Handmaids Tale Essay

903 Words4 Pages
The Handmaid’s Tale - Section 3 Questions Anna Hauser 1. Explain the arrangement between the Commander and Offred. How do you think this could put her in potential danger? Offred and the Commander have a very strange arrangement between them. Two or three nights a week she is summoned to his office by Nick to play the usual game of scrabble, talk and then kiss each other goodnight. It is almost as if they are dating. Serena Joy does not know about their arrangement and Offred imagines that she would be furious if she ever found out. Offred is confused about her feelings for the commander, at one point she says that she is “letdown of sorts” (192). She feels like an old married couple when with her and it “seemed kinky in the extreme, a violation in its own way” (193). By sneaking around with the Commander, even if it is just to play scrabble, is extremely dangerous for Offred. First, she is sneaking around the house these nights through the halls of the house that resides four other people. It would be very easy for Offred to be caught, especially by Serena Joy. Secondly, she is technically serving as a secret mistress. Even though she is not allowed to see the Commander outside of the Ceremony she is talking to him and even kissing him. Last, they are playing a forbidden game for Offred as she is not allowed to read. All of these acts of treason could leave Offred killed. I think that Offred finds it a bit absurd that she could be killed just for playing scrabble. 2. After the Ceremony is performed again something happens and Offred says “You can see from the way I was speaking to him that we were already on different terms” (203). What does she mean? Why is this the case? What is now different between them? The second ceremony between Offred and the Commander is very different from the first. Offred says that she feels more self-conscious and
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