II Shopping: Chapter 3
Setting/Atmosphere: The focus on the garden which is assigned to every
commander’s wife- The motif of the flowers: As the flowers grow, it
represents the growth of the handmaid but as they wilt and wither, the
handmaids do so too. Atwood is emphasising that there is a representation
of the characters through different entities; for example, the flowers.
Moreover, flowers are fragile which symbolises the fragility of the handmaids
Narrative voice: First portrayal of the narrator’s past life as she remembers
her arrival to the house and her first meeting with the commander’s wife,
Serena Joy who immediately disliked her- The idea that the narrator uses
past events to justify and explain present events: How Serena Joy's hatred
for her led to their non-existent relationship and a sense of fury and envy
from Serena Joy towards her.
Summary: The narrator walks through the garden and focuses on the tulips
which are ‘red and spilling out colour’- The tulips could be the representation
of the Marthas who also wear red: Atwood uses the tulips to personify the
handmaids
-The narrator thinks back to when she had a garden of her own and how she
remembers the ‘earthy smell’
-She then focuses on Serena Joy as it seems that she lives a very
melancholic life and regularly tends to the gardens- ‘Maybe it’s just
something to keep the Wives easy, to give them a sense of purpose’
-A flashback to her first meeting with the commander’s wife who wasn’t keen
on developing a relationship with the narrator-Serena Joy seems jealous and
frustrated due the placement of the handmaid
-She tries to assert her dominance and control over the narrator who she
views as inferior. Atwood is establishing the hierarchy that exists in Gilead:
the commanders are at the top of the pyramid, the commanders' wives are
below them, but they are still above the handmaids: Serena Joy is
implementing this power play as she wants to feel superior to someone as
she has been constantly made to feel inferior.
-Serena Joy seems to be defiant as she smokes a cigarette, an item that is
banned in Gilead and is only found on the black market.
Setting/Atmosphere: The focus on the garden which is assigned to every
commander’s wife- The motif of the flowers: As the flowers grow, it
represents the growth of the handmaid but as they wilt and wither, the
handmaids do so too. Atwood is emphasising that there is a representation
of the characters through different entities; for example, the flowers.
Moreover, flowers are fragile which symbolises the fragility of the handmaids
Narrative voice: First portrayal of the narrator’s past life as she remembers
her arrival to the house and her first meeting with the commander’s wife,
Serena Joy who immediately disliked her- The idea that the narrator uses
past events to justify and explain present events: How Serena Joy's hatred
for her led to their non-existent relationship and a sense of fury and envy
from Serena Joy towards her.
Summary: The narrator walks through the garden and focuses on the tulips
which are ‘red and spilling out colour’- The tulips could be the representation
of the Marthas who also wear red: Atwood uses the tulips to personify the
handmaids
-The narrator thinks back to when she had a garden of her own and how she
remembers the ‘earthy smell’
-She then focuses on Serena Joy as it seems that she lives a very
melancholic life and regularly tends to the gardens- ‘Maybe it’s just
something to keep the Wives easy, to give them a sense of purpose’
-A flashback to her first meeting with the commander’s wife who wasn’t keen
on developing a relationship with the narrator-Serena Joy seems jealous and
frustrated due the placement of the handmaid
-She tries to assert her dominance and control over the narrator who she
views as inferior. Atwood is establishing the hierarchy that exists in Gilead:
the commanders are at the top of the pyramid, the commanders' wives are
below them, but they are still above the handmaids: Serena Joy is
implementing this power play as she wants to feel superior to someone as
she has been constantly made to feel inferior.
-Serena Joy seems to be defiant as she smokes a cigarette, an item that is
banned in Gilead and is only found on the black market.
