Historical Notes Flashcards
Why are the Historical Notes significant?
It immediately dismisses everything we have just read, as the two men say the tapes were found out of order. This emphasises how unreliable Offred is as a narrator.
What is the name of the event where the Historical Notes were held?
Symposium - in 2195.
Is Gilead still around during the Historical Notes?
No. It is revealed Gilead collapsed long ago.
Why is there music at the start of each of the cassette tapes?
To camouflage the real use of them: recording Offred’s story.
Why are the Historical Notes shocking to read?
Atwood means it this way, as we have just struggled through Offred’s like with her, only to hear her life discussed in front of an amused audience, joked about, and treated as a quaint relic.
Why is the novel slightly less ambiguous than readers may think?
HNs undercuts the ambiguity of the novel’s ending by letting us know that Nick was a member of Mayday, and he did attempt to get Offred out of the country. Offred’s final fate remains a mystery, but the faithfulness of Nick does not.
