Ofglen Flashcards
What does the narrator first say when she meets Ofglen?
When the narrator first meets Ofglen, she says:
This one is a little plumper than I am… (2.19)
What does the narrators description of Ofglen emphasise and criticise?
The narrator emphasizes her similarity to this other Handmaid by referring to her as “this one,” while also criticizing her as walking like a “trained pig.” Perhaps she can’t trust Ofglen because she suspects her of being a “true believer,” or full participant in Gileadean society.
What is significant about the three things that the narrator knows about Ofglen?
Of the three things the narrator knows about Ofglen—her weight, eye color, and name/title—one of them (her name) is not even real.
Even as the narrator distrusts Ofglen, however, what does she realise?
Deep down the two of them have no choice but to act the way they do:
I think of her as a woman for whom every act is done for show… (6.11-12)
What does the narrator seem to be criticising Ofglen for?
The narrator seems to be criticizing Ofglen in part for the things she doesn’t like about herself. Yet the narrator eventually realizes that Ofglen is a potential friend and ally, a member of the resistance. That is, if Ofglen is to be believed. (Can anyone in this world of Gilead ever be trusted?)
Give the two possibilities of Ofglen? Trustworthy or untrustworthy?
- The fact that Ofglen wants the narrator to pass on information about the Commander to her could either mean that she’s part of the resistance or that she’s a government spy who’s trying to entrap her.
- On the other hand, the fact that she shares the resistance password, “Mayday,” with the narrator would seem to indicate that she is a legitimate member of the resistance.
What is the overriding warning for the narrator?
What happens to Oflgen and her predecessor(s) is a warning to the narrator about what may happen to her
