1
The
Handmaid's
Tale
Quotes
,2
“Thinking can hurt your chances” - Offred
➔ Chapter 2
➔ Thinking is Offred’s form of rebellion
➔ It is also dangerous because when you think you get hope
“I am alive, I live and breath” - Offred
➔ Chapter 2
➔ She is still alive → her goal
“They are to keep us from seeing, but also being seen” - Offred
➔ Chapter 2
➔ Represents the wings that they have to wear
➔ Outstrips them of their identity → only seen for their clothing & hence being
represented as Handmaids
“Blessed be the fruit” & “May the lord be open” - Form of greeting in Gilead
➔ Structured nature of Gilead
“The truth is that she is my spy, as I am hers” - Offred
➔ Chapter 4
➔ Referring to Ofglen
➔ Indicator of the little trust 7 faith between characters
“A small defiance of rules” - Offred
➔ Chapter 4
➔ Small act of defiance empowers Offred → longs for some form of power
➔ Highlights the powerlessness of women in society
“Such freedom seems almost weightless” - Offred
➔ Chapter 5
➔ Longs for the freedom she had → having a family and home
➔ Longs for the freedom she had with her body → her body has now been
objectified by men
, 3
“We were a society dying of too much choice” - Aunt Lydia
➔ Chapter 5
➔ Highlights how Aunts try to brainwash them
➔ Having freedom & choice is what causes destruction → according to Gilead
“We have learned to see the world gasps” - Handmaids
➔ Chapter 6
➔ Handmaids are restricted with the view of the world because of the bonnets
they have to wear
➔ Symbolizes that they are restricted women because they are used for their
bodies
➔ Restricted as their identities are taken away
“It’s a beautiful day Mayday” - Ofglen
➔ Chapter 8
➔ Ofglen tries to signal Offred about the resistance
“It’s not the husbands you have to watch out for, it’s the wives” - Offred
➔ Chapter 8
➔ Shows the loss of sisterhood & violence between women
➔ Women were divided into to weaken them & hence they couldn’t stand up
together against the regime
“In this house we all envy each other over something” - Offred
➔ Chapter 8
➔ Wives envy Handmaids (they can have children)
➔ Handmaids the wives (wives are higher ranked0
➔ Econowives the handmaids (they can have children)
➔ Guardians the commanders (Commanders are highest ranked)
“Sterile” - About the commanders
➔ Chapter 11
➔ The word has been denied→ Patriarchal society
➔ Womens fault if men can’t have children (men are not seen as the problem)
The
Handmaid's
Tale
Quotes
,2
“Thinking can hurt your chances” - Offred
➔ Chapter 2
➔ Thinking is Offred’s form of rebellion
➔ It is also dangerous because when you think you get hope
“I am alive, I live and breath” - Offred
➔ Chapter 2
➔ She is still alive → her goal
“They are to keep us from seeing, but also being seen” - Offred
➔ Chapter 2
➔ Represents the wings that they have to wear
➔ Outstrips them of their identity → only seen for their clothing & hence being
represented as Handmaids
“Blessed be the fruit” & “May the lord be open” - Form of greeting in Gilead
➔ Structured nature of Gilead
“The truth is that she is my spy, as I am hers” - Offred
➔ Chapter 4
➔ Referring to Ofglen
➔ Indicator of the little trust 7 faith between characters
“A small defiance of rules” - Offred
➔ Chapter 4
➔ Small act of defiance empowers Offred → longs for some form of power
➔ Highlights the powerlessness of women in society
“Such freedom seems almost weightless” - Offred
➔ Chapter 5
➔ Longs for the freedom she had → having a family and home
➔ Longs for the freedom she had with her body → her body has now been
objectified by men
, 3
“We were a society dying of too much choice” - Aunt Lydia
➔ Chapter 5
➔ Highlights how Aunts try to brainwash them
➔ Having freedom & choice is what causes destruction → according to Gilead
“We have learned to see the world gasps” - Handmaids
➔ Chapter 6
➔ Handmaids are restricted with the view of the world because of the bonnets
they have to wear
➔ Symbolizes that they are restricted women because they are used for their
bodies
➔ Restricted as their identities are taken away
“It’s a beautiful day Mayday” - Ofglen
➔ Chapter 8
➔ Ofglen tries to signal Offred about the resistance
“It’s not the husbands you have to watch out for, it’s the wives” - Offred
➔ Chapter 8
➔ Shows the loss of sisterhood & violence between women
➔ Women were divided into to weaken them & hence they couldn’t stand up
together against the regime
“In this house we all envy each other over something” - Offred
➔ Chapter 8
➔ Wives envy Handmaids (they can have children)
➔ Handmaids the wives (wives are higher ranked0
➔ Econowives the handmaids (they can have children)
➔ Guardians the commanders (Commanders are highest ranked)
“Sterile” - About the commanders
➔ Chapter 11
➔ The word has been denied→ Patriarchal society
➔ Womens fault if men can’t have children (men are not seen as the problem)
