The Handmaid’s Tale

Question 1

The Handmaid’s Tale

Keyfacts & Elements of Coming-Of-Age Story

Answer 1

• “The Handmaid’s Tale” is a dystopian novel by Margaret Atwood set in a totalitarian society called Republic of Gilead in what was formerly the US.
• The story is told from Offred’s perspective, who is a “handmaid” assigned to bear children for a high-ranking couple and subjected to constant surveillance and control.
• The novel explores themes of gender roles, reproductive rights, power, and resistance, as Offred navigates her oppressive existence and memories of her past life before Gilead.
• It is a coming-of-age story that portrays the growth and development of a young person from childhood to adulthood, often involving a journey of self-discovery and a series of experiences that shape the protagonist’s identity and worldview.
• The elements of a coming-of-age story include a young protagonist undergoing a transition from childhood to adulthood, facing challenges that help them learn about themselves and the world, exploring themes such as identity, independence, responsibility, and relationships, experiencing significant realizations that help them mature and understand themselves better, and possibly having a mentor or a significant event that marks their transition into adulthood.

Question 2

The Handmaid’s Tale

Summary

Answer 2

• The protagonist is too tired and excited to continue with her story after giving birth.
• She imagines paradise as a hat.
• The story shifts to focus on what happened to Moira.
• The culture of spying and betrayal is used to keep women in the Red Center calm.
• Aunt Lydia enlists Jeannine as a spy to keep tabs on the other women.
• Moira stabs Aunt Elisabeth and escapes from the Red Center.
• Offred’s use of language reveals her mixed feelings about Moira’s escape and the oppressive culture in which she lives.