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The Handmaid’s Tale
Margaret Atwood
Study Guide
Summary
Plot Overview
Five Key Questions
What Does the Ending Mean?
Summary & Analysis
Chapters 1–3
Chapters 4–6
Chapters 7–9
Chapters 10–12
Chapters 13–15
Chapters 16–21
Chapters 22–25
Chapters 26–28
Chapters 29–32
Chapters 33–36
Chapters 37–40
Chapters 41–44
Chapters 45–46 & Historical Notes on The Handmaid’s Tale
Characters
Character List
Offred
The Commander
Serena Joy
Moira
Luke
Aunt Lydia
Main Ideas
Themes
Plot Analysis
Protagonist
Antagonist
Setting
Motifs
Symbols
Genre
Style
Point of View
Tone
Foreshadowing
Key Facts
Is Offred a rebel?
Quotes
Important Quotations Explained
Quotes By Theme
Complacency
Identity
Role of Women
Imprisonment
Quotes By Section
Chapters 1-3
Chapters 4-6
Chapters 7-9
Chapters 10-12
Chapters 13-15
Chapters 16-21
Chapters 22-25
Chapters 26-28
Chapters 29-32
Chapters 33-36
Chapters 37-40
Chapters 41-44
Chapters 45-46
Quotes By Character
Offred
The Commander
Serena Joy
Moira
Aunt Lydia
Further Study
Context
Feminism in the 1980s
Feminist science fiction
Movie Adaptations
Full Book Quiz
Section Quizzes
Context
Plot Overview
Character List
Analysis of Major Characters
Themes, Motifs & Symbols
Chapters 1–5
Chapters 4–6
Chapters 7–9
Chapters 10–12
Chapters 13–15
Chapters 16–21
Chapters 22–25
Chapters 26–28
Chapters 29–32
Chapters 33–36
Chapters 37–40
Chapters 41–44
Chapters 45–46 & Historical Notes on The Handmaid’s Tale
Study Questions
Suggestions for Further Reading
Companion Texts
Writing Help
How to Write Literary Analysis
Suggested Essay Topics
How to Cite This SparkNote
Further study
Character List Quiz
Character List Quiz
1
of 5
How are the names of the Handmaids formed?
“Of” plus Commander’s name
Chosen from the Bible
Their commander chooses their name
Their real name spelled backwards
2
of 5
While the Commander seems like a victim of Gilead, what does the reader learn?
He secretly opposes Gilead
He helped design Gilead
He is being blackmailed
He has been brainwashed
3
of 5
Sitting at the top of the female social ladder within Gilead, Serena Joy feels what about her life?
She loves life completely
She is indifferent
She is desperately unhappy
She is incredibly grateful
4
of 5
At the beginning of the novel, how does Moira compare to the other women?
She’s very similar
She’s much more defiant
She’s more resigned
She’s less independent
5
of 5
What is the purpose of the Aunts class of women within the novel?
To make women accept fate
To encourage women to resist
To assist women with reading
To coach women through childbirth
Previous section
Plot Overview Quick Quiz
Next section
Analysis of Major Characters Quick Quiz
The Handmaid’s Tale: Popular pages
CHARACTERS
Offred: Character Analysis
MAIN IDEAS
Plot Analysis
MAIN IDEAS
Is Offred a rebel?
QUOTES
Quotes by Theme
MAIN IDEAS
Themes
FURTHER STUDY
Review Quiz
