglass has another significance, and a specific association with hope. The Father of Time, also known as the Grim Reaper is represented with a long beard and hair carrying a scythe, he is in charge to end life. Hourglass symbols are associated with him. I can infer that this clock marks the time which brings the dead people closer to heaven. This is associated with hope because, is important that the dead and living people have hope or faith, that this dead person find peace.

Hope is a main theme in this novel. Hope plays an important role in Offred's existence because this hope that she is going to escape from Gillead is what keeps her motivated. Although, hope can also be seen as an Offred´s method to escape from reality and imagine good situations.

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I think that this situation where the mistress was living was sad, and disappointing, because this woman said: ´´He was not a monster, she said. People say he was a monster, but he was no one´´ She believed that until the day of her death, when she killed herself in front of television. What I think of this situation, is that the man is a monster, but I can infer that men have to pretend being monsters at Nazi consentration camp, because if he was seeing soft or kind he would never get that job, or advance in his military carrer. Having a top rank position was very important in the middle of a war, and it may provide some benefits for him and his wife.

Not being yourself in the outside world because of a broken society that believes that men need to be seen as a strong figure is difficult. Also, the mistress suffered the consequences because everyone believed that she had feelings for a bad man.

I feel sorry for the mistress, but I consider that this man  as a supervisor of an Nazi concentration camp  killed a lot of jews in Oven, and all of this was supervised by HIM. If he really wasn't a monster, he would find strategies to run away with the mistress or find other solutions. A good man would never work in a Nazi concentration camp

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Source use to give a more detail description of Gim Reaper: https://wordsonstone.wordpress.com/tag/hourglass/

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This gravestone is located in St. Nicholas Churchyard in Dalkeith, Midlothian, Scotland. The inscription has disappeared due to weather erosion which is also attacking the sculptured effigies. Although this stone hosts common mortality symbols of Memento Mori in the hourglass, arrows and the skull the remainder is difficult to interpret.

On a humourous note, the skull on the bottom left appears to be wearing sunglasses.

Is the floating image a mother looking down from Heaven on her children? Note how this figure seems to be casually resting on her hand. Is this actually a female or a male as period dress may indicate? What is the triangular shape the figure is holding in the left hand? Are the cherubs below children or representative of angels?

What are the cherubs holding onto? Is it the wings of a winged effigy or a shroud/drape which denotes mourning and often borders a dedication? Or is the entire scene related to a Fraternity?

What is the boat shaped item? A similar symbol is found in the Old Town Cemeteries in Stirling, Scotland.

Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/europealacarte/2245476877/in/dateposted/

Father Time also known as the Grim Reaper, the master of death and harvester of souls, symbolizes mortality. He is usually represented with a long beard and long hair carrying a scythe, and often with wings on his back. Hourglass symbols are also associated with him.

The scythe represents the Divine harvest and the hourglass denotes that the sands of time bring us closer to death. As the scythe cuts the harvest, so life is ended by Father Time.

The images above depict Father Time tipping the hourglass above an image of the deceased.

Time passes, memories last. – 1990

Ere sin could blight or sorrow fade
Death came with timely care
The opening bud to heaven conveyed
And bade it blossom there.

The hourglass is a classic symbol that measures time until the sand runs out. This is a perfect allegory for life and death.

The hourglass is often seen on gravestones in conjunction with a skull and crossed bones which is symbolic of crucifixion, death, and mortality.

Winged hourglasses signify the resurrection of the dead. It can also be indicative of ‘tempus fugit’ meaning time flies.

A reclining hour glass does not allow the sand to pass indicating that time stopped prematurely. It is therefore symbolic of the death of a young person.

The headstones below contain a winged hourglass, and the image of a snake eating its tail (called ouroboros) representing everlasting life.

In this last instance the hourglass symbol is an integral part of the membership badge of the American Institute of Industrial Engineers.

Memento Mori is a term used to describe funerary art. Gravestones will often display this Latin phrase which translated means, Remember You Will Die, which is more of a warning to the living rather than the deceased upon whose headstone it is engraved.

Creative Commons License. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/4358919924

This gravestone is located in St. Cuthbert Churchyard, Edinburgh, Midlothian, Scotland. The natural patina is a result of moss growing in the damp climate with further erosion damage due to the extremes of the Scottish weather.

Erosion of the stone has obliterated much of the original inscription. The few words which are still legible state:
Who died 7th Feb
Aged 48 years
His children who
Also Thomas
Burgess

The symbols on this headstone represent several aspects of Memento Mori.

The winged effigy represents the deceased soul in flight.

The banner inscribed with the words Memento Mori is a reminder that death is unavoidable.

Skulls are a frequent feature on gravestones around the world appearing in various forms often with crossbones. It is a symbol of death, mortality, penitence, and sin.

Arched columns symbolize the passage to Heaven.

The drapes represent mourning and the partition between life and death.

Life is short, and shortly it will end;
Death comes quickly and respects no one,
Death destroys everything and takes pity on no one.
To death we are hastening, let us refrain from sinning.

In the second example the word Memento Mori is again visible. The reversed letter N is used. Although I have researched I can find no reason for the reversal. Many opinions offer illiteracy as a reason; however, it may simply be the letterform used during the period (e.g. the letters f, j, and v were used to represent s, i and u.)

Creative Commons License. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/4358905866/

Symbolism on this headstone represents the passage of time and the inevitability of death.
Bones: mortality and death
Hourglass: Passage of time
Rosettes: Brevity of earthly existence.

Death like an overflowing stream
Sweeps us away our life’s a dream
An empty tale a morning flowr,
Cut down and witherd in an hour. 1797

The third example once again denotes mortality and death with the symbols of the skull and bones.

Creative Commons License. Source: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwr/4358903270

A skull represents death and mortality
A single bone is symbolic of death and decay.

Our life is ever on the wing
And death is ever nigh
The moment when our life begins
We all begin to die. 1791

Note: Did you notice that the skulls in the photos bear scars?

Horizontal sundials are most commonly used on headstones to denote the passage of time.

A circular plate with an object known as gnomon which has a thin rod or straight edge casts a shadow as the sun moves across the sky. The shadow edge aligns with hour markers which are spaced accordingly. As the sun moves from east to west, the shadows formed predict the time of the day. Roman numerals are commonly used to indicate the hour markers.

An hourglass flanked by wings is usually part of the design. The hourglass is the classic symbol for Time.  As the sand runs out, it symbolizes the fleetness of life. The accompaniment of wings may also signify the resurrection of the dead.

Man fleeth as it were a shadow. 1803

I count none but sunny hours.

Jesse Haines was a pitcher for the St. Louis Cardinals. Upon his retirement from the Cardinals, the organization presented him with a sundial, which was placed on his gravestone at Bethel Cemetery.

O’er every hour that’s brightest
A shadow creeps
And he whose laugh is lightest
Full often weeps
O look we for the morrow
Which hath no night
When lost is every sorrow
In God’s own light.

Mors Ianua Vitae: Death is the gate of life