The Handmaid’s Tale Chapter 3
Group Worldspace: how is it evoked
for the reader here? Find
specific examples
Group 1 This world space is evoked as a
Kaisu, very rigid and structured
Maloney,, society. It is a very controlled
Grack, society, as something as simple
Leha as cigarettes have to be bought
from the black market. Serena
Joy, the Commander’s wife is
an extremely powerful woman
so she can get away with this.
The society of Gilead is based
on a heavy division in a
hierarchy, and it seems to be
always surveilled.
“Shatterproof windows”
A sense of danger and that they
need to be protected
Identify the
crisis/complication for this
character. What is at stake for
them?
Offred who is a handmaid is
Only treated as an object for
this household. Serena Joy has
no respect for Offred, and
seems to have no emotional
connection with her. Serena
makes it very clear that if Offred
does not bear a child, she will
be in trouble. Serena Joy also
seems to be very overprotective
of her husband and emphasises
that she is quite jealous.
- Commander wife
- No respect for the
handmaiden
- If Offred does not
produce a child she’ll be
in trouble
- Offred has no identity
How the writer uses language
to convey the perspective of
the outsider character? Find
specific examples.
“As for my husband, she said,
he’s just that. My husband”
- The way she talks about
her husband is very
protective and there is a
hint of jealousy towards
Offred because of what
she has to do.
- Matter of fact tone of
voice.
“Aunt Lydia said it was best not
to speak unless they asked you
a direct question”
- The idea that the
should be seen and not
heard, assessing the
idea that they are just
objects to the society of
Gilead
How tension is created? Find
specific examples
“This garden is the domain of
the commander’s wife. Looking
through my shattered window”
Handmaidens are treated far
worse than a commander's wife
“From a distance, it looks like
peace” The Handmaid’s society
is created to be some sort of
utopian society creating a
dramatic irony
There is always a recurring
symbol of an eye, it refers to the
fact that they are always being
watched and controlled. The
symbol of the guardian is an
eye so it relates.
The interaction between Serena
Joy and Offred is very bland
and dry, so it is clear that
Serena’s intentions with Offred
are to only use her as though
she is an object, and not create
some sort of motherly bond as
Offred was yearning for.
 The Handmaid’s Tale Chapter 3
Group 2 The world space is shown as a
Maddie, prison like place that confines
Megan, Ella the protagonist in a foreign
and LILY world. The environment is
controlled and maintained by
the commander and her wife.
The main character is in a world
that moves around her, as she
is a person who is stripped of
her identity and is now used as
an object.
The complication for Offred is
that she is forced into a situation
where she has very little control “I want to see as little of you as
over how she is treated as her
rights are removed. In this
instance she is objectified and
used as a “baby giver”.
Compared to the Commander’s
wife, Offred is at an advantage
as she is able to conceive
babies while Serena Joy can’t.
The risk of that is at anytime,
she could lose her job or place
to stay. As Offred is so low in
“She probably longed to slap my
face”
Even Offred can tell that Serena
Joy hates her, so this further
signifies that they’re not off to a
very good start.
The writer uses phrases like Tension is created between the
maid and the wife by the lack of
communication between them.
possible…” It is also created by the lack of
- This shows the level of respect that Serena shows
separation between the towards Offred, viewing her as
two characters an object. Tension and friction is
- It reveals the difference also created through the envy
between the two classes Serena Joy has against Offred,
and how one is inferior as she is able to conceive
to the other babies and the commander's
- It also explores the wife isn’t.
control that the wife has
over the maid, and that
 The Handmaid’s Tale Chapter 3
Group 3 The worldspace is presented as
Lauren a prison-like setting. Readers
are given the sense that it is an
oppressed society, through the
physical setting “shatterproof
windows” and the interactions
amongst the characters, for
example “I want to see as little
of you as possible.”
the hierarchy, the commander
and his wife can fully control
her.
The crisis in chapter three is
Offred’s lack of freedom and
inequality within her society. In
this chapter, Offred is sent to
another home, where she is
immediately put under
surveillance from the minute
she walks in “I could not come
in, unless she said so.” In this
scene though we begin to
experience the dangers of being
a handmaid, for example
Offred’s only purpose in her
society is to procreate, and she
has not yet, and we can infer
that the punishment for this is
execution, this is depicted in “so
what’s-his-face didn’t work…no
ma’am…she gave what might
have been a laugh…tough luck
on him…this is my third…not so
good for you either”
she is basically Serena’s
property and a
possession of hers
“It isn’t easy for them”
- This shows that even
though the maids are
being viewed as objects
and treated poorly, they
pity the wives of the
house
Atwood uses language that The main way that Atwood
depicts Offred as a vulnerable creates tension in the
women, and this helps to Handmaid’s tale is through the
portray her as the outside narrative structure. In Chapter
character. As the reader we Three, the events are not
know that Offred is the ‘other’ is
recounted in chronological
she is the main protagonist but order, for example Atwood
starts off with a recount on “I go
also is seen has not fitting into
society’s norms; being out by the back door, into the
garden” but it then quickly
physically trapped in her current
society because of her ability to
transitions to Offred describing
procreate. The other is also the Commander's wife in her
seen as fighting back against garden “I’ve often seen her in it,
the unrealistic way of life, andher knees on a cushion,” but
we see this in Offred as she is then it jumps to the first time
constantly looking for a way outshe met the commander's wife
of her new home, ““the ”we stood face to face for the
cigarettes must have come from first time five weeks ago.” This
the black market…this gave me technique is a useful way of
creating tension as it makes the
hope.” Atwood does this so that reader question what is going to
the reader is forced to happen next, as the reader
sympathise Offred. cannot anticipate the events.
 The Handmaid’s Tale Chapter 3
Group 4 The worldspace is presented
Maddie and with a very structured hierarchy
Natalie controlled by the varying power
of certain roles. These roles can
be distinguished by certain
colour clothing that defines their
position in society. The
worldspace also has very strict
rules like not being allowed to
have such simple everyday
items such as cigarettes, coffee
and liquor.
Group 5 The worldspace is presented
Anika, with a hierarchy. The setting
Liana, Bree conveys a prison-like situation
and Vincy. which different classes need to
obey specific rules.
“She just stood there in the
doorway, blocking the entrance,
She wanted me to feel that I
could not come into the house
unless she said so.”
“Aunt Lydia said it was best not
to speak unless they ask you a
direct question.”
The crisis/complication of the
main protagonist, Offred, is her
lack of freedom. Within the
society handmaids, like Offred,
have little to no power as they
are controlled by the
commanders and their wives. In
Chapter 3 the audience is
introduced to Serena Joy, Her
new commanders wife, who has
very little respect for Offred.
Being this is her third new
commander means that if she
doesn’t conceive a child in this
house, She’ll have severe
consequences.
The complication/crisis is that
Offred has to serve the new
family and is looking to establish
a good relationship with the wife
of Fred, who happened to be a
singer that Offred used to watch
on TV. Much to Offred’s dismay,
the wife, Serena Joy, is
unwillingly to form a positive
relationship with her and only
speaks to her when it is
absolutely necessary.
If Offred does not fall pregnant
(which happened in the last 2
houses) she could be accused
of being infertile and sent away.
Offred’s only bargaining power
is her body.
“Aunt Lydia said it was best not
to speak unless they asked you
a direct question”
This quote shows the audience
how handmaids should be seen
and not heard and how they
shouldn’t have their own free
thought.
“A business transaction”
This shows audiences that the
handmaids are seen and
treated as an object/form of
payment.
The author uses words such as
“I am a reproach to her, and a
necessity”, “ a position of
honour” and “ a business
transaction” to convey the lack
of emotional connection
between Offred and other
characters in the novel. She is
treated like an object/ property.
Tension is created through
Offred description of Serena
Joy’s face. An example of this
can be seen in the quote “eyes
which were flat, hostile blue of a
midsummer sky. This implies
the lack of connection between
Offred and Serena.
Tension is created between
Offred and Serena by showing
their first interaction and the
lack of emotion in it. Serena
clearly establishes her intent not
to talk to Offred, for example ‘As
far as I’m concerned, this is like
a business transaction’, and
‘Don’t call me Ma’am’. This
conflict is further developed
when the reader gets learn
Offred’s feelings about Serena,
‘I could see that she’d hoped I’d
never have the occasion to call
her anything at all.’
The Handmaid’s Tale Chapter 3