Handmaid’s Tale Quote Bank
Quotation Could be used to
answer questions
Atwood’s methods and analysis
on...
1. ‘Thinking can hurt your Themes; Offred’s tone captures the determination behind the
chances, and I intend to ● Survival reader to survive her unbearable life as a handmaid.
last.’ (C2, pg13) ● Thoughtcrime Offred acknowledges that suppression of her thoughts
● State control is the way to survive, linking to Orwell’s idea in ‘1984’
with the threat of thoughtcrime. Stripped of the
Characters: fundamental process of reasoning, it is clear how
● Offred Gilead has eliminated her humanitarian rights. The
● Handmaids depth of her helplessness is shown by how Offred is
terrified her sanity will snap if she tries to make
meaning out of the insignificant, instead she thinks
about all that surrounds her but dares not make
connections.
2. ‘I never looked good in Themes; Gilead removes individualism but using prescribed
red, it’s not my colour.’ ● Uniformity roles and status signified by colour. The symbolism of
(C2, pg14) ● Rebellion the red links to what the Handmaids represent which is
● Oppression fertility and the woman’s menstrual cycle. The narrative
voice is sassy and rebellious showing her hidden
● Loss of agenda to reject her prescribed role; she is committing
individualism an act of internal rebellion. The tone is unexpectedly
Characters: humorous despite the bleak circumstances.
● Offred
● Handmiads
3. ‘Myself in it like a Themes; There is an allusion to the fairytale, ‘Little Red Riding
distorted shadow, a ● Danger Hood’ which suggests the Handmaids’ violent fates are
parody of something, ● Survival sealed; they are always in imminent danger within
Gilead, having to face death at every corner. The
some fairytale figure in ● Liberation of
metaphors about blood and distortion depict the
a red cloak, Women
handmaids to be within calamitous society where they
descending towards a Characters: are never safe. This is ironic as Gilead claims to have
moment of ● Offred liberated women.
carelessness that is ● Handmaids
the same as danger. A
Sister, dipped in blood.’
(C2, pg15)
4. ‘She doesn’t speak to Themes; This is Offred’s observation of her own ironic
me, unless she can’t ● Women relationship with Serena is that there is an antagonism
avoid it. I am a ● Dependence between them; they are opposites but need each other
reproach to her; and a ● Jealousy to survive in Gilead society. Handmaid’s are a
reminder of the Wives reproductive failings which
necessity.’ (C3 pg19) Characters:
Serena resents Offred for. Due to societal conditioning
● Offred Serena Joy believes her life is incomplete without
● Serena children.This consistent resentment from a superior
female figure causes Offred to dehumanise herself as
he lacks self worth.
5. ‘I wanted, then, to turn Themes; Offred (narrative voice) is desperate for real human
her into an older sister, ● Maternity connection. She wants a mother and the feeling of
a motherly figure, ● Vulnerability safety, love and care that a mother gives. The reader
someone who would ● Human realises Offred’s vulnerability and loneliness as her role
, understand and protect Connection as a Handmaid. Ironically, Gilead has taken the
me.’ (C3 pg22) ● Oppression maternal instinct out of women by pitting them against
Characters: each other. Serena could act empathetically to Offred
● Offred as a fellow woman in a regime which suppresses
women but she stays loyal to the regime further
● Serena
oppressing Offred to obtain some power, power is
● Offred’s relative within Gilead.
Mother
6. ‘I enjoy the power; Themes; This is a metaphor of men being dogs as Offred has
power of a dog bone, ● Power power over them by using her body as a sexual tease.
passive but there.’ (C4 ● Sexuality The bone represents the core idea of objectification of
women’s bodies. Offred reverts the narrative of her
pg28) ● Rebellion
own objectification to give herself some power,
Characters:
although it is small and insignificant. This power of
● Offred teasing men is enjoyable for Offred and she hoards
● Men and treasures these moments as an escapism from her
(Guardians) mundane existence.
7. ‘Gilead is within you.’ Themes; This quote is a parody of Jesus’ saying ‘the kingdom of
(C5 pg29) ● State Control God is within you.’ It illustrates the depth of psyche
● Political Gilead manges to corrupt as Gilead is not a territorial
state but has rather become a state of mind. Aunt
Mindset
Lydia speaks this statement like an aphorism, this
● Brainwashing
shows her aim for the Handmaids to internalise this
Characters: doctrine of the state.
● Aunt Lydia
● All of Gilead’s
inhabitants
8. ‘Freedom to and Themes; The idea that freedom is subjective. Aunt Lydia uses
freedom from.’ (C5 ● Freedom this aphorism to present freedom as a double-edged
pg30) ● Utopia= sword that there is a freedom for the individual to do
Dystopia what he or she wants, which may seem desirable but
can lead to anarchy. And there is a freedom from,
● Anti-Feminism
where rules and restrictions protect individuals from the
● State Control results of amoral or anarchic behaviour. Gilead has
● Liberation of adopted ‘freedom from’ to achieve their society which
Women allows them to stay in control. Gilead has brainwashed
Characters: citizens to feel grateful for the freedom that Gilead has
● Aunt Lydia given them as they claim ‘freedom from’ has caused
● Offred the liberation of women by ending the constant
● All of Gilead’s sexualisation of woman by men (rape and assult). This
● inhabitants binary frameworking, to put blame on one thing or one
other thing has led to Gilead’s fascination with the
vilification of female sexuality. Therefore the problem of
lack of reproduction is solved through Gilead’s ideology
by controlling and owning women’s fertility because if
reproduction is not men’s problem then it must be
women’s (binary thinking).
9. ‘She’s a magic Themes; The atmosphere created by a pregnant woman within
presence to us, an ● Power this scene shows how becoming pregnant is a source
object of envy and ● Fertility of power. Pregnancy is a way for the Handmaid’s to
desire, we covet her. ● Purpose rescue themselves. The metaphor of a pregnant
woman being ‘a flag on a hilltop’ symbolises the
She’s a flag on a hilltop, ● Salvation handmaid's optimum purpose within society. It secures
showing us what can ● Jealousy a future for them and also a future for mankind. The
still be done: we too Characters: weight on their shoulders is extremely great as it is
can be saved.’ (C5 ● Offred essentially carrying on the human race. The act of
, pg32) ● All pregnancy is hyperbolised to rescuing everyone in
Handmaids society from death. But the pressure of pregnancy also
causes competition and jealousy between women. This
is due to the pressure exerted on Handmaids by
society to have babies.
10. ‘We are fascinated, but Themes; Offred has internalised Gilead’s doctrines as she
also repelled. They ● Objectification objectifies the foregin women, depicting how Gilead
seem undressed. It has ● State Control has moulded her mind to reject ideas of feminism.
taken so little time to ● Women Gilead’s societal norms and pressure have
re-educated it’s people to criticise the unknown. A
change minds, about ● Unknown
woman’s skin is considered a tool for sexual
things like this.’ (C5 Characters: provocation. Therefore Offred is shown to slut shame
pg34) ● Offred the westernised culture which she was once a part of
● Handmaids as Gilead has taught to view it as immoral. Offred’s
narrative voice shows her own awareness of how
susceptible her own mind can be.
11. ‘It makes the men look Themes; This image displays the degree of desensitisation as
like dolls on which ● State Control bodies become inanimate objects. The bodies are
faces have not yet been ● Fear blank canvases with ‘the bags over the heads’
painted; like ● Violence because they have been stripped of their identity,
which depicts them as meaningless. Offred’s simile to
scarecrows, which in a ● Dissidents liken the men to ‘scarecrows’ shows how she is aware
way is what they are, ● Power of their purpose; they are props used by the state to
since they are meant ● Identity generate fear in the population. ‘They are meant to
to scare.’ (C6 pg38) Characters: scare’ people into submission so they can easily be
● All of Gilead’s controlled. The visual placing is a theatrical
Inhabitants demonstration of the dissidents betrayal to the regime;
● Men the regime makes an example of the people who
oppose them to encourage submission and to remind
people of the symbolic power of the state.
12. ‘I would like to believe Themes; For Offred, the act of telling her story becomes a
this is a story I’m telling. ● Metafiction rebellion against her society. Gilead seeks to silence
I need to believe it. I ● Storytelling women, but Offred speaks out, even if it is only to an
must believe it. Those ● Survival imaginary reader, to Luke, or to God. Gilead denies
women control over their own lives, but Offred’s
who can believe that Characters:
creation of a story gives her ‘control over the ending.’
such stories are only ● Offred Offred’s creation of a narrative gives her hope for the
stories have a better future, a sense that ‘there will be an ending’ and ‘real
chance. If it’s a story life will come after it.’ She can hope that someone will
I’m telling, then I have hear her story, like maybe she will tell Luke someday.
control over the Offred has found an avenue for rebellion available in a
ending. Then there will totalitarian society; she denies Gilead control over her
be an ending, to the inner thoughts.This storytelling is also a survival tool
story, and real life will for Offred because she uses it as a substitute for a
come after it. I can pick dialogue with others; Offred invents her listeners to
process her thinking and is able to sustain her feelings
up where I left off.’ (C7
of attachment by using her memories.
pg45)
13. ‘She doesn’t make Themes; Within this quote, Atwood is satirising Phyllis Schalfly,
speeches anymore. ● Oppression a hypocritical character trapped by her own ideology.
She has become ● Women Serena shamed women before Gilead. She got her
speechless. She stays ● Hypocrisy path to power by standing with the patriarchy that aims
to oppress her.The reader sees that Offred views
in her home, but it ● Anger
Serena Joy as a hypocrite, who enjoyed working but
doesn’t seem to agree Characters: preached against other women doing the same. Offred
with her. How furious ● Serena Joy resents Serena because she stands on the side of the
Quotation Could be used to
answer questions
Atwood’s methods and analysis
on...
1. ‘Thinking can hurt your Themes; Offred’s tone captures the determination behind the
chances, and I intend to ● Survival reader to survive her unbearable life as a handmaid.
last.’ (C2, pg13) ● Thoughtcrime Offred acknowledges that suppression of her thoughts
● State control is the way to survive, linking to Orwell’s idea in ‘1984’
with the threat of thoughtcrime. Stripped of the
Characters: fundamental process of reasoning, it is clear how
● Offred Gilead has eliminated her humanitarian rights. The
● Handmaids depth of her helplessness is shown by how Offred is
terrified her sanity will snap if she tries to make
meaning out of the insignificant, instead she thinks
about all that surrounds her but dares not make
connections.
2. ‘I never looked good in Themes; Gilead removes individualism but using prescribed
red, it’s not my colour.’ ● Uniformity roles and status signified by colour. The symbolism of
(C2, pg14) ● Rebellion the red links to what the Handmaids represent which is
● Oppression fertility and the woman’s menstrual cycle. The narrative
voice is sassy and rebellious showing her hidden
● Loss of agenda to reject her prescribed role; she is committing
individualism an act of internal rebellion. The tone is unexpectedly
Characters: humorous despite the bleak circumstances.
● Offred
● Handmiads
3. ‘Myself in it like a Themes; There is an allusion to the fairytale, ‘Little Red Riding
distorted shadow, a ● Danger Hood’ which suggests the Handmaids’ violent fates are
parody of something, ● Survival sealed; they are always in imminent danger within
Gilead, having to face death at every corner. The
some fairytale figure in ● Liberation of
metaphors about blood and distortion depict the
a red cloak, Women
handmaids to be within calamitous society where they
descending towards a Characters: are never safe. This is ironic as Gilead claims to have
moment of ● Offred liberated women.
carelessness that is ● Handmaids
the same as danger. A
Sister, dipped in blood.’
(C2, pg15)
4. ‘She doesn’t speak to Themes; This is Offred’s observation of her own ironic
me, unless she can’t ● Women relationship with Serena is that there is an antagonism
avoid it. I am a ● Dependence between them; they are opposites but need each other
reproach to her; and a ● Jealousy to survive in Gilead society. Handmaid’s are a
reminder of the Wives reproductive failings which
necessity.’ (C3 pg19) Characters:
Serena resents Offred for. Due to societal conditioning
● Offred Serena Joy believes her life is incomplete without
● Serena children.This consistent resentment from a superior
female figure causes Offred to dehumanise herself as
he lacks self worth.
5. ‘I wanted, then, to turn Themes; Offred (narrative voice) is desperate for real human
her into an older sister, ● Maternity connection. She wants a mother and the feeling of
a motherly figure, ● Vulnerability safety, love and care that a mother gives. The reader
someone who would ● Human realises Offred’s vulnerability and loneliness as her role
, understand and protect Connection as a Handmaid. Ironically, Gilead has taken the
me.’ (C3 pg22) ● Oppression maternal instinct out of women by pitting them against
Characters: each other. Serena could act empathetically to Offred
● Offred as a fellow woman in a regime which suppresses
women but she stays loyal to the regime further
● Serena
oppressing Offred to obtain some power, power is
● Offred’s relative within Gilead.
Mother
6. ‘I enjoy the power; Themes; This is a metaphor of men being dogs as Offred has
power of a dog bone, ● Power power over them by using her body as a sexual tease.
passive but there.’ (C4 ● Sexuality The bone represents the core idea of objectification of
women’s bodies. Offred reverts the narrative of her
pg28) ● Rebellion
own objectification to give herself some power,
Characters:
although it is small and insignificant. This power of
● Offred teasing men is enjoyable for Offred and she hoards
● Men and treasures these moments as an escapism from her
(Guardians) mundane existence.
7. ‘Gilead is within you.’ Themes; This quote is a parody of Jesus’ saying ‘the kingdom of
(C5 pg29) ● State Control God is within you.’ It illustrates the depth of psyche
● Political Gilead manges to corrupt as Gilead is not a territorial
state but has rather become a state of mind. Aunt
Mindset
Lydia speaks this statement like an aphorism, this
● Brainwashing
shows her aim for the Handmaids to internalise this
Characters: doctrine of the state.
● Aunt Lydia
● All of Gilead’s
inhabitants
8. ‘Freedom to and Themes; The idea that freedom is subjective. Aunt Lydia uses
freedom from.’ (C5 ● Freedom this aphorism to present freedom as a double-edged
pg30) ● Utopia= sword that there is a freedom for the individual to do
Dystopia what he or she wants, which may seem desirable but
can lead to anarchy. And there is a freedom from,
● Anti-Feminism
where rules and restrictions protect individuals from the
● State Control results of amoral or anarchic behaviour. Gilead has
● Liberation of adopted ‘freedom from’ to achieve their society which
Women allows them to stay in control. Gilead has brainwashed
Characters: citizens to feel grateful for the freedom that Gilead has
● Aunt Lydia given them as they claim ‘freedom from’ has caused
● Offred the liberation of women by ending the constant
● All of Gilead’s sexualisation of woman by men (rape and assult). This
● inhabitants binary frameworking, to put blame on one thing or one
other thing has led to Gilead’s fascination with the
vilification of female sexuality. Therefore the problem of
lack of reproduction is solved through Gilead’s ideology
by controlling and owning women’s fertility because if
reproduction is not men’s problem then it must be
women’s (binary thinking).
9. ‘She’s a magic Themes; The atmosphere created by a pregnant woman within
presence to us, an ● Power this scene shows how becoming pregnant is a source
object of envy and ● Fertility of power. Pregnancy is a way for the Handmaid’s to
desire, we covet her. ● Purpose rescue themselves. The metaphor of a pregnant
woman being ‘a flag on a hilltop’ symbolises the
She’s a flag on a hilltop, ● Salvation handmaid's optimum purpose within society. It secures
showing us what can ● Jealousy a future for them and also a future for mankind. The
still be done: we too Characters: weight on their shoulders is extremely great as it is
can be saved.’ (C5 ● Offred essentially carrying on the human race. The act of
, pg32) ● All pregnancy is hyperbolised to rescuing everyone in
Handmaids society from death. But the pressure of pregnancy also
causes competition and jealousy between women. This
is due to the pressure exerted on Handmaids by
society to have babies.
10. ‘We are fascinated, but Themes; Offred has internalised Gilead’s doctrines as she
also repelled. They ● Objectification objectifies the foregin women, depicting how Gilead
seem undressed. It has ● State Control has moulded her mind to reject ideas of feminism.
taken so little time to ● Women Gilead’s societal norms and pressure have
re-educated it’s people to criticise the unknown. A
change minds, about ● Unknown
woman’s skin is considered a tool for sexual
things like this.’ (C5 Characters: provocation. Therefore Offred is shown to slut shame
pg34) ● Offred the westernised culture which she was once a part of
● Handmaids as Gilead has taught to view it as immoral. Offred’s
narrative voice shows her own awareness of how
susceptible her own mind can be.
11. ‘It makes the men look Themes; This image displays the degree of desensitisation as
like dolls on which ● State Control bodies become inanimate objects. The bodies are
faces have not yet been ● Fear blank canvases with ‘the bags over the heads’
painted; like ● Violence because they have been stripped of their identity,
which depicts them as meaningless. Offred’s simile to
scarecrows, which in a ● Dissidents liken the men to ‘scarecrows’ shows how she is aware
way is what they are, ● Power of their purpose; they are props used by the state to
since they are meant ● Identity generate fear in the population. ‘They are meant to
to scare.’ (C6 pg38) Characters: scare’ people into submission so they can easily be
● All of Gilead’s controlled. The visual placing is a theatrical
Inhabitants demonstration of the dissidents betrayal to the regime;
● Men the regime makes an example of the people who
oppose them to encourage submission and to remind
people of the symbolic power of the state.
12. ‘I would like to believe Themes; For Offred, the act of telling her story becomes a
this is a story I’m telling. ● Metafiction rebellion against her society. Gilead seeks to silence
I need to believe it. I ● Storytelling women, but Offred speaks out, even if it is only to an
must believe it. Those ● Survival imaginary reader, to Luke, or to God. Gilead denies
women control over their own lives, but Offred’s
who can believe that Characters:
creation of a story gives her ‘control over the ending.’
such stories are only ● Offred Offred’s creation of a narrative gives her hope for the
stories have a better future, a sense that ‘there will be an ending’ and ‘real
chance. If it’s a story life will come after it.’ She can hope that someone will
I’m telling, then I have hear her story, like maybe she will tell Luke someday.
control over the Offred has found an avenue for rebellion available in a
ending. Then there will totalitarian society; she denies Gilead control over her
be an ending, to the inner thoughts.This storytelling is also a survival tool
story, and real life will for Offred because she uses it as a substitute for a
come after it. I can pick dialogue with others; Offred invents her listeners to
process her thinking and is able to sustain her feelings
up where I left off.’ (C7
of attachment by using her memories.
pg45)
13. ‘She doesn’t make Themes; Within this quote, Atwood is satirising Phyllis Schalfly,
speeches anymore. ● Oppression a hypocritical character trapped by her own ideology.
She has become ● Women Serena shamed women before Gilead. She got her
speechless. She stays ● Hypocrisy path to power by standing with the patriarchy that aims
to oppress her.The reader sees that Offred views
in her home, but it ● Anger
Serena Joy as a hypocrite, who enjoyed working but
doesn’t seem to agree Characters: preached against other women doing the same. Offred
with her. How furious ● Serena Joy resents Serena because she stands on the side of the
