Chapter 19 – Comment on the significance of Offred’s thoughts about Faith, Hope and Charity.

Faith, hope and charity could be described as the three tenets of Christianity; three virtues that together lead to a harmonious life, but when they fall out of balance, like in the theological society of Gilead, lead to evil. Gilead is built on faith, to the point of being so blinded by it that they have failed to be: charitable, locking up and executing their ‘neighbours’; and hopeful, as the state controlled media has indoctrinated the masses into following a tyrannical, oppressive regime. Therefore, perhaps Offred wondering about the other virtues is her reflecting on the society she now lives in.

Chapter 19 – Explore the symbolism of the egg early in the chapter.

The egg has historically always been symbolic of fertility, but equally, such as in Christianity, new life and hope. While her oppressors serve Offred an egg to nurture her potential child in a world focused on birth, ironically they miss their own religion’s symbolic connotations of the egg, perhaps accidentally inspiring Handmaid’s everywhere to undergo a rebirth and revolt.

Chapter 19 – What do we learn of the events leading to the creation of Gilead?

We learn that the world, or at least the U.S, was victim to irradiation as a result of nuclear disasters, earthquakes, and a mutated strain of syphilis, while the human aspect to the creation of Gilead was warped proteins, drugs that altered genetics, and the ingestion of toxic chemicals – all of which is looked down upon by the new theological state. 

Chapter 19 – Find evidence in the chapter of women being held responsible for the increased levels of sterility. 

‘They were lazy women, she says. They were sluts.’ – An ironic quote, seeing as, presumably, Aunt Lydia herself is sterile. The repeated use of ‘They’ establishes a condescending and spiteful tone, while also dissociating the women of Gileadean society from the women before, although there is likely an overlap, perhaps because, due to their indoctrination and dehumanisation, they may as well be new people. 

Chapter 19 – Ofwarren is Janine. Find evidence of Offred’s lack of sympathy for Janine.

‘Formerly that whiny bitch Janine,’ – The use of an expletive is something reserved for important character moments in the novel, so one can assume that this is genuine spite that Offred is feeling. Furthermore, it can be concluded from this that, at least on some level, Offred is buying into the regime’s ‘fertility above all else’ mindset, as she is unapologetically jealous of another woman’s pregnancy. Additionally, the adverb ‘formerly’ implies that Ofwarren is no longer Janine, and she has completely removed from the person she used to be. Perhaps this is instead why Offred despises her so openly, because she has fully surrendered herself to the regime.

Chapter 20 – How does Atwood explore the contrasting positions of women in society pre-Gilead and within Gileadean society, in this chapter?

Atwood explores the contrasting positions of women by presenting the reader with two groups of women on opposite and extreme ends of a spectrum reflecting how pre-Gilead women were viewed in their former society: actresses in old pornographic films who were objectified, dehumanised and raped; and feminist protesters making a stand for their rights, which most would view as brave and revolutionary. The women of Gilead are exposed to both of these groups of women in the Red Centre, but curiously, while the Aunts want the Handmaids to believe themselves to be brave like the feminists, they oppress the concept of revolution and free thought, leaving the women of Gileadean society to more closely resemble the girls portrayed in the old pronography: objectified, as their only value is their reproductive organs; dehumanised, by a totalitarian regime that suppresses their identities; and raped, by their commanders.

Chapter 20 – Ironically,  Atwood makes some links between the values of Offred’s mother and Gilead. Can you find any examples? You may also like to refer back to chapter 7.

‘A man is just a women’s strategy for making other women.’ – Offred’s mother believes the polar opposite of the very foundation of Gileadean society, where a woman is just a man’s strategy for making other men, yet holds the same belief that one superior gender should dominate the other.

‘As for you, she’d say to me, you’re just a backlash. Flash in the pan.’ – Mirroring the Republic and their treatment of Handmaids, Offred’s mother attacks her daughter’s identity, attempting to reduce her significance and self-image to nothingness. 

‘I am not your justification for existence, I said to her once.’ This line is ironic, as, while Offred may not be her mother’s justification for existence, in Gileadean society, her existence is now justified by her ability to become a mother. 

Chapter 21 – How does the opening of Chapter 21 appeal to the senses?

‘It’s hot in here, and noisy.’ – The opening line immediately appeals to two senses, touch and hearing, which allows us to more closely relate to Offred. The warmth connotes an overwhelming, uncomfortable, exhausting atmosphere full of sweat and effort, while the loud sound further contributes to the idea of being drowned in the thick atmosphere, unable to escape, which foreshadows Offred’s description of the end of the chapter, where she is dazed and drunk. 

Chapter 21 – How do ‘Birth Days’ give opportunities for resistance?

Birth Days provides, most significantly, rare opportunities for information to be gathered and shared between Handmaids, and seems to unite the often spiteful class of women more than anything else. However, there are also opportunities to get drunk and even enjoy oneself amongst the company of others, which both seem to be equally rare for Handmaids. 

Chapter 21 – What is the effect of the language used to describe the birth? Consider Janine/the Handmaids/the Commander’s wife?

The simile ‘like a bugle’ reminds the reader of the Handmaids’ duty to Gilead; their service to the world is to reproduce, and, like serving in the military, there is honour in it. Additionally, a semantic field of weakness is created around the Commander’s wife, with words such as ‘scrambles’, ‘skinny’, and ‘ridiculous’, hinting at the nonsensical nature of her role in the ceremony. However, I would be more inclined to think that Offred thinks of her this way more so because she views her as morally weak, as she is described being congratulated for her stolen baby just before Janine, someone Offred is usually unsympathetic towards, is described as ‘crying’, highlighting the heartlessness of the Birth Day process.

Chapter 21 – How does Offred compare happiness in the two different societies?

The Wives are truly allowed to be happy, a privilege they have not earned, but have been allowed by the Republic of Gilead. However, this is not a privilege given to the subservient Handmaids, so they have to make do with a fleeting reminder of their families in a world before Gilead to have any chance of feeling joy.

Chapter 21 – How does Atwood present the different roles of the Handmaid/Commander’s Wife, after the birth?

The quote ‘We’ve done it’ symbolises the role of the Handmaids well in this instance, as they have done it, past tense, the action is now behind them. While the true mother may still be in the process of the afterbirth, like their new-born child, the moment is no longer theirs. They are rewarded with the knowledge that they are now seen as a woman in the eyes of a Republic that oppresses them, a thought already derivative of their self-identity, and with the obligation to start the process anew. On the other hand, the Commander’s wife is praised, a hero and a saviour of the new Gileadean society, rewarded with luxury while her husband is promoted, despite their shared inaction.  

Chapter 21 – The chapter ends with the words: “ You wanted a woman’s culture. Well, now there is one. It isn’t what you meant, but it exists.” What does Offred mean by this?

Offred is commenting on how the woman is now the foundation of modern society, the only hope for the future of humanity, thus creating a culture that revolves around them and is fundamentally female; a world that her mother could only dream of. However, the twisted reality unearths itself when she reflects on the fact that it is not the merit of her gender that has shifted the perspective of the masses like her mother wished, but instead their biology.