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The Handmaid’s Tale
Margaret Atwood
Study Guide
Summary
Plot Overview
Key Questions and Answers
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
Allusions
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
Quotes By Symbol
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Harvard University
The Handmaids’ Red Habits
A Palimpsest
The Eyes
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
Chapters 10-12 Quiz
Further Study
Chapters 10-12 Quiz
1
of 5
How does Offred remember feeling, in her old life, when she read newspaper stories about rape and violence?
Incredibly scared
Deeply connected to victims
Distant and unrelated
Inspired to take action
2
of 5
What is the only object that Offred has been given to read in her room?
Pillow embroidered with "Faith"
Handkerchief saying "Purity"
Painting of the word "God"
Novel entitled "Gilead's Greatness"
3
of 5
As he cheerfully chats with her, what offer does the doctor make to Offred?
He can poison her
He can impregnate her
He can hide her
He can help her escape
4
of 5
What would happen to Offred if the doctor falsely reported her as having a medical problem?
She'd be publicly hanged
They'd harvest her organs
She'd go to the Colonies
She'd become a Guardian
5
of 5
As she sits naked in the bathtub, how does Offred feel?
Free and sexual
Strange and somewhat exposed
Oppressed and sad
Happy and carefree
Previous section
Chapters 7-9 Quick Quiz
Next section
Chapters 13-15 Quick Quiz
Popular pages:
The Handmaid’s Tale
Character List
CHARACTERS
Offred: Character Analysis
CHARACTERS
Plot Analysis
MAIN IDEAS
Is Offred a rebel?
MAIN IDEAS
Quotes by Theme
QUOTES
Themes
MAIN IDEAS
Review Quiz
FURTHER STUDY
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