Handmaid's Tale Flashcards
“Nolite te bastardes carborundorum.”
Themes: Resistance, defiance, hope.
Devices: Latin phrase, symbolism.
Device Analysis: The use of Latin gives the phrase an archaic, almost ritualistic quality, emphasizing its significance as a mantra. It also distances the phrase from Gilead’s language, making it a private act of defiance.
Textual Analysis: The phrase, meaning “Don’t let the bastards grind you down,” is repeated throughout the story as a symbol of Offred’s inner resilience. It becomes a psychological shield against the regime’s oppression.
Effect: It reinforces Offred’s determination to survive and resist, even in the face of overwhelming control.
“Ignoring isn’t the same as ignorance.”
Themes: Knowledge, complicity, oppression.
Devices: Paradox, wordplay.
Device Analysis: The paradox highlights the difference between active complicity (“ignoring”) and passive unawareness (“ignorance”). The wordplay emphasizes the moral responsibility of individuals.
Textual Analysis: The phrase critiques the complicity of Gilead’s citizens, who choose to ignore the regime’s atrocities rather than confront them. It’s a call to action against oppression.
Effect: It underscores the importance of resistance and the dangers of moral complacency.
“Under His eye.”
Themes: Surveillance, control, religion.
Devices: Symbolism, Biblical connotation, irony.
Device Analysis: The phrase invokes the Biblical idea of God’s omniscience, but it’s twisted into a tool of state surveillance. The irony lies in the false sense of divine protection it suggests.
Textual Analysis: The word “eye” symbolizes both watchfulness and judgment, reflecting the constant scrutiny of Gilead’s regime. It’s a chilling reminder of the loss of privacy and autonomy.
Effect: It reinforces the oppressive atmosphere and the regime’s manipulation of religion to justify control.
“Better never means better for everyone.”
Themes: Inequality, oppression, power dynamics.
Devices: Irony, aphorism.
Device Analysis: The aphoristic nature of the phrase makes it memorable, while the irony lies in its exposure of the regime’s hypocrisy.
Textual Analysis: The phrase critiques Gilead’s rhetoric of improvement, revealing that “better” only applies to the powerful. It exposes the systemic inequality of the regime.
Effect: It highlights the hollowness of Gilead’s promises and the reality of its oppression.
“Nothing changes instantaneously.”
Themes: Oppression, gradual change, complacency.
Devices: Foreshadowing, aphorism.
Device Analysis: The aphorism serves as a warning, while the foreshadowing hints at the insidious nature of totalitarianism.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects the gradual erosion of freedoms in Gilead, emphasizing how oppression creeps in unnoticed. It’s a cautionary statement about the dangers of complacency.
Effect: It underscores the need for vigilance in the face of authoritarianism.
“A rat in a maze.”
Themes: Control, dehumanization, entrapment.
Devices: Metaphor, imagery.
Device Analysis: The metaphor of a rat in a maze vividly captures Offred’s sense of being trapped and manipulated. The imagery emphasizes her loss of autonomy.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects the psychological toll of living under Gilead’s regime, where every move is controlled and monitored.
Effect: It highlights the dehumanizing effects of the regime’s control.
“I wait. I compose myself.”
Themes: Survival, resilience, self-control.
Devices: Repetition, short sentences.
Device Analysis: The repetition of “I” emphasizes Offred’s agency, while the short sentences reflect her focus and determination.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reveals Offred’s inner strength and her ability to endure despite the oppressive conditions.
Effect: It underscores her resilience and determination to survive.
“I intend to last.”
Themes: Resistance, survival, hope.
Devices: Declarative sentence, symbolism.
Device Analysis: The declarative tone of the sentence conveys Offred’s resolve, while the phrase itself becomes a symbol of her determination.
Textual Analysis: The phrase is a declaration of Offred’s commitment to survive and resist, even in the face of overwhelming odds.
Effect: It reinforces her resilience and the theme of hope.
“Not a prison, but a privilege.”
Themes: Oppression, manipulation, irony.
Devices: Irony, paradox.
Device Analysis: The irony lies in the regime’s framing of oppression as a privilege, while the paradox highlights the hypocrisy of this rhetoric.
Textual Analysis: The phrase critiques Gilead’s propaganda, which masks the brutality of its system with euphemistic language.
Effect: It exposes the manipulation and control inherent in the regime.
“Red: the colour of blood, which defines us.”
Themes: Identity, oppression, symbolism.
Devices: Symbolism, imagery.
Device Analysis: The color red symbolizes both the Handmaids’ oppression (as reproductive vessels) and their shared identity. The imagery of blood emphasizes the life-or-death stakes of their role.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects the dual nature of the Handmaids’ identity: they are both dehumanized and united by their role.
Effect: It underscores the complexity of their position and the tension between oppression and solidarity.
“Modesty is invisibility.”
Themes: Oppression, gender roles, identity.
Devices: Paradox, aphorism.
Device Analysis: The paradox lies in the idea that modesty, often seen as a virtue, is equated with erasure. The aphoristic nature of the phrase makes it a sharp critique of societal expectations.
Textual Analysis: The phrase critiques the expectation that women erase themselves to conform to societal norms, particularly in Gilead. It reflects the Handmaids’ loss of individuality and visibility.
Effect: It highlights the erasure of identity and the oppressive nature of gender roles in Gilead.
“To be seen…is to be penetrated.”
Themes: Surveillance, vulnerability, oppression.
Devices: Metaphor, imagery.
Device Analysis: The metaphor of “penetration” suggests a deep, invasive violation of privacy. The imagery emphasizes the psychological impact of constant scrutiny.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects the invasive nature of Gilead’s surveillance, where being seen is equated with a loss of autonomy and safety.
Effect: It underscores the psychological toll of living under constant watch.
“I refuse to say my.”
Themes: Identity, resistance, autonomy.
Devices: Short sentence, symbolism.
Device Analysis: The brevity of the sentence conveys Offred’s defiance, while the refusal to say “my” symbolizes her resistance to the regime’s control over her identity.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects Offred’s determination to reclaim her autonomy and reject the labels imposed by Gilead.
Effect: It emphasizes her inner strength and the importance of self-ownership.
“Give me children, or else I die.”
Themes: Oppression, fertility, desperation.
Devices: Biblical allusion, imperative tone.
Device Analysis: The allusion to Rachel’s plea in the Bible underscores the Handmaids’ role as reproductive tools. The imperative tone reflects the life-or-death stakes of their position.
Textual Analysis: The phrase highlights the desperation and dehumanization of the Handmaids, whose worth is tied solely to their ability to bear children.
Effect: It emphasizes the brutality of Gilead’s system and the Handmaids’ lack of agency.
“I too am a missing person.”
Themes: Identity, erasure, dislocation.
Devices: Metaphor, symbolism.
Device Analysis: The metaphor of a “missing person” reflects Offred’s sense of dislocation and the erasure of her identity. It symbolizes the loss of self in Gilead.
Textual Analysis: The phrase captures the psychological impact of living in a regime that strips individuals of their identities and reduces them to their roles.
Effect: It emphasizes the dehumanizing effects of Gilead’s control.
“Moira was our fantasy.”
Themes: Resistance, hope, rebellion.
Devices: Symbolism, metaphor.
Device Analysis: Moira serves as a symbol of freedom and defiance, representing the Handmaids’ longing for liberation. The metaphor of “fantasy” underscores the unattainability of her escape.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects the Handmaids’ admiration for Moira’s bravery and their own desire to resist the regime.
Effect: It highlights the power of resistance and the human need for hope.
“This is a reconstruction.”
Themes: Memory, storytelling, resistance.
Devices: Metafiction, symbolism.
Device Analysis: The use of metafiction draws attention to the act of storytelling itself, while the word “reconstruction” symbolizes Offred’s attempt to reclaim her narrative.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects Offred’s determination to preserve her identity and resist the erasure of her story.
Effect: It emphasizes the power of storytelling as a form of resistance.
“Serious business” “doing his duty” “transaction.”
Themes: Oppression, dehumanization, control.
Devices: Irony, euphemism.
Device Analysis: The euphemistic language masks the brutality of the regime’s actions, while the irony lies in the contrast between the words and their true meaning.
Textual Analysis: The phrases reflect the regime’s attempt to sanitize its atrocities by framing them as necessary or routine.
Effect: It exposes the hypocrisy and dehumanization inherent in Gilead’s system.
“I was as small as a doll.”
Themes: Vulnerability, dehumanization, oppression.
Devices: Simile, imagery.
Device Analysis: The simile of a doll emphasizes Offred’s sense of powerlessness and infantilization. The imagery underscores her loss of agency.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects the psychological impact of living under Gilead’s control, where Offred is reduced to a passive object.
Effect: It highlights the dehumanizing effects of the regime.
“Humanity is so adaptable.”
Themes: Survival, resilience, oppression.
Devices: Irony, aphorism.
Device Analysis: The aphorism makes the phrase memorable, while the irony lies in the critique of humanity’s ability to endure even the most oppressive conditions.
Textual Analysis: The phrase reflects both the resilience and the tragedy of human adaptability, as people learn to survive in Gilead’s brutal regime.
Effect: It highlights the dual nature of human survival—both a strength and a weakness.
“There’s a number of things I could do.”
Themes: Agency, resistance, survival.
Devices: Ambiguity, introspection.
Device Analysis: The ambiguity reflects Offred’s limited but real options for resistance, while the introspection reveals her awareness of her agency.
Textual Analysis: The phrase underscores Offred’s determination to reclaim agency, even in small ways, despite the oppressive conditions.
Effect: It emphasizes her resilience and the importance of even minor acts of resistance.
