Handmaid's: Theme

Question 1

Narrative technique

6

Answer 1

• “reconstruct”
• “it didn’t happen that way either”
• ”doesn’t want to be telling this story”
• “fresh passports”
• “picnic coverstory”
• “the message will say that I must have patience: sooner or later he will get me out.”

Question 2

Luke/Nick

6

Answer 2

• “night”
• “i pray that at least one hole is quickly, neatly and finally through the skull.”
• “Want to think about what they’ve done to his body”
• “I want to reach up, taste his skin. He makes me hungry.”
• “wants luke so badly”
• “Luke, you’d understand. It’s you here in another body.”

Question 3

Daughter

7

Answer 3

• “she”
• “rolling on top to cover her”
• “I can see her, going away from me, through the trees which are already turning red and yellow, holding out her arms to me, being carried away.”
• “bitch”
• “I have been obliterated for her. I am only a shadow now, far back behind the glib shiny surface of this photograph.”
• “better she’d brought me nothing”

Question 4

The Ceremony

5

Answer 4

• “under Serena Joy’s colonial-style, four-posted bed”
• “the rings of her left hand cut into my fingers. It may or may not be revenge.”
• “duty”
• “who is it worse for, her or me?”
• “one flesh”

Question 5

The Salvaging

3

Answer 5

• “years”
• “I’ve began to shiver, hatred fills my mouth like spit.”
• “from behind me there’s a sound of retching. This is why we don’t get breakfast.”

Question 6

The Patricicution

5

Answer 6

• “drunk”
• “you will wait until I blow the whistle. After that what you do is up to you, until I blow the whistle again.”
• “it’s true, there’s a bloodlust. I want to tear, gauge, rend.”
• “pushes him down sideways, then kicks his head viciously.”
• “not a rapist at all”