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The Handmaid's Tale
by
Margaret Atwood
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Summary
Chapter Summaries
Chapters 1–6: Summary
Chapters 7–12: Summary
Chapters 13–18: Summary
Chapters 19–24: Summary
Chapters 25–30: Summary
Chapters 31–40: Summary
Chapters 41–46 and Historical Notes: Summary
Questions & Answers
Themes
Characters
Characters
Offred
Analysis
Analysis
Key Ideas and Commentary
Style, Form, and Literary Elements
Historical and Social Context
Connections and Further Reading
Critical Essays
Sample Essay Outlines
Critical Survey of Science Fiction and Fantasy The Handmaid's Tale Analysis
Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Literature Series The Handmaid's Tale Analysis
Masterpieces of Women's Literature The Handmaid's Tale Analysis
Critical Context (Critical Guide to British Fiction)
Critical Context (Masterplots II: Juvenile & Young Adult Literature Series)
Critical Evaluation
Critical Overview
Essays and Criticism
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood
PDF Downloads
Lesson Plans
Teaching Guide
Introduction
Key Plot Points
History of the Text
Significant Influences and References
Teaching Approaches
Ideas for Group Discussions
Suggested Essay Topics
Topics for Further Study
What Do I Read Next?
Short-Answer Quizzes
Chapters 1-6: Questions and Answers
Chapters 7-12: Questions and Answers
Chapters 13-18: Questions and Answers
Chapters 19-24: Questions and Answers
Chapters 25-30: Questions and Answers
Chapters 31-40: Questions and Answers
Chapters 41-46 and Historical Notes: Questions and Answers
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The Handmaid's Tale Questions and Answers
Why does the Commander want to see Offred?
Why is reading and writing forbidden in The Handmaid's Tale?
Discuss how religion and/or scripture support the patriarchal regime in Gilead, using this quote from The Handmaid's Tale as a starting point.
What is the purpose of the Japanese tourists in chapter 6? What message does the author want to convey when she mentions the Japanese tourists in this chapter of The Handmaid's Tale?
How does Margaret Atwood link the wall in The Handmaid's Tale to religion?
Why does Atwood use the pun of "Pen is envy" in The Handmaid's Tale, and what can be read from this in terms of the wider implications within the text?
What is the significance of the words Offred spells in her scrabble games with the commander and the images that they relate to the novel?
What are three examples of wordplay in The Handmaid's Tale?
How did Gilead start?
Where does the theme of isolation appear in The Handmaid's Tale?
What is Atwood's message in The Handmaid's Tale?
What is the significance of Serena Joy's smoking in The Handmaid's Tale?
What happens to Handmaids in The Handmaid's Tale after they give birth?
What is an Unwoman in The Handmaid's Tale?
Why did Offred kiss the Commander in The Handmaid's Tale?
What are some examples of conflict in The Handmaid's Tale?
What impact do the historical notes have in The Handmaid's Tale and why did Atwood include them?
What are the three key settings in Margret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale?
What is the conclusion of The Handmaid's Tale?
What were some major social issues in the 1980's?
What year is The Handmaid's Tale set in?
Why do the names of handmaids in "The Handmaid's Tale" start with "of"?
What does the quote "Do you think that God listens to these machines?" from chapter 27 of The Handmaid's Tale mean?
How has Offred's relationship with her Commander developed in The Handmaid's Tale?
What does Offred's mental distress in The Handmaid's Tale suggest about mental health?
What literary devices are used in The Handmaid's Tale?
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned?
How do Aunt Lydia's words about 'freedom to' and 'freedom from' in Chapter 5 of The Handmaid's Tale relate to our world's laws and social systems? Which is better for society?
What is an "Eye" in The Handmaid's Tale?
What does Offred believe happened to Luke in The Handmaid's Tale?
How does Moira's attempted escape in Chapter 15 influence Offred's hope for her own successful rebellion?
What are the epigraphs in The Handmaid's Tale?
How does Moira regard "date rape" in The Handmaid's Tale?
In The Handmaid's Tale, why would the Baptists rebel against a fundamentalist regime?
In The Handmaid's Tale, why is Offred's pre-Gilead life with Luke, her mom, and her daughter significant?
What are some examples of Offred exerting power in The Handmaid's Tale?
Why didn't Atwood follow a chronological pattern in The Handmaid's Tale?
How does Moira's presence and their shared past inspire Offred to rebel against Gilead in "The Handmaid's Tale"?
What purpose does the repetition of "night" serve in The Handmaid's Tale?
What specific elements of Atwood's diction in The Handmaid's Tale convey the women's reality in Gilead?
What arguments can be made in The Handmaid's Tale?
How does Margaret Atwood use literary devices to explore women's treatment in society, and how does this contribute to the work's overall meaning?
How does the Commander's statement "Better never means better for everyone...It always means worse, for some" refer to social class?
What do the red tulips symbolize in The Handmaid's Tale?
What does Offred's ankle tattoo suggest in The Handmaid's Tale?
How does Offred's character evolve in The Handmaid's Tale?
What is the importance of Moira in The Handmaid's Tale?
How is satire used in Margaret Atwood's The Handmaid's Tale?
What is the symbolic and thematic importance of the garden in The Handmaid's Tale?
What does the Commander want from Offred and what is the purpose of their Scrabble games?
