Complete Summary of Handmaid's Tale and 1984 w/ Key Quotes, Critics and Context
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Comparative and contextual study (H472)
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OCR
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The Handmaid's Tale
Everything you need to reach the A/A* marking points. I only used these notes for my final A-level OCR English Literature Paper 2 to receive 57/60 on my paper.
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- summaries of The Handmaid's tale by chapter and includes key quotes organised by chapter. (chronological)
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The Handmaid's Tale - Quotes / Play Summary
The Rachel and Leah Centre - Ch1
Handmaid's is training sleeping in gymnasium on army cots, Aunts (Sara and Elizabeth) wearing electric
cattle bods on leather belts. Women cannot speak above whisper - attracts attention. Twice daily, allowed
to walk in field with barbed wire and fence. Angels (bodyguards) stand there, and handmaids hope they
look or talk to them so can use bodies to make a deal.
- "we still had our bodies, that was our fantasy"
- "electric cattle prods"
The room - Ch2
Offred lives in a room where she cannot kill herself, no windows (shatterproof), no picture frames Aunt
Lydia says rooms are privilege not a prison. Martha’s (servants) wear green uniforms, Wives (blue
uniforms). Rita and Cora gossip and explain tube tied situation and are thankful they are not handmaid's
but are thankful for handmaid's duty. Offred goes grocery shopping. Previous handmaid was stabbed with
a knitting needle out of jealously and commander poisoned with toilet scrub.
- "removed anything you could tie a rope to"
- "I am not being wasted"
- "I try not to think too much"
- "Thinking can hurt your chances, and I intend to last"
-"keep us from seeing" - white wings
-"tokens" - food stamps (essentially)
Meeting Serena Joy - Ch3
Serena Joy is knitting scarves for angels on frontline (unaware if they actually get used). Other wife said to
be illegally drinking in room and Serena smokes cigarette whilst talking to Offred (black market items:
coffee, cigarette and alcohol). Serena says that the commander is hers and Offred recognises her as lead
soprano singer in Sunday morning religious program
- "it is one of the things we fought for" - love?
-"face clenched like a fist"
-"there's scriptural precedent" - Wives allowed to hit Handmaids
Grocery Shopping
Nick (guardian of faith) washing Commander's car and Nick subtly and illegally flirt but Offred fears the
eyes and ignores him. Handmaid's travel in pairs and Ofglen arrives for grocery shopping where they talk
about the success of the war. Guardians (routing police force who cannot serve in army) are trigger friendly
(accidently shot Martha thinking it was man in disguise as she fumbles for her pass). Offred subtly flirts
with Guardian. Offred remembers past of cat calling in shop called 'All flesh and Milk and Honey'. See a
group and Japanese tourists and interpreter and were not happy from appearance. See the wall were
executed criminals were shown as deterrent were all six wore sings with foetuses (abortions)
- "showing his forearms"
- "he beings to whistle. Then he winks"
- "blessed be the fruit, May the Lord open"
- "nothing safer than dead" - Martha shot for fumbling
- "I move my hips a little"
- "I enjoy to power; power of a dog bone"
- "women were not protected then"
- "Aunt Lydia said... freedom to and freedom from"
- "skirts reach just below the knee"
- "nearly naked"
- "delicate instruments of torture" - heels (can be compared to corset)
- "to be seen - to be seen - is to be - her voice trembled - penetrated"
- "we are secret, forbidden, we excite them" - geisha
, - "We're supposed to look" - the wall
- "It will become ordinary" - Aunt Lydia
M'aidez
Offred hints at a secret resistance to The Republic of Gilead. Introduction of Econowives who are married
women who's husband rank lower than commanders. Economen are rarely allocated handmaids and have
no Martha's therefore econowives bear the children and undergo domestic work (known as econopoeple).
Wear stripped clothing poorly made (poor) representing they do all roles
- "it's a beautiful May day"
- "It's french.. from M'aidez. Help me"
- "All flesh is weak, all flesh is glass"
Inscription in cupboard
Secret inscription in cupboard wall written by handmaid before Offred who had killed herself. Offred
separated from Moira projects her hope into this handmaid and her inscription
- "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" - don't let the bastards grind you down (Offred did not know
translation)
- "I turn her into Moira"
- "irreverent and resourceful - irreverent - show little respect and does not comply
- "what you don't know wont hurt you" - ignorance is freedom
Doctor Appointment
Offred goes doctor once a month to check for pregnancy and diseases. Her face is covered as doctors are
not mean to look at her but he says that many commanders are "sterile" or are too old. Offred is shocked
as there is only fertile women or barren women; Doctor offers to impregnate her but she is scared of
getting caught and gratefully declines
- "give me the children or else I die" - old testament
- "We are all honey"
- "he deals with a torso only"
- "I am a national resource"
Janine and gang rape
At Rachel and Leah centre, everyone had to "testify" about their past lives and Janine reveals she was gang
raped at 14 and they all say it was her fault. Offred views on her body as an instrument of pleasure of
transportation that she controlled has changed to just a uterus. Hates her menstrual cycle as shows she
has failed
- "her fault x3"
- "Teach her a lesson x3"
- "Crybaby"
- "each month I watch for blood, fearfully... it means I failed"
The Ceremony
Scene where commander attempts to impregnant handmaid whilst Wife is present. Offred kneels to
Serena and Nick touches foot with her. Allow to watch news where most channels were blocked and were
mainly religious.
- "the bible is kept locked away" - power
- "like a man toying with his steak"
- "nothing is going that i haven't signed up for"
- "I too am a missing person"
Colonies
- "air got too full, once, of chemicals, rays and radiation"
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