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Left Side: The Ceremony The left side of the art work is repressing the ceremony that contains Offred, the commander, and Serena Joy. The room is suffocating, filled with darkness. It has tones of purple and black as well. The room has this type of energy coming from it because it represents the awkward and uncomfortableness of the ceremony. The ceremony is a sexual experience but there is no love coming from it. In the center of the art work there is a red handmaid’s cloak that is crumpled up. The cloak symbolizes Offred’s body being used as an object rather than a human being. Above the cloak you can see the silhouettes of the commander, Serena Joy, and Offred. They’re faceless because it represents the loss of individuality in Gilead.

Right Side: Nick interaction after the ceremony The right side of the art work represents the interaction between Nick and Offred. The room is dimly with the help of a candle. Nick stands in the doorway with half of his face hidden, while Offred looks in his direction. The exchange between them envokes many tones such as a forbidden connection, humanity, and danger. It symbolizes the creation of rebellion and desire that resides in Offred and Nick because they know they shouldn’t be interacting with each other the way they are.

In chapter 23 of The Handmaid’s Tale. Offer is telling us how she comes to her senses. Between Luke and the commander, she realizes and is coming to a point where she doesn’t have a say in anything and feels taken advantage of.

The quote that stood out to me in chapter 23 was: “We are not each other anymore. Instead, I am his.” This quote hit me because it shows how Offred is no longer in a relationship built on love and equality. She is forced into a role where she’s owned and not loved. It’s not about the connection anymore; it’s about control. That shift from being someone’s partner to being someone’s property is heartbreaking, and it made me think of a time in my life where I felt like I didn’t have a voice either.
When I started volleyball in 9th grade, I was terrified. I had always been bigger than most of the other girls, and I thought that meant I wouldn’t be good enough. I was scared I wouldn’t make the team, scared people would judge me, and scared that my name belonged, so instead of speaking up and showing confidence, I let people run over me. I didn’t take up space, I didn’t ask questions, I didn’t play like I knew I could, I just tried to stay quiet and not get noticed, so I wouldn’t get embarrassed for being bigger and not knowing how to play volleyball.
That feeling of dimming yourself down because you didn’t think that you deserve to be there, reminding me of offered she’s in a society that doesn’t value her thoughts or feelings, she’s forced to play a role that just like I felt forced to play the role of being a quiet, insecure girl who didn’t want to mess up. Offered says, “ I am his,” and that line shows that she’s been reduced to someone’s possession. I feel like I was letting other people define me, too, not because they told me I had to, but because I was too scared to speak up. In chapter 23, Offred starts meeting with the commander, and they play Scrabble, which seems small, but it’s actually huge. It’s the first time she’s allowed to use her mind to speak freely, even if it’s just through a game, that moment reminded me of when I finally started to feel confident on the volleyball court. I remember one practice where I made a great serve, and my coach actually cheered for me. It was the first time I felt maybe I did belong, just like offers are still a tiny bit of power in those secret meetings. I started feeling a tiny bit of confidence in myself. But even then, offered knows she’s not free, she says, “I am his “because even though she’s allowed to play Scrabble and talk, it’s still on his terms. She’s still trapped in this world on the unspeakable. That’s how I felt,t tooLikeke I was only allowed to feel good if someone else permitted me. I didn’t fully believe in myself, yet I was still holding back. This chapter made me feel, and we think about how hard it is to find your voice when you’ve been taught to stay silent. Offered used to have a life where she was free, she had a husband, and daughter a job. Now she’s in a world she’s not even allowed to read. That loss of identity is something I felt in a smaller way when I started High School. I didn’t know who I was anymore. I was trying to fit in. I was trying not to stand out, and they made me feel invisible. Reading just a chapter helps me realize that even small acts of confidence matter. Offering to play Scrabble might seem like nothing, but it’s her way of holding on to who she used to be; it’s a way of saying I’m still here. For me, stepping onto the volleyball court and finally speaking up was my way of saying the same thing I’m still here I deserve to be seen. This quote also made me think about how her relationships can change from Power gets involved. To have a loving relationship with Luke, where they were equals. Now she’s in a situation where she’s being used. That shift is painful, but it reminded me of how important it is to be in spaces where you’re respected and valued. Whether it’s a team or friendship, or a classroom, everyone deserves to feel like they belong. In the end, this chapter showed me that finding my voice takes time. Offered is still trapped, but she’s starting to push back in small ways. She’s starting to speak up for herself more, but I was scared to speak up. But eventually I did, and once I did, everything started to change. I started to feel stronger and more confident and more like myself, just like I learned that even at your worst, you still find ways to hold on to who you are.

Billie Eilish - “What Was I Made For?” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZcQszUj4Nhc )

Billie Eilish’s song “What Was I Made For?” powerfully shows Offred’s identity loss in The Handmaid’s Tale. In the song, Eilish says, “I used to float, now I just fall down,” which reflects Offred’s “fall” or big change from freedom to oppression under the rule of Gilead. As someone who was once independent, she is now only valued for her ability to bear children. An example of this is a quote from Chapter 23 where Offred says, “We are for breeding purposes.” Like Eilish’s lyric, “Looked so alive, turns out I’m not real,” Offred feels stripped of her humanity and belittled to a symbol of fertility. Both the song and the book explore how women are shaped into controlled versions of themselves, forced to hide emotions and individuality. The lyric “Something you made to look so perfect” almost mirrors Gilead’s illusion of perfection, which hides cruelty behind its harsh system. All the while, Offred reflects, “Better never means better for everyone.. It always means worse for some” (Chapter 32). Despite her numb feelings, Offred still longs for connection and freedom, which leaves her to quietly question her purpose. Like Eilish song, she yearns to remember who she once was, asking the same haunting question, “If I can’t be myself, what was I made for?”

Beyonce ft. Kendrick Lamar - “Freedom” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FWF9375hUA )

Beyoncé’s song “Freedom” powerfully reflects on the women’s desire for liberation in The Handmaid’s Tale. She sings, “Imma keep running, cause a winner don’t quit on themselves,” which, in a way, mirrors Offred’s quiet perseverance despite the constant control in Gilead. Like Beyonce’s message of resistance, Offred finds small ways to regain her power, such as remembering her past, making secret connections, and whispering forbidden words. When she reads “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum” (from chapter 9), she feels a sense of strength, empowerment, and purpose, refusing to be defeated. The lyric “Freedom, Freedom, I can’t move!” relates to Offred’s inner struggle. Her spirit wants to break free even though her body is trapped. Both Beyonce’s song and The Handmaid’s Tale book show how women continue to fight for hope and self worth, even in the time of oppression. Essentially, freedom becomes not just a goal, but an act of courage and survival.

Micheal Jackson - “They Don’t Care About Us” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFUvTE7TK6s )

Micheal Jackson’s song “They Don’t Care About Us” connects strongly to the themes of power and oppression in The Handmaid’s Tale. Jackson’s lyric “All I wanna say is that they don’t really care about us,” reflects how Gilead’s leaders claim to protect women, while actually dehumanizing them. The Handmaids are treated like property, valued only for their ability to reproduce. When Offred says, “We are for breeding purposes” (Chapter 23), she exposes how little the system values Handmaids as people. Michael Jackson’s anger towards injustice almost mirrors Offred’s quiet awareness that those in power use religion and control to excuse cruelty. The lyric “Beat me, hate me, you can never break me” mirrors Offred’s hidden courage, as she resists through memory and thoughts. Both the song and the book reveal how corrupt systems strip people of humanity and how courage begins with refusing to accept just any old circumstances.

Alicia Keys - “Caged Bird” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9_9XbUvfrA )

Alicia Keys’s “Caged Bird” captures the trapped but hopeful spirit of Offred in The Handmaid’s Tale. Keys sings “Right now, the world is such a crazy place,” which reflects Gilead’s sick society built on fear and control. Like the “bird” in the song, Offred is kept locked up and silenced, yet she dreams of freedom. Offred says “The door of the room– not my room, I refuse to say my – is not locked” (Chapter 17), showing her small mental rebellion against captivity. The caged bird song symbolizes Offred’s storytelling. It’s her way of keeping her spirit alive. Both Alicia Keys’s song and the book highlight that even in oppressive times, hope and memory can’t be fully taken away. Offred’s quiet resistance and desire to be heard and seen, mirrors the caged bird’s song for freedom.

Tink - “Treat Me Like Somebody” (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7HuiYBtoIhE )

Tink’s song “Treat Me Like Somebody” reflects Offred’s longing to be seen and valued as a human being rather than an object in The Handmaid’s Tale. Tink sings, “I just wanna be somebody to someone,” which connects to Offred’s deep desire for genuine love and recognition in a world that only values her for reproduction and treats her like property. When she reflects and says, “I want to be held and told my name. I want to be valued in ways that I am not” (Chapter 17), she reveals this craving for emotional connection and self-worth. Like Tink explains through her song, Offred wants more than a role; she wants to feel loved and seen. Her secret moments with Nick offer her tiny glimpses of humanity. Both the song and the book explore how women struggle to find identity and affection in systems and a world that reduces them to objects, longing to be treated like someone real, simply.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1lkN8VICuyYwRvK_fJUQ3GqJMJ1NDBVi0dJj3wq7TcJ8/edit?usp=sharing

In chapters 35-39 of The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood, I felt the weight of rebellion both as an outward and inward expression that was a dangerous gamble on the characters' lives. Offred's inner thoughts are where most of her resistance takes shape: in memories she refuses to surrender,  and in a way she measures time and names people in her head. These chapters push me to see rebellion not only as a dramatic refusal but as the slow accumulation of choices that refuse total submission. Especially when Offred recalls the past-shopping with Moira, sharing jokes with the other handmaids, or thinking about Nick, she is slowly reassembling a self that Gilead tries to erase; those recollections are a quiet rebellion. At the same time, outward acts, like the illicit conversations, furtive touches, and the risky physical contact Offred has had with the Commander, remind me that Gilead has degrees of rebellion. These physical connections can be seen as overt defiance because they insist on human needs that the regime pretends do not exist.

Reading these Chapters makes me compare rebellion in the book to how we treat dissent in the real world. In a lot of public discourse, rebellion is often portrayed as criminal or noble, depending on the perception you have. Rebellion can be a survival tactic, an emotional refuge, or a way to claim or reclaim dignity. Gilead's laws reduce every human impulse to political calculation; so when Offerd allows herself memory and curiosity, she enacts a politics of personhood. That resonates with modern realities where marginalized groups and individuals push back through language, and everyday refusal-subtle cultural shifts that don't always make the headlines but accumulate into larger change. In both the book and the world, rebellion meaning depends on perspective: rulers call it a threat; the oppressed call it necessary survival.


Now, as a young person, I recognize how easily our attempts to define ourselves and figure out who we are/want to be are labeled as rebellious. Chapters 35-39 of the novel map that misinterpretation in relief. Teenagers and young adults test boundaries to understand values and to practice autonomy; this process is frequently read as defiance rather than just exploration—Offred's small rebellions, reading, remembering, and making taboo connections. Adults often dismiss my questions or choices, seeing them as my teenage stubbornness, instead of seeing them as attempts to learn and understand. Similarly, Gilead's authority misreads human curiosity and intimacy as moral failures. I see how the novel urges the reader to recognize the developmental work of young people as rebellion.

Chapters 35-39 taught me that rebellion is as much about keeping your thoughts intact as it is about external actions. 

In the novel, “The Handmaid’s Tale” by Margaret Atwood, it dives into the many different themes of sexuality, gender norms, and power in which each type of person holds in Gilead. Offred, the handmaid of Commander Fred, and our author of the story, explains to the reader the ways in which she feels when the monthly ceremony is occurring and how her body adjusts to the circumstances she has no other choice but to endure or death will come her way. In chapter sixteen, Offred is representing to the readers ways in which the ceremonies are run and while she is participating in the ceremony, Offred gets into the way she feels about her position by saying,

“What he is fucking is the lowest part of my body. I do not say making love, because this is not what he’s doing. Copulating too would be inaccurate because it would imply two people and only one is involved. Nor does rape cover it: nothing is going on here that I haven’t signed up for.” (chapter 16)

In this description, the readers can understand that Offred doesn’t particularly enjoy the acts in the ceremony and does not want to call it “making love” because it isn’t passionate, but seems to have this idea that she has a “duty” and a “job” to get done that she signed up for so it makes it ok. However, how are we as readers supposed to read this and believe the same things that Offred seems to dilute her mind into believing?

When I first read this part, I was never able to grasp how she can explain that she was being raped (legally MIND YOU) but somehow making it seem so casual and how “it is what it is”. My own body had a slight chill to it, so uncomfortable by what I had just cast my eye over and almost shielded myself up to protect my own body from it, even though all I did was read it off the page. As a woman myself, it’s scary that even when I read that quote I had to think from my body’s perspective how that would feel. Unwanted intercourse is not only scary because you don’t want to do it, but you don’t have any say in which it goes. She could be in so much pain during it because she doesn’t have the power and voice to tell him, which any woman that has had to experience this could even say their breath is taken away because they are so scared for their lives that they become paralyzed. However, in the capital of Gilead, they believe it’s ok for women to experience this legally because they were born on this earth to give birth to those who really need their babies. This will affect Offred for the rest of her life as much as she wants to just shrug it off and cab really represent the realities in which women must experience rape without their consent, which is even scary that we could relate such an event to our present time.

Over the past couple of weeks since I had read that quote, the relationship actually between our author and her commander has increased into a liking relationship, with Offred sneaking over to his office every night to play games with him and talk to him with added gifts. Then more into a more romantic relationship where kissing and sex on their own time is done, of course done by commanders wants and desires. Comparing this back to our quote, I start to feel even more uncomfortable by the thoughts of them even being able to form an intimate relationship with everything they have to endure. You are having sex, that neither of them enjoy, during the ceremonies to create a child, you go your separate ways in the house, then you hang out together at the end of the day with each other like a couple of lovers? How could you say such a thing about your intercourse but then possibly create a sort of love thing for each other? I understand the fear that Offred has to experience when she goes to visit him and how the commander here is the one who started it all, but we start to read Offred falling for him and believing that she is his special maid. THAT is what the scary part of this connection is, falling for your legal rapist. His manipulation however could fool anyone, but our girl should know better, which I continued to still scream while finishing up this book. Where did this leave her? POSSIBLE death at the end, hopefully not though.

The idea of being to explain rape so causality and then proceed to create a loving relationship to one who does those acts to you is probably the most agonizing topic of this book and something that made this book so hard for me to finish. Every scene of those two talking about their connection, I felt sick to my stomach knowing what we know and every moment they tried to make cute between the two of them I couldn’t think as such.

The passage I chose to focus on from The Handmaid’s Tale is from Chapter 10, where Offred reflects on her mother and her mother’s feminist activism.

The text: “My mother was a poster for Planned Parenthood. She wore a button once to a dinner party. It was a fake fetus in a bottle with the words ‘you don’t want one of these in your womb.” My mother was a true believer. I remember the way she would talk about the revolution, the way her eyes would light up. Her voice will become urgent. She was always getting into trouble, always pushing boundaries. I used to be embarrassed by her, but now I see her differently.”

As I read this kind of hit with the complexity of Offred’s feelings towards her mom. On one side of the scale, she remembers her mother‘s passion and conviction, the way she would light up a room when talking about the revolution. This light of her mother is one of her strengths and characteristics of someone unafraid to challenge societal norms and push boundaries. On the other side of the scale, Offred also mentions being embarrassed by her mother’s activism, which kind of highlights that she struggled with expectations and pressure that came with being a child of a feminist pillar in a community. This text resonates with me on a level because it highlights the different aspects of relationship in which way that we see our parents and how they can shift overtime and as Offred reflect on her mom’s actions, she begins to see her in a new light as a strong and confident individual who is willing to take risk and fight for what she believes in this perspective, change is extreme in this book, especially when the oppression the regime gives and the pressure over it lives under where women’s bodies are controlled and picked apart every single day. This also makes me think about the theme of motherhood in the book, and in Gilead, motherhood is very twisted and kind of diluted, with women being forced into having kids and stripped of their rights. However, Offred’s memories of her mother serve as a turning point, highlighting the ways motherhood can be a source of taking back the empowerment that has been taken in this world. Her mother‘s activism or traits that Offred admires serve as a source of power in her oppressed world. This also highlights the tension between people and comfort, and comfortability over mom was a believer. Someone who refused to be put into a box of the societal norms that they live in, in contrast to it, on the other hand, handmaids were forced down into a box where the regulations of Gilead were the only way. This contrast between her and her mom can highlight how feminist progress can roll back into activism and resistance. I also see my emotional response to this passage, seeing Offred’s memories with her mom and how strong she could be as a feminist as a mother, it makes me think of my mom, who chose to continue with motherhood by herself, it makes me think about the importance of preserving memories and the activists who pave the way for future generations. This also made me think about how memory plays a very large part in our lives. Offred‘s mom‘s memory serves as a source of comfort and power. Still, it also highlights the realness of the human experience in the world, where memories can be so easily distorted or forgotten about, oh, it’s memories of her. Mom is a testament of strength and determination to get out of oppression. In the text, I put it at the top. It’s a quote where imagine a fake fetus in a bottle I feel as though that’s really powerful and highlights the importance of reproductive rights, and in the context of the Gilad, the handmaids are forced to wear red robes, symbolizing the regime’s reproductive ideology, and the image of the fetus in a bottle serves as a reminder of which way women’s bodies are controlled in in the Gilead. This passage has deepened my understanding of a novel’s theme and the characters that go into it, highlighting a lot of relationships between moms and daughters and the importance of preserving memories and history so feminist progress can be moved forward instead of backwards.

In chapter 18 of The Handmaid’s Tale, he feels alone and lonely. She is losing herself emotionally, physically, and mentally, her thoughts of Luke and losing people, say a lot about how I wanted to craft this portrait. I drew this portrait of her alone in a room, holding her belly. I used red and dark colors to come out as in this aspect because I think of this scene as sad and intense. The scene had to be offered. I wanted to show and be clear that she is a handmaid, so I made her in red. As she is forced to wear that color, this also shows everything that she is going through, the loneliness, the grief, and despair she feels from Luke.

The quote I want to surround my artwork is “ But this is wrong, nobody dies from lack of sex. It’s the lack of love we die from. There’s nobody here I can love, all the people I could love are dead or elsewhere.” I chose this quote because it shows how Offred is losing herself within the book. She is losing any type of love she once had. Between her daughter coming into an empty, lonely world, and not having a father figure. And losing the love of her life while still trying to dream up scenarios of them together.

When she said it’s a lack of love and everyone she could love, I thought about how I would be if I lost my mom or if I were trying to raise a child alone. I feel for her as she says this. It moved me. She is pregnant, and she was ripped off a loving, bright pregnancy, but instead, she is facing the cold, shut-out world. She is cut off from anyone she could love or trust in the world. In the book, we see a lot of hope and despair, and as I read this chapter, all I could think about is how she is in survival mode. But this is also connected to her growing up as a child and how she had freedom, and all the lost memories of her childhood. This is why I drew this scene like this, because I thought the quiet pen could drop and you would hear it. To the surrounding noise in her head, giving her hope.

This is why I drew black shading around her looking out a window in the rain. This symbolizes the environmental state of Gilead as to why she is trapped. Not just emotionally but physically, she is trapped as well. She can’t express herself or get a really good connection. I drew her by herself because I wanted to emphasize the isolation. I wanted her head down, looking to try not to cry from the weight she is carrying right now.

One of the big takeaways that I thought about from this book was that it offered me to face this alone. She still is huma,n and she has feelings. She is in a society that does not really support women; they just want to use their bodies. She is not just being used for her body, but she is fighting inner battles with herself that are killing her. This is all while carrying a child, so she needs more support than ever. That’s why I drew her baby, and she is just holding on to the last thing she loves and cares about. The one thing that’s keeping her sane.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/18g6dCSJQ4zzYeJMfcgymluc5Xsq3nP4vsEE_LGG5ooU/edit?usp=sharing

As I was reading “The Handmaid’s tale”there was so much going on that stood out to me. The book makes me think about how society can treat women and the relationship between women and men. One quote that caught my attention was “ We are the container, your task is to fill us.” It made me think about how women are often expected to fit into certain roles or meet certain expectations.

For example, women are often expected to manage the household, raise children, cook, clean, and care for family members. They’re often seen as primary caregivers, and their own needs and desires are secondary. This can mean that women have had to sacrifice their goals, dreams to take care of their family.

This expectation can be overwhelming and limiting. Women are often judged on their ability to multitask, manage the household, and care for their families, but they’re not always given the same opportunities as men to pursue their own goals and ambitions.

In “The Handmaid’s Tale” I see that in Gilead these expectations are taken to an extreme. Women are forced into reproductive servitude, and their bodies are controlled. They’re forced to wear uniforms, they are restricted to certain areas, and are punished if they don’t obey. These women in Gilead are treated like objects, not people. The quote “ The body is so easily damaged so easily disposed of” shows how little Gilead puts on women’s lives. Women Gilead are treated less than human, with no agency or autonomy over their women.

They’re not allowed to make their own choice or decision. They are oppressed and forced to conform to the rules of the patriarchal society that values their reproductive capabilities above all else. And also I’ve noticed that men often have certain expectations about women based on how they dress. If she wears something revealing, some men might think she’s looking for attention or that she’s “easy.” But if a woman dresses more conservatively, they might think she’s “uptight” or “prude.” It’s like, no matter what we wear, we’re going to be judged.

I’ve had friends tell me about experiences where they’ve been catcalled or harassed on the street, and it’s always because of what they’re wearing. It’s like, we are not allowed to make our own choices about our bodies. We are expected to conform to certain standards, and if we don’t, we are somehow asking for it. It’s victim- blaming, plain and simple.

The idea that “ A thing is valued only if it’s rare and hard to get” also resonated with me. In Gilead women are valued only for their ability to have children This is similar to how our current society often values women based on their physical appearance or how sexy a woman is. Women are often seen as objects, and their worth is determined by how they look or can do.

Also there’s been an epidemic of men killing their wives or girlfriends over suspicions of infidelity or because of the way they dressed. They don’t think women should dress that “Provokative” because that means they are doing it to “provoke” someone else. In some countries, laws and social norms perpetuate this kind of violence, making it difficult for women to seek for help or escape this abusive situation

Although women have more rights then what they had a few decades ago, their still limitation for women to do certain stuff. For example, in Afghanistan women are required to wear burqas, which covers their entire body, and these women are also often confined in their homes. They also face barriers in accessing a good education and employment. Without access to education and employment , women in Afghanistan are denied to opportunities, which makes them to be more dependent of a man

As we can see this expectation is very similar from current time to Gilead, they still have the same concept and same expectations but in different ways.

Honestly, I think it’s exhausting seeing women being judged and objectified everywhere. I feel like we’re constantly fighting for respect and equality, and I think that hard for every women to not take it personal or be scared to walk around alone

This book makes me wonder, how can we create a society where women are valued for who they are, not just their looks or abilities? How can we promote a culture that respects women’s choices and individuality?

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1RMoNSJBVNmuw-CFLdo3BYdel44fQh4XnbJ4ptCeKEa8/edit?usp=sharing

Far Away by Clara La San: As readers follow Offred’s life in Gilead, they learn that she has a young daughter who was captured while trying to escape America with her and Luke. Her daughter is the main character in many of her memories; she wonders if she remembers her, where she is and if she is even still alive. Later in the book, Serena becomes more eager to have a child so she proposes a solution: Offred has sex with another man to better her chances of getting pregnant in exchange for a picture of Offred’s daughter. Offred accepts the offer. “I take it from her… My treasure. So tall and changed… I am only a shadow now… You can see it in her eyes: I am not there” (Atwood 228). The song Far Away by Clara La San expresses a distant love such as what Offred is experiencing. “If I’m far away, I will prescribe you something, something to give you, the strength, my love” is a message to her daughter to motivate herself to stay strong for her.

Willing to Trust by Kid Cudi: The sexual encounters between Offred and the Commander were strictly professional until he requested to see her in person. As they spent more time together, he grew more of an emotional liking to her, asking her to kiss him like she meant it as a goodbye after seeing each other. She complies because she knows that he is the key to having a more comfortable life in Gilead but this does not mean that she feels the same way about him. One night he gives her an outfit to wear to the Club, a place in a hotel where men go to gawk at women. The Commander believed he was thoughtful as he took her to a hotel room to have sex: “‘I thought you might enjoy it for a chance”’(Atwood 254). Willing to Trust by Kid Cudi is a perfect song to describe his delusion of Offred truly enjoying their forced sex. “I’ve been willing to trust someone, Is this really love what it’s becomin’?” The Commander believes they have a connection when in reality, Offred is taking advantage of him to better her wellbeing in a living hell.

Palaces by Lupe Fiasco: Throughout the Handmaid’s Tale, there are numerous instances where the reader can see how Gilead uses objectification and manipulation to control its Handmaids. Janine, one of Offred’s peers, tells her story about being gang-raped at only fourteen years old at Testifying. Aunt Helena is then quick to demean her by saying, “But whose fault was it?” (Atwood 72) and making the other Handmaids chant, “Her fault, her fault, her fault…” (Atwood 72). Janine breaks down into tears. The next week she takes the initiative to repeat the words to herself, “It was my fault, she says. It was my own fault. I led them on. I deserved the pain.” (Atwood 72). Aunt Lydia and Aunt Helena know that by degrading yourself, you start to lose your identity, strength, and confidence. Lyrics from the song Palaces by Lupe Fiasco write, “We think we’re fortresses, made of stone, But we’re just palaces made out of flesh and bone, waiting for our time to come on home”. When Lupe says “home” he could be referring to heaven, or somewhere with God, in this context. I recognized these lines as something the handmaids say to themselves to break any mentality of rebelling.

Cool Grey 11s by Marlon Craft: Marlon Craft said, “Country of compulsion in a world of illusion”. As the new laws and new government began to take over, women were slowly stripped of their basic rights. It began with the army declaring a state of emergency but escalated to suspending the Constitution. People did not question anything that was happening, there were no protests,“There wasn’t even rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction” (Atwood 174). From firing all women from their jobs to forcing banks to transfer women’s earnings to their husbands. America quickly and easily folded into a life of inequality. While genuine Jewish people were able to escape to Israel because they were seen as special: “Sons of Jacob”, most, like Offred, attempted to escape through the Canadian border. Canada and Israel have not interfered with America’s new system. Why weren’t people questioning the government shutdown? Why didn’t other countries recognize the devastation? “Country of compulsion”.

Where did the day go by Wet: Living through the manipulation of Gilead is similar to moving through water: each day that goes by feels slow and endless to Offred. Readers often find her pondering her past but also her surroundings: “the shell of the egg is smooth but also grained; small pebbles of calcium are defined by the sunlight, like craters on the moon” (Atwood 110). If their minds haven’t broken yet, imagination is the only freedom the Handmaids have access to. Where did the day by Wet embodies their experience, “I see a field below, and when I’m feeling low, I open my eyes, and to my surprise, there’s no one inside, I never arrive”. These lyrics serve as a reminder that their fate lies within Gilead’s laws and traditions as it is nearly impossible to escape alive.

Far Away by Clara La San: As readers follow Offred’s life in Gilead, they learn that she has a young daughter who was captured while trying to escape America with her and Luke. Her daughter is the main character in many of her memories; she wonders if she remembers her, where she is and if she is even still alive. Later in the book, Serena becomes more eager to have a child so she proposes a solution: Offred has sex with another man to better her chances of getting pregnant in exchange for a picture of Offred’s daughter. Offred accepts the offer. “I take it from her… My treasure. So tall and changed… I am only a shadow now… You can see it in her eyes: I am not there” (Atwood 228). The song Far Away by Clara La San expresses a distant love such as what Offred is experiencing. “If I’m far away, I will prescribe you something, something to give you, the strength, my love” is a message to her daughter to motivate herself to stay strong for her.

Willing to Trust by Kid Cudi: The sexual encounters between Offred and the Commander were strictly professional until he requested to see her in person. As they spent more time together, he grew more of an emotional liking to her, asking her to kiss him like she meant it as a goodbye after seeing each other. She complies because she knows that he is the key to having a more comfortable life in Gilead but this does not mean that she feels the same way about him. One night he gives her an outfit to wear to the Club, a place in a hotel where men go to gawk at women. The Commander believed he was thoughtful as he took her to a hotel room to have sex: “‘I thought you might enjoy it for a chance”’(Atwood 254). Willing to Trust by Kid Cudi is a perfect song to describe his delusion of Offred truly enjoying their forced sex. “I’ve been willing to trust someone, Is this really love what it’s becomin’?” The Commander believes they have a connection when in reality, Offred is taking advantage of him to better her well being in a living hell.

Palaces by Lupe Fiasco: Throughout the Handmaid’s Tale, there are numerous instances where the reader can see how Gilead uses objectification and manipulation to control its Handmaids. Janine, one of Offred’s peers, tells her story about being gang-raped at only fourteen years old at Testifying. Aunt Helena is then quick to demean her by saying, “But whose fault was it?” (Atwood 72) and making the other Handmaids chant, “Her fault, her fault, her fault…” (Atwood 72). Janine breaks down into tears. The next week she takes the initiative to repeat the words to herself, “It was my fault, she says. It was my own fault. I led them on. I deserved the pain.” (Atwood 72). Aunt Lydia and Aunt Helena know that by degrading yourself, you start to lose your identity, strength, and confidence. Lyrics from the song Palaces by Lupe Fiasco write, “We think we’re fortresses, made of stone, But we’re just palaces made out of flesh and bone, waiting for our time to come on home”. When Lupe says “home” he could be referring to heaven, or somewhere with God, in this context. I recognized these lines as something the handmaids say to themselves to break any mentality of rebelling.

Cool Grey 11s by Marlon Craft: Marlon Craft said, “Country of compulsion in a world of illusion”. As the new laws and new government began to take over, women were slowly stripped of their basic rights. It began with the army declaring a state of emergency but escalated to suspending the Constitution. People did not question anything that was happening, there were no protests,“There wasn’t even rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction” (Atwood 174). From firing all women from their jobs to forcing banks to transfer women’s earnings to their husbands. America quickly and easily folded into a life of inequality. While genuine Jewish people were able to escape to Israel because they were seen as special: “Sons of Jacob”, most, like Offred, attempted to escape through the Canadian border. Canada and Israel have not interfered with America’s new system. Why weren’t people questioning the government shutdown? Why didn’t other countries recognize the devastation? “Country of compulsion”.

Where did the day go by Wet: Living through the manipulation of Gilead is similar to moving through water: each day that goes by feels slow and endless to Offred. Readers often find her pondering her past but also her surroundings: “the shell of the egg is smooth but also grained; small pebbles of calcium are defined by the sunlight, like craters on the moon” (Atwood 110). If their minds haven’t broken yet, imagination is the only freedom the Handmaids have access to. Where did the day by Wet embodies their experience, “I see a field below, and when I’m feeling low, I open my eyes, and to my surprise, there’s no one inside, I never arrive”. These lyrics serve as a reminder that their fate lies within Gilead’s laws and traditions as it is nearly impossible to escape alive.

Far Away by Clara La San: As readers follow Offred’s life in Gilead, they learn that she has a young daughter who was captured while trying to escape America with her and Luke. Her daughter is the main character in many of her memories; she wonders if she remembers her, where she is and if she is even still alive. Later in the book, Serena becomes more eager to have a child so she proposes a solution: Offred has sex with another man to better her chances of getting pregnant in exchange for a picture of Offred’s daughter. Offred accepts the offer. “I take it from her… My treasure. So tall and changed… I am only a shadow now… You can see it in her eyes: I am not there” (Atwood 228). The song Far Away by Clara La San expresses a distant love such as what Offred is experiencing. “If I’m far away, I will prescribe you something, something to give you, the strength, my love” is a message to her daughter to motivate herself to stay strong for her.

Willing to Trust by Kid Cudi: The sexual encounters between Offred and the Commander were strictly professional until he requested to see her in person. As they spent more time together, he grew more of an emotional liking to her, asking her to kiss him like she meant it as a goodbye after seeing each other. She complies because she knows that he is the key to having a more comfortable life in Gilead but this does not mean that she feels the same way about him. One night he gives her an outfit to wear to the Club, a place in a hotel where men go to gawk at women. The Commander believed he was thoughtful as he took her to a hotel room to have sex: “‘I thought you might enjoy it for a chance”’(Atwood 254). Willing to Trust by Kid Cudi is a perfect song to describe his delusion of Offred truly enjoying their forced sex. “I’ve been willing to trust someone, Is this really love what it’s becomin’?” The Commander believes they have a connection when in reality, Offred is taking advantage of him to better her well being in a living hell.

Palaces by Lupe Fiasco: Throughout the Handmaid’s Tale, there are numerous instances where the reader can see how Gilead uses objectification and manipulation to control its Handmaids. Janine, one of Offred’s peers, tells her story about being gang-raped at only fourteen years old at Testifying. Aunt Helena is then quick to demean her by saying, “But whose fault was it?” (Atwood 72) and making the other Handmaids chant, “Her fault, her fault, her fault…” (Atwood 72). Janine breaks down into tears. The next week she takes the initiative to repeat the words to herself, “It was my fault, she says. It was my own fault. I led them on. I deserved the pain.” (Atwood 72). Aunt Lydia and Aunt Helena know that by degrading yourself, you start to lose your identity, strength, and confidence. Lyrics from the song Palaces by Lupe Fiasco write, “We think we’re fortresses, made of stone, But we’re just palaces made out of flesh and bone, waiting for our time to come on home”. When Lupe says “home” he could be referring to heaven, or somewhere with God, in this context. I recognized these lines as something the handmaids say to themselves to break any mentality of rebelling.

Cool Grey 11s by Marlon Craft: Marlon Craft said, “Country of compulsion in a world of illusion”. As the new laws and new government began to take over, women were slowly stripped of their basic rights. It began with the army declaring a state of emergency but escalated to suspending the Constitution. People did not question anything that was happening, there were no protests,“There wasn’t even rioting in the streets. People stayed home at night, watching television, looking for some direction” (Atwood 174). From firing all women from their jobs to forcing banks to transfer women’s earnings to their husbands. America quickly and easily folded into a life of inequality. While genuine Jewish people were able to escape to Israel because they were seen as special: “Sons of Jacob”, most, like Offred, attempted to escape through the Canadian border. Canada and Israel have not interfered with America’s new system. Why weren’t people questioning the government shutdown? Why didn’t other countries recognize the devastation? “Country of compulsion”.

Where did the day go by Wet: Living through the manipulation of Gilead is similar to moving through water: each day that goes by feels slow and endless to Offred. Readers often find her pondering her past but also her surroundings: “the shell of the egg is smooth but also grained; small pebbles of calcium are defined by the sunlight, like craters on the moon” (Atwood 110). If their minds haven’t broken yet, imagination is the only freedom the Handmaids have access to. Where did the day by Wet embodies their experience, “I see a field below, and when I’m feeling low, I open my eyes, and to my surprise, there’s no one inside, I never arrive”. These lyrics serve as a reminder that their fate lies within Gilead’s laws and traditions as it is nearly impossible to escape alive.

Lit Log #2 - The city of confliction

This piece of art, titled The City of Confliction is my attempt at a visual representation of a section of the book The Handmaid’s Tale, by Margaret Atwood. It features a tall cityscape from the perspective of somebody standing on the ground, looking up. There are red or blue details on the buildings depending on where you look, and in the background flames are rising tall above the buildings, contrasting against an oddly calm, blue sky. The scene from the book I chose to base my artwork off of was the Manhattan cleanup, a riot/protest of sorts, where pro-Gilead radicals took to Times Square, burning, destroying, and denouncing people and things they saw unfit for their ideal society. They burnt clothes and humiliated those responsible for their design and manufacture.

My scene of Times Square isn’t exactly as-seen in the book or TV series, as I chose to take liberties to include details and symbols that elevate this from simply a visual piece, to a proper representation with symbolic meanings all throughout. I stayed on-script with the major details. I kept the buildings that are actually in Times Square, using a reference picture to stay fairly realistic with those depictions. Beyond that, almost every choice has a meaning behind it.

The most obvious symbol included is the red and blue contrasting colours, seen all throughout the scene. The colours both represent one side of the story, red being Gilead and blue being the resistance. (whether Mayday, or just individual acts of resistance. All rebellion is included in it) The colours are mostly split down the middle, with the buildings on the left emitting a red light from their windows showing Gilead occupation, and the right being blue to show the rebels residence. This is also furthered by the signage on the buildings, with the tall pointy building on the right depicting the word “MAYDAY,” which is the name of the major rebel group in The Handmaid’s Tale, and the end of the word “Gilead” (seen as “-EAD”) can be seen on the shorter building on the far left. The tallest building is the one in the middle, which is split half and half between Gilead and the rebels. The billboards that line the building all show half red and half blue. This isn’t just to show their coexistence, but also their constant battle. Both parties are always fighting for control and/or freedom, and the mixed signals on the signage shows this conflict.

On the tallest Gilead occupied building, you can see that it is labeled with “Shein.” During the Manhattan cleanup, the primary item that got burned was clothing. To allude to this, I showed that Gilead occupied the former Shein building, and turned it into one of their own. This isn’t only a surface level reference, but also a way of showing how when Gilead wants something gone or changed, they will use force, violence, and manipulation to get it done. Some of the windows on the Shein building shine blue, despite it being supposed to be owned by Gilead. This is to once again show more rebellion, and to show how even when under Gilead control, rebellion and hope can still exist for all of those who want to break free.

In the background, the flames that burn high are a literal representation of the fires and arson that occurred during the Manhattan cleanup in the book and TV show, but also another representation of Gilead vs rebels. The flames burn high into the sky, taller than any real fire could reach, yet no visual destruction is apparent. No burnt buildings, no smoke. Even the sky is clear. This is indicative of Gilead occupation. They keep a good image, wearing nice clothes and residing in well-made buildings. They are concerned with their public image, keeping many secrets, like the full extent of what happens to handmaids. Yet despite this well kept look, they are a terrible force, causing pain and destruction both emotionally and physically everywhere they control.

The contrasting blue sky is the final important symbol, which holds similar meaning to the billboards earlier. Even in the flames of Gilead’s control, rebellion and resistance will still exist, shining bright above their struggles.

I know I spelled Shien wrong. Too late

For my visual representation I choose to highlight a moment between Offred and the commander. Throughout the last couple of chapters we see their moments of them playing scrabble, reading, writing, talking and other experiences. My piece of artwork highlights their scrabble games. Using my creativity I choose to have them in either element of emotion rather than the actual scene. To show what is in their minds as they have their intimate meetings. While we can’t actually know, I can infer the mental state of both Offred and the commander.

I made very specific artistic choices while creating this. To start I have the commander with his back facing to Offred, this shows the complicated relationship between them. Even though this is rather unusual for a commander and a handmaid to have these private moments they continue to do so. The bubble above his head shows his thoughts of Offred. His enjoyment of the time they spend together and her as an individual rather than her as a handmaid. It’s a confusing feeling which is why he stands with his arms crossed. Across the room is offered. While we know she never actually lays on the floor with her head buried in her knees I made her in this position to signify her upset feelings towards the whole situation, her emotions as a handmaid and being this new version of herself. In the bubble above her head we see the name Luke. In all this time they spend together Offred can’t help but just think of Luke. Where he might be, their memories together, their child together and him as she can’t forget their love. On the floor between the two we can see scattered prices of scrabble. The game the two of them play together. The reason I scattered it was to signify the unwillingness to want to play on Offred’s part. How she doesn’t enjoy it like he does and how she wishes to be freed of this isolating life. It’s confusing for both of them. The game is nothing but an object in their unique relationship. It doesn’t signify any fun. That is the reason for that chosen element in my art work. Finally I drew a window behind Offred. I don’t know for sure the layout of this room. Although I added this to represent the distance between the outside work of nature and fun and the house she finds herself always in. The wanted feeling of freedom lingers behind her. The path of stones is to be seen in the Commander’s Wives garden.

The reason I choose this scene is because as I read these moments between them tend to stick out to me. In a world full of confusion, despair, mayhem it is easy to get lost in a small down to earth moment. To me I see the commander as not a bad guy. It’s easy to see him as the villain but we can see guilt he carries for the role Offred was put in. These moments they spend together I believe relieve him of the guilt. We don’t get to see many one on one moments between any two characters for long periods of time. Although with these two it has made me confused and curious to how this will turn out. Whether they will continue to have time together or not. The confusion on if either party truly likes one another in a friendship sense or if the commander feels more. I enjoy reading to see the development between these two characters and not in a sense of romance but to wonder why all the sudden he is curious about Offred and why he is so open to her being more than just a handmaid but a companion.

These two photos are from a park near my house. I took these photos because of the relation I noticed to The Handmaid’s Tale. When first looking at them, it may not look like they have much relation to the book. These two photos don’t represent a specific moment or scene from the book. Rather, they represent the whole book. The photos show freedom and privilege. Two things that Offred and the other handmaids don’t have in Gilead. If you take a deep look at the photos, you can notice a handful of ordinary things that women in Gilead don’t have. In the photo on the right, the first thing that I notice is the woman riding a bike in the right center of the frame. That alone is something that would get you in trouble in Gilead. All she is doing is outside by herself, but in Gilead, that is something that people wish they were able to do. If you look closer at that photo, you can see a man and a woman walking together behind the flowers. This is another basic thing that you don’t think about that wouldn’t be allowed in Gilead. Everywhere you look, you can see something that would get you in trouble if you were living in Gilead. You can see even more of this in the photo on the left. This is just a photo of an ordinary day on a playground, but if it were Gilead, none of this would be happening. The first thing I would like to point out in the photo is on the left, behind a light pole. There is a mother with two children in a stroller. The first thing is that she is allowed to have children that are hers, and she is allowed to keep them. She is also able to take them outside and spend time with them. Something that seems so simple, but isn’t allowed in Gilead. All of these things are things that Offred dreams about. She is constantly wishing for her old life back. She is always thinking about old things that we see every day and don’t even think twice about them. Something as simple as going for a bike ride or spending time with your kids is a luxury that Offred had been taken away from her. Offred is also thinking about her old family. Her daughter and Luke. She is thinking about the life she wanted with them, and what she wants is so simple. She just wants to have a normal life. Have a house and a family. “Luke and I used to walk together, sometimes, along these streets. We used to talk about buying a house like one of these, an old big house, fixing it up. We would have a garden, swings for the children. We would have children. Although we knew it wasn’t too likely we could ever afford it, it was something to talk about, a game for Sundays. Such freedom now seems almost weightless,”(23).

The Ceremony scene in The Handmaid’s Tale reveals how ritual can become a form of control. Atwood builds a moment that feels calm on the surface, but is full of quiet terror. My first reaction to this passage was discomfort, then an after, a kind of numbness. The emotional shift mirrors what Offred feels in the book. Reading it, I understood how Gilead’s power doesn’t rely only on violence. It relies on repetition, silence, and forced participation.
Offred describes the setting with plain observation. “My red shoes are off, my legs are on the bed, spread open, and the Commander is fucking” (pg. 94). The flatness of this sentence hit me; there is no emotional word. No protest, no metaphor. It’s written the way a person describes a task. That lack of feeling is what makes it so hard to read. Offred is detached because feeling would make the act unbearable. The state has made her body public property, so she protects what little remains of herself by refusing to feel. That is survival disguised as obedience.
When I read this line, I felt the tension of the scene. The Commander’s wife, Serena Joy, sits with Offred and holds her hands during the act. Atwood writes, “Serena Joy’s rings glitter near my face, her perfume thick and sweet” (Page 95). The image of glitter and perfume contrasts with the violence of what’s happening. That detail stuck with me. It shows how Gilead turns cruelty into a ritual. Everything is dressed up to look holy decent. I thought about how control often hides behind ceremony in the real world. When rules are wrapped in tradition, people stop questioning them. That is what happens in Gilead. The scene is quiet. There is no struggle, no shouting. Everyone plays a part. Offred lies still. Serena grips her hands. The Commandeer finishes and leaves. It feels mechanical. The silence is the loudest thing in the chapter. Offred says, “One detaches oneself. One describes” (Page 96). That line explains how she survives. She steps outside herself; she becomes the narrator instead of actually being in the scene. My reaction changed as I reread the scene. The first time, I was shocked by the act. The second time, I paid more attention to Offred’s thoughts afterward. She says, “We are two-legged wombs, that’s all: sacred vessels, ambulatory chalices.” (Page 136). That word choice is very brutal and specific. It reduces women to objects. But the sarcasm in her tone matters. She knows the system’s language but uses it with irony. That irony is her defense. She understands the lie but pretends to accept it. In the middle of the chapter, there is a moment that also shows how Offred is managing this oppression. She says, “Nor does rape cover it: nothing is going on here that I haven’t signed up for. There wasn’t a lot of choice, but there was some, and this is what I chose” (Page 94). She recognizes the limited control she has but asserts ownership of her actions. The phrase “there wasn’t a lot of choice” shows the pressure Gilead places on women; the system limits options and forces compliance. The phrase “this is what I chose” emphasizes her effort to maintain autonomy within those limits. Even small decisions become meaningful in a system designed to erase them. Offred weighs risk, emotion, and appearance to protect her inner life. This line also illustrates the complexity of consent under pressure. Offred acknowledges that the act is not freely desired, yet she claims responsibility for how she endures it. Gilead does not need violence to control women; it requires compliance framed as consent. Atwood shows that survival demands compromise and calculation. Reading this passage, I felt the tension between helplessness and control. I noticed how Offred’s observation of her own participation is a form of resistance. She frames her experience as a choice, even though she was constrained; it allows her to preserve a sense of self that the system seeks to destroy. At the end of the scene, Offred retreats to her room as she says, “Nolite te bastardes caborundorum.” The phrase, meaning “Don’t let the bastards grind you down,” is secret resistance. It shows survival is sometimes internal and quiet. Every sentence she writes proves she exists, observes, and thinks. That inner voice becomes her power. Reading the Ceremony scene, especially lines like the one about her limited choice, changed how I understood the novel. Gilead is built on the absence of feeling, yet Offred retains control through observation, reflection, and private decisions. Her calm voice and awareness form the subtle acts of resistance that keep her self intact. The quietness, routine, and constrained choice make the world believable and terrifying. Offred’s survival depends on small acts of mental autonomy, a reminder that even in extreme oppression, individuals find ways to assert themselves.

When I first read Chapter 23 of The Handmaid’s Tale, I didn’t expect such a quiet scene, just Offred and The Commander playing Scrabble, to affect everything so deeply. The more I thought about this chapter, the more unsettling it became. This chapter is not dramatic in the usual sense: no chases, no violence, no public Ceremony. But for me, it became one of the most emotionally charged moments in the book. Atwood uses small gestures and ordinary words to expose the terrifying connection between power and language. My emotional experience with this scene moved from curiosity, to discomfort and to an awareness of how fragile freedom really is, especially the freedom to remember who we are.

Offred’s narration begins with a quiet shock: “I want to laugh, shriek with laughter, fall off my chair” (Atwood Page 138). The Commander has just invited her to play Scrabble, an act that would seem harmless in any normal world. But in Gilead, words are contraband, and literacy for women is forbidden. What struck me here was how physical Offred’s reaction is. Her laughter isn’t joy. As a reader, I felt the tension between her desire to act freely and her fear of being punished for it. When she writes, “I can feel the laughter inside me, like a bubble,” I imagine the pressure she’s holding inside. My own reaction was confusion mixed with dread. Why is this simple act so dangerous? And yet, why does it feel almost sacred?

As the scene unfolds, Offred’s awareness of the past mixes with the awkwardness of the present. “Now of course it’s something he can use against me, later if he chooses”(Page 139). Here, I felt myself recoil. What seems like a human connection, a man offering a woman to play a game, is actually built on a threat. Offred knows every interaction can be used as leverage. I started to realize how Atwood blurs the line between affection and control, making it impossible to know whether intimacy in Gilead is ever real. My emotional response shifted from curiosity to unease. I wanted to trust the commander’s gesture, but Offred’s inner voice reminds me not to: “He looks like a midwestern bank manager, but he’s not.” That line, quiet as it is, made me pause. Offred’s ironic tone, the way she reduces him to a type, becomes her only form of resistance. It’s language used for survival

I also found myself haunted by how much memories show through this scene. As Offred recalls life “in the time before,” she says, “We used to exchange jokes, with the man in the bar, with strangers. We were a society dying of too much choice” (P 140). I remember rereading that line and feeling both fascinated and uncomfortable. “Too much choice”, it’s such a bitter paradox. Offred recognizes how the past had its own kind of emptiness, carelessness with freedom. When I first read it, I felt a sting of recognition. I thought about how we take our own choices for granted. Atwood doesn’t just criticize Gilead here, She criticizes and critiques complacency. This made me feel uneasy because it felt directed towards me living in a world that still struggles with power and control(mostly race).

The Scrabble game itself becomes a metaphor for rebellion through memory. Each word Offred spells “Valance,” “zygote” feels like an act of resistance(P 141). I love how Atwood chooses words that are reproductive and domestic, echoing the world Offred has been reduced to. I noticed how the language becomes: “The letters feel like dried out bones under my fingers”(P 142). That image stopped me. Bones and remains symbolize what’s left of the old world. I felt grief and admiration at the same time. Offred isn’t just touching wooden tiles; she’s touching a ghost of her past identity. For me, this is one of Atwood’s most powerful moments. A scene that turns something as mundane as a board game into a confrontation with history.

When the Commander tells her, “You can’t cheat fate,” and she replies, “Maybe you can,”(P 143) I felt a sense of triumph. It’s one of the only times in the novel where Offred pushes back. Yet it’s also heartbreaking that her rebellion takes place in whispers, in private, within the walls of a man’s study

By the end of the scene, I felt hollow. Offred’s final reflection, “I want to steal something… It would make me feel like I have power”(P 144) stayed with me. I understood that this wasn’t about scrabble or about the commander. It was about reclaiming the self in a world determined to erase it.

Black Hole Sun - Soundgarden “Black Hole Sun” is a very nihilistic song, which is fitting for Gilead, as it’s a country seemingly gone insane. The songs yearning for death sit in Offred’s entality. “ Black Hole Sun, won’t you come and wash away the rain?” The downbeat locals and bodies a world in which hope has been exterminated and replaced with apathy. Offred feels this in her bones.“I am like a room where things once happened and now nothing does, except the pollen of the weeds that grow up outside the window, blowing in as dust across the floor.” (18,104) She has become a machine, mindlessly doing her tasks, devoid of all emotion other than a permanent feeling of discomfort and abandonment. Just like this son, she sees their only way in which she sees her story ending, that being the inevitable death that all handmaids will inevitably experience, the death of their usefulness.

Song 33 - Noname Gilead is nearly identical to Noname’s Song 33. The song is spoken over a jazz hip-hop beat. Noname calls out the world for its ignorance of this violence again and again; she sees more and more people like her go missing or be murdered outright. “They’ve removed anything you could tie a rope to.” (1,7) Her dark tone as she repeats herself, appalled by the violence and the indifference of the people around her, is nearly identical to how the book depicts Gilead. Noname can’t after every verse shows the cyclical nature of the violence that she is seeing, the spoken word style of her rapping makes it all the more similar to OfOffred’s relentlessness in the world in which she must face the violence inflicted on her every day.

Watching him fade away - Mac DeMarco The hazy guitar loop, muffled vocals, and nostalgic tone of Mac DeMarco’s “Watching him fade away” perfectly fit into Gilead’s atmosphere of a bitter new world, having this way from the Bittersweet world remembered by Offred in the before times. The detached sadness mirrors Offred’s quiet surrender as the memories of the before times are slowly drowned out, not by what is inflicted on her but by the simple and mundane memories and routines. The song’s lack of climax parallels how Gilead strips the past of emotion and vividness. Throughout the song Mac DeMarc expresses his displeasure with the person that is singing about but he also realizes that part of him still hurt that he is gone “I know you never meant to put him down. And even if you did, he sure deserved it” if you substitute “ him” As America’s system of patriarchy, and this song is very close to ow Offred els in Gilead. America’s patriarchy was destroyed and replaced with one unimaginably worse. Where did you sleep last night - Lead Belly There’s a cold danger to Lead Belly’s “Where did you sleep last night?” The song feels like the lead-up to a horror movie. The question he asked is concerned as to reveals hell dark and dangerous the Pines are. Eventuallyrevealing that there was a body found in the woods. The song mirrors the darkness of Gilead and the dangers of breaking the rules. Offred’s private meetings, Scrabble games, and cigarettes with the commander aren’t intimacy. It’s Danger dressed as privilege. When he asks, “Where did you sleep last night?” it’s out of concern, as the forest is only filled with darkness and danger. The commander performs politeness and benevolence, but both of them know that he has the power to send her to the gallows. When she finally realizes that she is only a doll to the commander too late.

Which side are you on?- Pete Seeger

Throughout the story, Offred is given a choice: compliance or death. Gilead is terrified by the disloyalty of its citizens, so it uses secret police to disappear anyone who speaks against the government’s totalitarian and rabidly paternalistic policies. Offred’s whispers have become her only protest: “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum”(9,52) (Don’t let the bastards grind you down). The folk-protest classic “Which Side Are You On?” It is very similar as it is a song meant to resist the ruling class, although in Gilead, the ruling men and not the Capital owners. The pride and survivalism are clear in both the song and the quote as both regard the ruling class as being in the way of dragging them down and ontologically evil, while uplifting the people.

“Temprest” Deftones: This song is not a light-hearted song. It’s slow and dramatic, and aggressive in a way. The guitar gives it an edge to it and a darker theme. This song reminded me of how Offred dissociates during the ceremony and, in general, to escape her true feelings about her world, and to keep it all down to avoid trouble. The song says “Lay there, stare at the ceiling, and switch back to your time.” It reminds me of how Offred dissociates during the ceremonies, separating herself from her physical body. She just stares at the ceiling while thinking about anything. “I’d like to be taken apart from the inside, then spit through the cycle, right to the end.” They’re trapped in a cycle built to exploit them. The government tries to brainwash the girls into thinking this is the right way, so they want to keep continuing.

“Shameless” Camilla Cabello: This song describes the powerful tension between two people, and how hard it is to resist. Immediately, this reminded me of Nick and Offred, and the unspoken bond between them. They’re human, and that’s not good for Gilead. “My emotions are naked they’re taking me out of my mind,” I believe this lyric portrays how the intimacy is forbidden, so offred not used to the feeling. Offred isn’t used to feeling that kind of connection. I think this song would play when he sees her standing by her window. “Distance inches in between us, I want you to give in, I want you to give in. weakness, tension in between us, I just wanna give in, and I don’t care if I’m forgiven.” This lyric reminds me of the glance Nick offred share. “Nick. We look at each other. I have to rise to toss, he has no lute. But it’s the same kind of hunger, which I can’t indulge.” (192) They both feel the tension and connection between them, and they both know it’s wrong, which makes it harder to resist.

“Tourniquet” Evanescence: The fast pace and intensity of this song express the anxiety and fear offred has about seeing Luke again, and wondering where he is. The song perfectly expresses this feeling. “Do you remember me? Lost for so long, Will you be on the other side? Or will you forget me?” I picked this song because it shows the distressed emotional side of her she is forbidden to express. “Does he know I’m here, alive, that I’m thinking about him? I have to believe so.” (105) She asks herself very similar questions as the song lyrics; she is desperately trying to comfort herself in a way. There’s also the religious aspect in this song too, “I’m dying, praying, bleeding, and screaming. Am i too lost to be saved, am i too lost? My god my tourniquet, return to me salvation.” In Gilead they use religion to control the women in a way, and i think this lyric symbolizes the lack of hope she has left.

“Prayers/Triangle” Deftones: The lyrics in this song are intense and about power and similar themes. I thought this would be perfect for The Handmaid’s Tale. “Prayers laid on the line, you will never be free. You will never be free, I’m a true slave to the fire and the air around you.” This reminds me of how the women are bound to their oppressive rules and the religion that’s been created. How she feels like she desperately needs to escape, and how the girls are so deep into the system they can’t express their humanity. They cant even walk outside wearing normal clothing, everything is restricted, everything is a reconstruction.

1) Blood Sweat Tears Revenge- Kodak Black

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z89gOZ0oOEY

“I done lost a lot of friends, shed plenty tears Could’ve hung me by my throat and cut my fucking ears Stay solid, had to do my bid, now I’m here”

Both the title and lyrics within this song connect to The Handmaid’s Tale in various ways. To begin, the line about losing friends and shedding tears mimics Offred’s time in Gilead, where nearly everything was taken away from her, whether it be friends, family, or possessions. This line shows Offred’s profound sense of loss and isolation within the state of Gilead.

The second line illustrates the physical and mental torment that the handmaidens have to endure. The line about hanging by the throat echoes themes from The Handmaid’s Tale, where many handmaids chose to take their own lives to escape Gilead. Additionally, this whole line sums up the violence inflicted on the handmaids, whether it be torture for misconduct or violence in ritual.

The last line about staying solid directly relates to the endurance of the handmaids and their ability to persevere in this harsh environment. Offred is the embodiment of resilience within Gilead as she navigates the oppression without giving in.

2) No surprises-Radiohead

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5CVsCnxyXg

“A job that slowly kills you Bruises that won’t heal You look so tired, unhappy Bring down the government They don’t, they don’t speak for us.”

These specific lyrics connect to the many themes in The Handmaid’s Tale. The first section of the song connects to the demeaning job of the handmaiden, as their role in Gilead is to bear children. This job represents the handmaids’ physical and emotional degradation because of their unjust role in society.

The next lines, “Bruises that won’t heal” and “You look so tired, unhappy,” illustrate the physical and emotional toll that their lives take on them. These lyrics also describe their feelings of general unhappiness, as Gilead’s laws make their lives rather unbearable.

The last 2 lyrics were my personal favorite from this song, as these lines symbolize both rebellion and individuality. These lyrics represent the overall disdain for the state of Gilead. I also like how these lyrics can mirror individual characters from the book. As an example, the character Moira symbolizes rebellion and hope for the handmaidens, just as the lyrics do.

3) Stop trying to be god-Travis Scott

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YqvCptqhHfs

“Stop tryna be God Almighty (Hm) Fuck the money, never leave your people behind, yeah It’s never love, no matter what you try Still can see it comin’ down your eyes Cause they did not create commandments.”

This is another song where both the lyrical content and title mimic themes from the Handmaid’s Tale book. The title and first line of the song are “Stop trying to be god”. These four simple words represent the handmaid’s disdain for Gilead and those in power as they bestow an almost god-like complex in their way of controlling others. Those in power control over everyone in Gilead with almost god-like power. However, this lyric directly represents the Handmaid’s wish for Gilead to “Stop trying to be god.”

The second line shows how Gilead betrayed the people within its society. The line about leaving your people behind you is exactly what Gilead did as they created an extremely unjust system that negatively affected the women within it. While Gilead didn’t do this for money, as said in the lyric, it did this for power, which can be attributed to money.

The next line symbolizes the relationships and emotions of the people in Gilead. It has been made clear throughout the book that there is a clear lack of both love and emotion within the oppressive state of Gilead. This lyric shows how hard it is to find love within Gilead. We have seen direct examples of this from Offred as she and the other handmaidens are forbidden from having those kinds of emotions.

The last line about commandments is a testament to the unjust laws and morals of Gilead. While Gilead does have religious commandments, they are harmful and only benefit those in power.

4) Breath In The Air-Pink Floyd https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jcz0YxYl6Ac

“Long you live and high you fly Smiles you’ll give and tears you’ll cry And all you touch and all you see Is all your life will ever be

Run, rabbit, run Dig that hole, forget the sun When, at last, the work is done Don’t sit down, it’s time to dig another one

Long you live and high you fly But only if you ride the tide”

These 3 verses were intentionally broken up as their lyrical content represents a different theme in The Handmaid’s Tale. The first verse symbolizes the bland reality in which the handmaids dwell. This lyric that says “all you touch and all you see is all your life will ever be” connects to the Handmaid’s life as a whole. The handmaids are subjected to a very oppressive society where they are constantly controlled. This line shows how the handmaids are permanently stuck in Gilead and that this was going to be their reality forever.

The next verse represents rebellion and the constant strain of life in Gilead. The lyric about a rabbit running and digging a hole connects to Moira’s attempt at escaping this regime. The following lyrics tell us not to sit down and to continue digging. This mirrors the constant labor that handmaids have to endure as they have to keep on digging to survive. The last verse of this song stuck out to me because of how blatantly they connect to the major themes in The Handmaid’s Tale. ¨Long you live and high you fly,” these lyrics preach long life and flying high, which is the life promised to the handmaids by Gilead. However, this promise will only come through if you “ride the tide, ” referring to the handmaids being controlled and forced to fit a certain standard.

5) Nutshell- Alice in Chains

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kq9MBnX00hs

“We chase misprinted lies We face the path of time And yet I fight, and yet I fight

This battle all alone No one to cry to No place to call home¨

This song is packed to the brim with lyrics that are intertwined with The Handmaid’s Tale. The first verse is about chasing lies, which is a theme that I have noticed throughout the book. We see that Gilead tends to misinform and lie to its subjects, constantly keeping them in the dark. The following line about the path of time refers to the handmaid’s limited time left in Gilead, as they could be deemed infertile and would be forced to go to the colonies. The last line in this verse represents the perseverance of the handmaids despite the restraints of this society.

The next verse represents the isolation experienced by the handmaidens. We have seen throughout the book that the handmaidens have almost no one to call a friend and have to deal with this reality on their own. Despite Offred making some friends, most of the battles she fights are fought alone without any help from others. The last line symbolizes Offred’s loss of self-identity as the place she had once called home was abruptly stripped away from her.

With the beginning of the end (senior year) coming around, whether we want it to or not, it becomes harder and harder to run away from the…..c word. Applying to college is something most young adults fear, the fear of trying to sum up the purpose of our life and your efforts into a few boxes is consuming. As we know, SAT scores and our grade point averages play a significant role in the school we get admitted to. Yet I don’t think enough people talk about the toll these submissions can have on not only your academic confidence but your overall sense of self-worth. We are taught that the numbers we work oh so hard far, will open doors, and push us to achieve our dreams, but no one told us about what happens when our results have us questioning our worth. It is without a doubt that each student has poured countless hours into their school work, yet with the competition becoming harder each day, and constant lowering of acceptance rates, it would be easy for admissions offices to look past all of our efforts. “I don’t want to look at something that determines me so completely.”(pg 173) This quote from The Handmaid’s Tale, when Offred reflects on her own powerlessness, captures exactly how I feel when I see my test scores. Our worth is so much more than what numbers can represent. There is no world in which a human being—who they are and what they stand for—can be truly seen through numbers alone. What these numbers actually show us, specifically the SATs, is how long we can focus for. This had never been pointed out to me until I began my SAT tutoring, when I realized that my ADHD was going to affect not only my preparation for the test, but the outcome itself. Just as Gilead sorts people into handmaids, commanders, and marthas, our system creates its own rigid categories: the “1600 SAT score” students and the “4.0 GPA” students. The systematic process of labeling—both the characters in The Handmaid’s Tale and real-life students—is damaging because it strips away identity, reducing complex human beings to a single defining characteristic. “My name isn’t Offred, I have another name, which nobody uses now because it’s forbidden. I tell myself it doesn’t matter, your name is like your telephone number, useful only to others; but what I tell myself is wrong, it does matter.”(pg 84) Offred’s loss of her name reveals what happens when we’re reduced to our statistic. The difference is only in what we’re reduced to: the handmaids are stripped down to their bodies and fertility, while we students become nothing more than standardized exam scores and every grade we’ve received since we were 14. In both cases, everything that makes us who we are—our struggles, growth, is lost. My grades aren’t perfect. I can’t say I know many students whose are. But my intent is not to overlook the students who have worked tirelessly to achieve the numbers they have. It is to acknowledge our flawed academic system that encourages us to strip away our humanity in exchange for numbers. Because my grades are less a representation of myself and more a representation of what I’ve overcome, and the common app with never have enough room for my whole story.

“Either he talks or I will. I know it, I can feel speech backing up inside me, it’s so long since I’ve really talked with anyone. The terse whispered exchange with Ofglen, on our walk today, hardly counts; but it was a tease, a preliminary. Having felt the relief of even that much speaking, I want more.”

This quote speaks to a specific feeling that is actually pretty universal and common, but is hardly ever put into words, it’s that feeling of going so long without speaking to someone that it feels like anything you have to say is just stuck inside of you. When Offred says “speech backing up inside me,” It precisely captures something many people experience, even though it’s a completely different situation. It’s not only that she wants to have a conversation but it’s that the words are building up pressure, like she will explode if she doesn’t let them out. This resonates with me because in our current society so many people go though their days have these surface level conversions that feel empty. They talk to coworkers, classmates, friends, family about these surface level things which is exactly what Offred means when she describes her exchange with Ofglen as something that “hardly counts.” People talk constantly but they’re not really truly talking to anyone a lot of the time.There’s a massive difference between common small talk, and deeper conversation, where you’re actually saying what you are thinking or feeling. Think about how many people right now sit in their school cafeteria, or their lunch break at work and talk about assignments or weekend plans but still feel lonely. You might not realize how surface level conversations can be until you have a real deeper conversation. This is what Offred means when she calls her short moment with Ofglen “a tease, a preliminary.” She gets this small moment of real connection and it reminds her of everything she had desperately been missing, which makes her want it more. “Having felt the relief of even that much speaking, I want more.” This line captures the reliability of someone remembering what a genuine connection feels like they can’t just forget ,they begin to long for more. What stands out the most to me about this passage is the way it displays that loneliness isn’t always about being physically alone. Offred is basically never physically alone, there are constantly people around her, but she feels entirely isolated because she has nobody to have these real conversations with. Everything she says and does needs to be controlled and monitored. This reminds me of the way people feel in the real world, many people are surrounded by people constantly, whether that’s at home or at schools, but still feel isolated. People constantly have thoughts and feelings that build up but they don’t know who or where to dump them, just like Offred describes. This passage makes me think about how real conversations aren’t just nice to have, but actually necessary for humans to survive. We need to be heard by others, to be understood. When Offred says “it’s so long since I’ve really talked with anyone” she’s describing something more than just being bored, she’s showing the ways she’s starving for something that is not food, she’s starving for connection. When you can understand what Offred is going through, you can see why she takes risks by having conversations with the commander, when someone is that desperate to be heard, they’re willing to take risks.