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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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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 impressions do you have of the narrator?

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What impressions do you have of the narrator?

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My impressions about the narrator, that later we'll know that her name is Offred, is that she seems to be really used about her day by day in what seems to be a school building, even her details about that place can result a little disturbing for the reader, anyway, she seems to do not really care about that. Like the fact that they are supposed to sleep in army cots, really separated from each other. ''as we tried to sleep, in the army cost that had been set up in rows, with spaces between, so we could not talk'' (Page 4) And considering that, despite that, she had learned how to communicate by ''Whisper almost without sound'' (Page 4). And finally, by the amount of details she knew about what gymnasium was for before, that could explain to us that she have been there for a long time. ''Dances would have been held there; the music lingered, a palimpsest of unheard sound, style upon style, an undercurrent of rums, a forlon wail, garlands made of tissue-paper flowers, cardboard devils, a revolver ball of mirrors, powdering the dancers with a snow of light'' (Page 3).

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What can you already tell about the situation in which the narrator exists?

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What can you already tell about the situation in which the narrator exists?

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I can tell that it seems to be some kind of fictional place where women are captive or kept under a very strict regime, like a dictatorial regime, because of the very bad conditions Offred said she lives on, and the lack of free will she and other women seems to have. ''as we tried to sleep, in the army cost that had been set up in rows, with spaces between, so we could not talk'' (Page 3).

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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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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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“…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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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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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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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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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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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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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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To what extent do you feel that Offred is a reliable narrator? Explain.

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To what extent do you feel that Offred is a reliable narrator? Explain.

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As I just said before, Offred tale is a reconstruction, which may be can give her some credibility about being personal facts that only happened to her. But, most of the time, the same thing that she is telling the tale by her own memory and perspective, can lead to multiples misunderstandings, not because she doesn't give details, but because she is not that informed about everything beyond Gilead. As the lack of explanations she gives us about the documentary, just because later we realize it by ourselves, we are able to know that it was about specifically a WWII Nazi concentration camp. ''The one I remember best was with a woman who had been the mistress of a man who has supervised one of the camps where they put the Jews, before they killed them. In ovens…but there weren't any pictures of the ovens, so I got some confused notion that these deaths had taken place in kitchens… I thought these people had been eaten. Which in a way I suppose they had been'' (Page 145)

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what are the ways in which the society in the novel controls and restricts women?

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what are the ways in which the society in the novel controls and restricts women?

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One of the ways in which the society seems to controls and restrict women is by controlling their mind and decisions by what the Aunts said, from now on, we'll see the Aunt Lydia 'teachings' about many situations that Offred will be facing, but, most of the time, what Aunt Lydia says consists on manipulating for Offred and other women to make them believe exactly what they want or consider correct, for example, that what she's living must be considered for her as a privilege but not a ''prison'' according to Aunt Lydia, even she is clearly very limited about what to do. ''Where I am is not a prison, but a privilege, as Aunt Lydia said'' (Page 8) Another important way is about the strict and specific way women should be dress, consisting on a red long dress along wings around her face, in order to keep them from seeing and being seen. ''Everything except the wings around my face is red… the skirt is ankle-lenght, full, gathered to a flat yoke that extends over the breasts, the sleeves are full. The white wings too are prescribed issue; they are to keep us from seeing, but also from being seen.'' (Page 8).

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In your opinion, what would be the worst limitation to endure? Why?

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In your opinion, what would be the worst limitation to endure? Why?

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In my opinion, the worst limitation to endure for me could be about not being able to talk by free, not only because talking is useful for me to communicate with people. But because, after a while, not saying a single word would be really desperate. Once I was unable to talk for an entire week (I just got operated), and later that night I got a terrifying nightmare, but because I couldn't talk, I couldn't scream and even express any reaction. Those were one of the worst seconds in my life, words can't even explain how bad it was for me. Having the needs to yell but being unable to do it.

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why do you think Offred finds comfort in pretending that she is telling her story to someone else?

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why do you think Offred finds comfort in pretending that she is telling her story to someone else?

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Personally, I do understand what she feels, because Offred, after going through a lot, she just wants to tell it to someone, specially considering that she and other women lived really stricter by society. The only thing though, is that may be, she would not be able to recall everything because the last person that she talk with was Moira, and remember that she managed to escape. So, a lot of time must have pass from some memories.

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What effect does this ''you'' have on her tale?

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What effect does this ''you'' have on her tale?

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The effect by saying ''you'', is that, Offred is referring to herself, as if she is trying to emphasize the important to tell us her tale, and also, to convince her that it is a great idea and must be done, finally by connecting with the reader indirectly to make us know that she NEEDS and MUST tell us her tale.

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How do you feel about the doctor's proposition to Offred?

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How do you feel about the doctor's proposition to Offred?

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Even I am not a woman, anyway it makes me disgusted by how the doctor, who is not the first time that assist women like Offred, from nowhere, tries to abuse from his authority to fool Offred by making her think that he can help her to get pregnant, which is not so true, because he only wants to have sexual intercourse with her even she shouldn't. The worse thing though is that it seems that he had ''helped'' other women. ''shh,'' he says ''I could help you I've helped others.'' (Page 60)

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Do you think this makes him an honorable or deplorable character? Why?

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Do you think this makes him an honorable or deplorable character? Why?

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Despite he didn't argue when Offred said no, he is crlearly a deplorable character, because he is trying to take advantage of women like Offred's unfair society status, where, if they don't give birth to a baby, they are useless. ''Yes,'' I say, it's true, and I don't ask why, because I know. Give me children, or else I die. There's more than one meaning to it.'' (Page 61)

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What would you do if you were in Offred's position?

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What would you do if you were in Offred's position?

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I would do the same thing, without losing calm, I would just say no. Just like that, honestly, this is one of the most realistic parts of the book.

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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.

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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.

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Four years ago I got badly sick from a really rare disease that just alcoholic men could mostly suffer, I got acute pancreatitis, and, when it goes worse, they had to put me at ICU -Intensive Care Unit- because I was about to die. And considering that Covid-19 was on its high at that moment, they had to isolate myself very far from everybody. That's why I had to stay there for a whole week, just me and myself.  At first, it was nothing for me because of how empty and tired I was feeling, but later, I started to have thoughts about what if I suddenly die!. Nevertheless, at the same time to stop those emotions that will end up driving me into craziness, I started reading the Bible every time I was feeling down, in order to never forghet that, if God wants, I'll recover to see my family again, guess what!. In my case, I saw those dark times as an opportunity to reflect about me and people who are around me.

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How are these long stretches of nothingness a means of control for the society?

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How are these long stretches of nothingness a means of control for the society?

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Considering that Offred has her nap time after taking a bath, it is obvious that because of the specific role women have in Gilead, they are treated with really careful. Because saying that they are limited to some things, is not the same as saying they are not important for society. Offred specially talks about that treating comparing herself as a prize pig, because of how carefully she was being treated. ''I wait, washed, brushed, fed, like a prize pig'' (Page 69).

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My reaction as reading about the Ceremony 

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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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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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After reading about the Ceremony, for whom do you feel more sympathy, Offred or Serena Joy? 

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After reading about the Ceremony, for whom do you feel more sympathy, Offred or Serena Joy? 

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I feel more sympathy for Serena Joy.

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Which character do you think the Ceremony is worse for? Why?

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Which character do you think the Ceremony is worse for? Why?

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I think the Ceremony is worse for Serena Joy, because, even though she is supposed to 'suffer less' than the handmaids, because being in a higher social class, being the Commander's wife, she has to assist him at the Ceremony, no matter if feeling odd about helping her husband at having sexual intercourse with not only her but with another woman at the same time, which may feels really unconfortable and hurtful for her. Even Offred suggest that, perhaps, she must be more hurted than even herself. ''I untangle myself from her body, stand up; the juice of the Commander runs down my legs. Before I turn away, I see her straighten the blue skirt, clench her legs together; she continues lying on the bed, gazing up at the canopy above her, stiff and straight as an effigy.
Which of us is it worse for, her or me?'' (Page 95).

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What do you think the anchor and hourglass symbolize on the gravestone in the cemetery? 

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What do you think the anchor and hourglass symbolize on the gravestone in the cemetery? 

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The anchor symbolizes the hope and the assurance of eternal life after death, specially talking about the heavens, because early Christians used it as a disguised symbol of the cross. In the other side, the hourglass is a symbol of death, the end of time on Earth.

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How do they connect with the words, “In Hope”? 

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How do they connect with the words, “In Hope”? 

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Considering that the last two symbols have Christian connotations, when saying “In Hope”, you must refer to the Bible passage in Psalm 16:9 that says: "Therefore my heart rejoices, and my glory rejoices: my flesh will also rest in hope'', which refers to the fact that after the pain of life, we will all have a rest at the end, not just talking about heaven. But about our rewards for keep moving on.

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What role does hope play in Offred’s existence?

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What role does hope play in Offred’s existence?

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Through the entire story, even Offred suffers a lot, she'd always be believing that after everything, things could change at any moment. And finally someone who is free will find her story to comprehend it and share it. ''Offred records her story as best she can; then she hides it, trusting that it may be discovered later, by someone who is free to understand it and share it'' (Page XVIII).

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In the beginning of chapter 23, Offred states that her tale is all a “reconstruction.” What does that mean?

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In the beginning of chapter 23, Offred states that her tale is all a “reconstruction.” What does that mean?

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She calls her tale a ''reconstruction'', which means that the tale consists on her perspective and from her memory. That's why it can be lacking of details that may be very important, but Offred didn't include those because they were unnecessary, or she simply forgot. ''It is impossible to say a thing exactly the way it was because what you say can never be exact, you always have to leave something out, …'' (Page 134)

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What do you make of the interview with the mistress of the Nazi concentration camp supervisor?

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What do you make of the interview with the mistress of the Nazi concentration camp supervisor?

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The interview with the mistress of the Nazi official show us, for the first time, a whole new perspective, about a whole different person and context that suggests us that Offred's reality is very similar to us. In the interview we get to know the thoughts from a wife Nazi official, who, his Nazi identity has never discovered before, and it was a surprise for all of them because the man didn't seem to be evil or cruel as the text says he was. Her wife, even though, seems to not be so shocked about the realization, despite a time later she kills herself from the fear about such news. Another thing that we get to know, is Offred level of knowledge about events that happened beyond Gilead, which are not so wrong, but, show us another aspect about considering her as a reliable narrator.

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Do you think that a person can have such conflicting identities?

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Do you think that a person can have such conflicting identities?

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Personally, I consider that it is totally impossible for a person to have such contrasting identities, because, considering that he was known for being a nice person, at least by what her wife said. Then it is impossible to live with the feelings of repentance, or, as the interview called him: cruel and brutal, with the pride of his horrible actions and at the same time being called a nice person. At least, some kind of clue his attitude will be as a consequence of his secret life.

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Is the man still a monster even if he was truly kind in his personal life?

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Is the man still a monster even if he was truly kind in his personal life?

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Of course, he is, I am not saying that he was a good person. Everyone, even considering that he was able to keep such a dark secret for so many years, have the ability to think by themselves and recognize what is correct and not. Committing horrible actions to the extent to be called ''cruel and brutal'' is not the easiest thing to achieve in the world.