Chapted 7 Flashcards
Consider practical issues in terms of the audience of Offreds tale
Is Offred writing this down?
If so with what?
Is she saying it to herself in her head?
There is no paper to write on - she’s not allowed
Tells the story in her head - interior monologue
Tape records herself
Quote of significance of night out
‘But the night is my time out. Where should I go?’
Present memory
‘Somewhere good. Morris sitting on the edge of my bed’
‘I had a paper’
Chosen
Fond for moist Normalcy Happiness Freedom Nostalgia Content Wistfulness
Past memory
‘Or in the park somewhere with my mother’
‘Burning’
‘Saturdays were supposed to be my day’
Chosen
Liberation
Unity
Resentment
Future memory loss
‘Where is she’
‘What have you done with her’
Not chosen
Anger Weakness Incapable Despair Fear Sadness
Chapter 7 summary
3 flashbacks
- Reminisces moira
- Remembers being a child and going to park w mum
- Waking up in unknown place. Where’s her daughter?
As Offred recounts these memories, she ironically remembers she is telling her story to someone and she knows she is unable to write down - forbidden
Character development
Offred
Fragile
‘I’ll pretend you can hear me’
Lonely
Has a daughter
Rebellious through her inner self
Character development
Offreds mother
First memory of her mother
Protestor - ‘good riddance to bad rubbish’ - has radical feminist beliefs
‘Saturdays were supposed to be my day” - hints she neglected her child
‘My mothers face…looked ruddy and cheerful’ - happiest when protesting
Character development
Moira
Isn’t the first time we hear of her but we discover things now
‘Purple overalls, one dangly earring’
She’s unique
‘Date rape’ - interested in universal problems - feminist
‘Cigarette’ ‘lets go for a beer’ - masculine
She isn’t a stereotypical woman
What type of speech used
Free direct speech
Her point of view
Key quotes
The difference between lie and lay. Lay is always passive’
‘Women burning books that’s what she was really there for’
‘You att unfit, but you want the best for her. Don’t you?’
‘I have control of the ending’
‘The difference between lie and lay. Lay is always passive’
Highlighting theme power and authority
The distinction between active and passive is relevant to Offred’s gender and her memory as, as a handmaid she is expected to be passive
In her head she makes her own decisions
‘Some women burning books, that’s what she was really there for’
Highlighting gender roles and motherhood
In Offreds previous life she spent a lot of time around feminists as she acts passive
She may be doing this due to the visits at the park as they advocated censorship and destruction of reading materials. This mirrors Gileads strict laws, disallowing women to read’
Could be Margaret highlighting that in our society feminists and other protesters not always blameless/innocent
‘You are unfit but you want what’s best for her don’t you’
Contrast to other 2 flashbacks
Doesn’t have control over them
Power
Brainwashing her
Patronising tone
‘I have control of the ending’
Power
Rebellion
