Chapter Summaries Flashcards

Question

Chapter 25

Answer 1

• Offred wakes up suddenly, realising she had fallen asleep in the closet, as Cora dropped the breakfast tray • Offred claims to have fainted, which Cora is excited at the ppssibility of Offred being pregnant • Time jumps forward to the Summertime where Offred watches Serena Joy cutting tulips' seed pods so the next grow better (representing Handmaids?) • Offred wishes she had the shears • Offred explains the way Nick gives subtle signs with his hat wether the Commander wants Offred to see him in his office or not • Offred recieves a Vogue magazine from the Commander, Offred then requested lotion

Answer 2

• Offred finds the next ceremony awkward as she enjoys the power over Serena Joy but feels guilty and jealous • During the ceremony, the Commander attempted to touch Offred's face, which Offred later warned him not to • Aunt Lydia speaks about in the future there will be enough Handmaids for there to be one per household and live like a family • Offred feels she has become a mistress

Answer 3

• Offred and Ofglen go shopping again, Ofglen has become more familiar and outgoing • They pass a shop where people can buy one of five prayers • Olgen reveals that there is a secret Resistance to Gilead • Offred and Ofglen are both relieved to discover neither of them are true believers • They watch a black van approach a man, knock him out and take him, they are glad it is not them

Answer 4

• Offred remembers when her and Moira talked about the possibility of ignoring men • Offred thinks about how millions of women used to have jobs • Offred remembers how Gilead took over • Offred remembers how she was shocked when the Government was suddenly collapsed but Moira knew something bad was going on • Offred remembers being fired at her old job and the protest marches, then how her mother used to protest • Offred remembers Luke's reaction to her losing her job

Answer 5

• Offred finds the Commander friendlier than Luke while she plays Scrabble with the Commander • Offred asks the Commander about the Latin phrase that the previous Handmaid carved • Offred learns that the previous handmaid hung herself and Cora found her dead • Offred realises that the Commander has been spending time with her to prevent her from killing herself

Answer 6

• Offred and Nick see eachother through Offred's window, Offred sees this as romantic • Offred remembers how Luke offered to kill their cat before they attempted escape • Offred believes God would not have wanted this • Offred thinks about hanging herself on the closet and wishes God would respond

Answer 7

• Offred and Ofglen go shopping and see new bodies on the wall • Ofglen tells Offred about the Resistance password 'mayday' • Serena Joy pulls Offred aside and suggests that the Commander may be infertile and time is running out, suggesting trying with another man • Offred agrees despite worrying about the Commander • Serena Joy offers to get a picture of Offred's daughter and gives Offred a cigarette, telling Offred to get a match from Rita

Answer 8

• Rita is annoyed by Offred asking for a match but does not question Serena Joy's instructions • Offred considers saving the match to burn the house down in • The Commander asks Offred what she thinks about Gilead's actions • Offred asks the Commander if he condisers Gilead as bette, the Commander gives a vague response

Answer 9

• Offred and Ofglen walk to the Prayvanganza, she is aware of how identical they are • Ofglen informs Offred that Janine is with a new Wife as her baby ended up being a 'shredder' • Offred remembers Janine's psychological breakdown at the Red Centre and Moira stopping her

Answer 10

• At the Prayvanganza, a Commander gives a speech and 20 mothers give their daughter off to an Angel each in arranged marriages • Offred remembers how the Commander explained how Gilead is 'better' for women • The Commander asks Offred what the authorities of Gilead left out and Offred answers 'love' • The Commander in charge of the Prayvaganza read from the Bible abput how women need to be under control of a man • Offred realises Moira was right to make fun of the powerful • Ofglen tells Offred that she knows about the secret meetings with the Commander and to report back with any information

Answer 11

• Offred thinks again of their attempted escape across the Canadian border and running into the woods • Offred thinks about the futility of the previous handmaid's carving • Offred cries when thinking about how she can't remember what being in love feels like and asks the audience for forgiveness about her nostalgia

Answer 12

• Offred goes to see the Commander and he seems already drunk • He provides her with a skimpy sequin outfit as a diguise • Nick drives Offred and the Commander and she worries what Nick is thinking • They go to Jezzebell's, where Wives are prohibited • Offred can tell that the Commander has been there before, he tells her to pretend she is an evening rental

Answer 13

• The Commander explains that men 'naturally' need different women • He also informs Offred that the men there are high ranking officials and businessmen • The Commander encourages Offred to drink, she sees Moira across the room, they signal to meet in the bathroom

Answer 14

• An Aunt with a cattle prod tells Offred she has fifteen minutes (just like Red Centre) • Moira and Offred meet and hug • Over the course of two bathroom trips they tell their stories • Moira made it to Maine but someone tipped off authorities and they came for her and the couple helping her • Aunt Lydia enjoyed torturing Moira • Moira wanted to commit suricide but was unable to, so she chose Jezebel's over the colonies • Offred notices that Moira lost her strength and spark and informs the audience that they never met again

Answer 15

• The Commander brings Offred to a hotel room • Offred remembers a conversation between her and Moira where Offred's mother was in a video of one of the colonies • Offred tries to fake arousal towards the Commander in the hotel room

Answer 16

• Serena Joy guides Offred to Nick's lodging • Offred makes up a story between her and Nick of love and passion, showing her desires • Offred explains that Nick comforted her when she felt judged • Nick tells Offred that there shouldn't be romance between them • Offred feels like she's betrayed Luke

Answer 17

• Offred apologises for her painful and disjointed story • Offred describes how she spent a lot of time with Nick, without Serena Joy's endorsement • Offred trusts Nick and tells him everything, except about Luke • Ofglen encourages Offred to find out everything she can and look through the Commander's papers • Offred thinks she may be pregnant • Ofglen stops pressuring Offred to help with the Resistance, Offred is relieved

Answer 18

• The Handmaid's attend a district Salvaging on Hardvard's campus • Offred notes how she hates Aunt Lydia as Aunt Lydia gives a speech about duty • The women's crimes are not told to precent copycat crimes • As women are hanged, the Handmaids put their hands on the grass and rope, showing that they are part of the execution

Answer 19

• Offred noticed how the hanged women look like dancers in the air • Aunt Lydia instructs the Handmaids to form a circle, as if giving them a present • The Particicution begins as a man is dragged to the center of the circle, the handmaids are in rage and attack him viciously • When Offred returns home she is hungry and wants sex

Answer 20

• Offred goes shopping, Ofglen has been replaced • Offred subtly mentions the Resistance, to which Ofglen warns her about saying such things • The new Ofglen informs Offred that the old Ofglen hung herself when an Eyes' van was approaching

Answer 21

• Offred is relieved that Ofglen killed herself before being tortured, so her secrets are safe • Serena Joy comes angrily out of the house and states she found her cloak with makeup smeared on it, knowing what happened at Jezebel's • Serena called Offred a slut and orders her to go upstairs • Nick stops whistling

Answer 22

• Offred waits in her room, imagining how she could set fire to the house • She sees a black van with the Eyes' logo on it, wishing she had killed herself • Nick enters Offred's room and tells her that the Eyes with him are part of Mayday so she needs to trust him • Serena Joy and the Commander look surprised and they are worried about Offred possibly betraying them • Cora cries, Offred remembers she was desperate for a baby • Offred is taken into the van, her fate unknown to her

Answer 23

• Transcript of a conversation from a 2195 conference on Gilead • Professor Pieixoto mentions finding the tale • He talks about their search for the evidence and causes of Gilead - suggesting Gilead is no more and ultimately failed