Night III Flashcards
Key events
Goes through 3 of Offred’s memories
Happy- Moira
Sad- Mother
Pain- daughter
Key methods
Storytelling
Analepsis
Different methods of storytelling
Her past- fills in the gaps, learn how society has changed, emphasis on her trauma, makes the reader sympathetic towards her
Aunt Lydia’s lessons and the The Rachel and Leah center- learn why they are so subservient to the regime due to the threat of violence, political point (happened to women in the past)
The present- see how society has changed, the lack of freedom, escapism
Imagining about Luke’s fate- escapism, emphasizes her hopelessness and vulnerability, highlights her trauma, hope
Imaginary recreation of Aunt Lydia and Janine talking about Moira, slitting the commanders throat, Nick touching her foot accidental, is Ofglen a true believer, ideas of what Nick might think of her and the Commander’s relationship- provides entertainment, answers the questions in her head (an outlet), escapism, shows her boredom, limited freedom and curiosity, her hatred towards the regime
Writing- to keep herself sane and remember, shows her hatred towards the regime, form of protest, keep her individuality
Fragmented- can’t be 100% accurate, story is pieced together, make believe, criticizing political regime who present one view
The significance of storytelling
Is a woman’s autobiographical narrative that challenges the absolute authority of Gilead
Her story highlights importance of storytelling as act of resistance against oppression- story become individual political statement
Offred voiced her opinion when the regime demanded total silence but she had to do it when she escaped. Her narrative is a transcript found on an archaeological site. We have a later reconstruction of Offred’s own account; her words are historical artefact and her story a voice of protest against oppression
Analepsis of Moira pg. 37- top 38
Shows how women were before- learn, be curious, funny
Gilead- freedom is restricted, they are organs
Could have friends before, a good life- now has no friends
New friend is Ofglen but no real
Moira was gay- classed as an unwoman in Gilead
Function- what life was like before
Analepsis of Mother pg. 38
Feeding the ducks- lie, Saturday was meant to be mother and daughter days
Mother was there for the magazine burning (porn, feminist movement)
‘How old was I?’- repetition, distant
Mother would talk as if she couldn’t hear
Function- to retell her relationship with her mum
The mother was classed as an unwoman in Gilead
Bias- presents her mother as uncaring, jealous
Analepsis of her daughter’s abduction pg. 39
Learn she had a traumatic experience- against her will drugged (needles, pills, confusion)- violating
Told stories to make her accept it- ‘in good hands now’
Learn she was kept there for a long time- ‘after a while’- captive
In lots of pain over losing her child- ‘you’ve killed her’
Painful when she talks about her daughter
Function- highlight the brutality of Gilead
Places last as it is the most painful memory- reinforces it’s significance as if the other went before they wouldn’t appear as awful
