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    Structure and Plot Handmaids Tale

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    The document provides a chapter-by-chapter summary of the structure and plot of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. It outlines 15 sections of the novel with each section containing 1-4 chapters. Each chapter summary describes the handmaid protagonist Offred's narrative experiences or flashbacks to her life before the dystopian society of Gilead. The non-chronological narratives provide additional context and backstory through Offred's memories of friends, family, and the rise of Gilead.

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    Structure and Plot Handmaids Tale

    Uploaded by

    api-252847120
    2K views3 pages
    The document provides a chapter-by-chapter summary of the structure and plot of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. It outlines 15 sections of the novel with each section containing 1-4 chapters. Each chapter summary describes the handmaid protagonist Offred's narrative experiences or flashbacks to her life before the dystopian society of Gilead. The non-chronological narratives provide additional context and backstory through Offred's memories of friends, family, and the rise of Gilead.

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    The document provides a chapter-by-chapter summary of the structure and plot of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. It outlines 15 sections of the novel with each section containing 1-4 chapters. Each chapter summary describes the handmaid protagonist Offred's narrative experiences or flashbacks to her life before the dystopian society of Gilead. The non-chronological narratives provide additional context and backstory through Offred's memories of friends, family, and the rise of Gilead.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    2K views3 pages

    Structure and Plot Handmaids Tale

    Uploaded by

    api-252847120
    The document provides a chapter-by-chapter summary of the structure and plot of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. It outlines 15 sections of the novel with each section containing 1-4 chapters. Each chapter summary describes the handmaid protagonist Offred's narrative experiences or flashbacks to her life before the dystopian society of Gilead. The non-chronological narratives provide additional context and backstory through Offred's memories of friends, family, and the rise of Gilead.

    Copyright:

    © All Rights Reserved
    Download as PDF, TXT or read online from Scribd
    Download as pdf or txt
    of 3

    The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

    STRUCTURE AND PLOT

    Section Chp Handmaid narrative Non-chronological narrative

    I Night 1 First nights in Red Centre

    II Shopping 2 Routines and position in Commanders house


    including shopping

    3 Commanders Wife Flashback to first meeting with Serena Joy

    4 Sees Nick
    Ofglen journey to shops
    5 Shopping trip meet pregnant Ofwarren, Remembers previous freedoms, and trivial
    and Japanese tourists conversations with Luke

    6 Visit Wall and see dead bodies

    III Night 7 Alone, lying on bed, time for reflection Remembers:


    Importance of telling her story Moira at college
    Mother as feminist activist
    Loss of daughter
    IV Waiting 8 Ofglen tries Mayday password Memories of Serena joys earlier life
    Room See babys funeral
    SJ in garden and Nick speaks
    Sees Cmdr looking in her room
    9 Accepts it as a room of her own
    Finds predecessors Latin message
    10 Sings to herself and remembers Aunt Lydias lectures about the past
    Moiras sexual liberalism
    Gradual changes newspaper stories of
    male violence to women

    11 Doctor makes his offer

    12 Bath Remembers daughter being abducted


    Preparations for The Ceremony ominous sign
    V Nap 13 Time to spare thinking Moira being brought to Red Centre
    Sees body differently importance of Janine testifying
    menstruation and conception Dreams of failed escape Luke and
    daughter

    2005 www.teachit.co.uk 3733.doc Page 1 of 3


    The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

    VI Household 14 Household prayers to bless Ceremony (silent Remembers start of failed escape attempt
    resistance from Offred including
    importance of real name)
    Watch news on TV racism, war, etc
    15 First view of Cmdr reads from Genesis Remembers Moiras first escape attempt
    Silent resistance refuses to pray thinks of tortured feet
    Latin message

    16 The Ceremony

    17 Afterwards wants Luke, feels rebellious


    Steals flower meets and embraces Nick
    VII Night 18 Back in bed longing for Luke Speculates on Lukes fate series of
    possibilities or beliefs
    VIII Birthday 19 Goes in birthmobile to assist delivery of Starts with dream of mother / daughter
    Ofwarrens baby Causes of infertility in Gilead
    20 Recalls indoctrination via porn films and
    documentaries of 70s/80s feminists (incl
    Mother)
    Remembers mothers feminism
    21 Ofwarren finally gives birth and hands over
    the baby
    22 Recalls Moiras escape in disguise as an
    Aunt
    23 First secret meeting with Cmdr scrabble
    and kiss
    IX Night 24 Feels different about self / identity. Able to
    laugh at situation
    X Soul 25 Meetings with Cmdr become an
    Scrolls arrangement
    Given magazines and hand lotion
    26 Ceremony different because now his
    mistress

    27 Ofglen explains Mayday

    28 How Gilead came about

    29 With Cmdr. Finds out about predecessor


    Asks for information about whats going on
    XI Night 30 Summer night sees Nick Recalls night of escape with Luke
    Feels memories of Luke and daughter fading
    Own version of Lords Prayer

    2005 www.teachit.co.uk 3733.doc Page 2 of 3


    The Handmaids Tale by Margaret Atwood

    XII Jezebels 31 Ofglen information about Mayday


    SJ suggests Offred uses Nicks services
    32 Reflects on claustrophobic nature of situation
    Considers Cmdrs justification for the Gilead
    regime
    33 Prayvaganza marriage ceremony Remembers Janines near breakdown at
    Janines baby a shredder Red Centre

    34 Prayvaganza continues womens roles Cmdr again tries to justify situation


    explored Dismisses idea of love
    Irreverent comments from Ofglen and Offred
    35 SJ brings photo of daughter Digression on love
    Memories of Luke and escape

    36 Cmdr takes her out

    37 Description of Jezebels and glimpses of


    Moira
    38 Moiras story
    Description of Colonies
    39 Offreds mother is in Colonies
    Dismal sexual encounter with Cmdr
    XIII Night 40 First sexual encounter with Nick
    XIV Salvaging 41 In love with Nick a risky relationship
    42 Salvagings executions of two Handmaids
    and one Wife
    43 Particicution
    Ofglens and Janines contrasting actions
    44 Ofglen has hanged herself saw Black Truck
    coming for her
    45 Offred feels despair
    SJ confronts her and makes threats
    XV Night 46 Nick leads Eyes to arrest her whispers
    Mayday
    Taken away in Black Van to safety?
    Historical
    Notes

    2005 www.teachit.co.uk 3733.doc Page 3 of 3

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