Power

Question 1

We tried to sleep in the army cots that had been set up in rows, with spaces between so we could not talk. We had flannelette sheets, like children’s and army issue blankets, old ones that still had….

Answer 1

• Regiments, discipline, lack of communication
• Cots and children, images of innocence

Question 2

Aunt Elizabeth, aunt Sara, cattle prods, slung on thongs from their leather belts

Answer 2

• Dehumanized
• Extreme control of women
• Not caring and loving aunts
• Stereotypical nazi uniform

Question 3

Offred and Ofglen go shopping “Doubled, I walk the street” Chapter 5

Answer 3

• Aspirations with Luke
• No education means no challenge in Gilead

Question 4

Offred and Ofglen go shopping “We turn corner onto the main street” Chapter 5

Answer 4

• Women have always been at risk, targets
• “Now you are given freedom from” being seen as objects
• High status women ride in cars

Question 5

Women going shopping for groceries chp 5

Answer 5

• This indicates that society is not far off from Gilead

Question 6

The wall Chp 6

Answer 6

• Division between the past and the present
• Offred and Ofglen are stoic aboiut the wall, metaphor for the barrier between her emotions and the world

Question 7

The moment Offred’s daughter was taken away from her Chp7

Answer 7

• Women are submissive
• Vulnerability, lack of control
• Lack of autonomy

Question 8

Why is a priest hanged on the wall in chp 8?

Answer 8

Highlights how only Gilead religion rules

Question 9

Why two homosexual men hanged on the wall? Chp8

Answer 9

• Gender Treachery, a violation Gilead’s code of conduct

Question 10

“A fireplace without a fire in it” Chp 23

Answer 10

Shows how Offred’s affair with the commander has no passion

Question 11

“Books and books and books” “an oasis of the forbidden” Chp 23

Answer 11

• Gilead is trying to control its people and cannot do so if the have knowledge

Question 12

“I want you to kiss me” Chp 23

Answer 12

• The commander gives Offred power
• He makes her active and him passive as he wants to be desired by her and that’s something he can never command, its up to her
• Kiss contrasts with her kiss with nick in Chp17 which was passionate and spontaneous

Question 13

How is the commander presented in his first meeting with Offred

Answer 13

• The commander is presented as a man intimidated by Offred’s presence

Question 14

What is the significance of Offred and the commander playing scrabble

Answer 14

• Highlights fertility “zygote”, “Quice”, “Valance”
• ## Sets equality

Question 15

Unbabies

Answer 15

• Babies born with deformities or abnormalities
• Seen as a threat to the perfect version that Gilead depicts
• Dehumanization and objectification of infants
• To be discarded
• Suggests extreme control Gilead has over reproductive rights