rebellion theme

Question 1

all characters rebel

Answer 1

every major character in the book has had some kind of disobedience against Gilead’s laws

Question 2

moira

Answer 2

rebels most boldly- her daring escape proves futile and she ends up at Jezebel’s resigned to her fate

Question 3

Ofglen

Answer 3

her rebellion is more community-minded, since she works as part of an organised resistance, although her careful plotting also ends badly

Question 4

small scale rebellion

Answer 4

from the Commander and his wife

Question 5

commander

Answer 5

has the advantage- a man, powerful in the new regime and wealthy

Gilead should be his ideal society, especially as he might have helped designed it, however, he desires a deeper emotional connection

breaks the law to help and care for Offred

Question 6

Commander’s wife

Answer 6

tries to get around the structures of Gilead- sets Offred and Nick up in an attempt to make a family

these rebellious acts add complexity to their characters and to the dystopia as well

Question 7

rebellion

Answer 7

large or small, by attempting to destroy the Gileadean government or merely to make one’s personal circumstances more tolerable, each character commits rebellious acts, highlighting both the horror of Gilead

Question 8

quote

Answer 8

“nolite te bastardes carborandorum”

Question 9

lack of rebellion

Answer 9

“I’ve crossed no boundaries, I’ve given no trust, taken no risk”

Question 10

her choice to be a handmaid

Answer 10

“nothing going on here that I haven’t signed up for”

Question 11

in a HMT

Answer 11

Atwood is questioning why people so often co-operate with totalitarian regimes

Question 12

freedom

Answer 12

Handmaids have the “freedom to and freedom from” but are actually free from individual choice

Question 13

suicide

Answer 13

is a tactical weapon to escape and prevent confession - in 1984 Julia’s previous lover committed suicide to avoid confessing and Ofglen commits suicide so avoid inform on Mayday