The Handmaid's Tale (SparkNotes Literature Guide)

by Atwood, Margaret; SparkNotes

• ISBN13: 9781586635176
• ISBN10: 1586635174
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2002-07-15
• Publisher: SparkNotes

Summary

"Get your "A" in gear! They're today's most popular study guides-with everything you need to succeed in school. Written by Harvard students for students, since its inception "SparkNotes(TM) has developed a loyal community of dedicated users and become a major education brand. Consumer demand has been so strong that the guides have expanded to over 150 titles. "SparkNotes'(TM) motto is "Smarter, Better, Faster because: - They feature the most current ideas and themes, written by experts.- They're easier to understand, because the same people who use them have also written them.- The clear writing style and edited content enables students to read through the material quickly, saving valuable time. And with everything covered--context; plot overview; character lists; themes, motifs, and symbols; summary and analysis, key facts; study questions and essay topics; and reviews and resources--you don't have to go anywhere else!

Table of Contents

Context	p. 1
Plot Overview	p. 3
Character List	p. 7
Analysis of Major Characters	p. 11
Offred	p. 11
The Commander	p. 11
Serena Joy	p. 12
Moira	p. 13
Themes, Motifs & Symbols	p. 15
Women's Bodies as Political Instruments	p. 15
Language as a Tool of Power	p. 15
The Causes of Complacency	p. 16
Rape and Sexual Violence	p. 17
Religious Terms Used for Political Purposes	p. 17
Similarities Between Reactionary and Feminist Ideologies	p. 18
Cambridge, Massachusetts	p. 18
Harvard University	p. 18
The Handmaids' Red Habits	p. 19
A Palimpsest	p. 19
The Eyes	p. 19
Summary & Analysis	p. 21
Chapters 1-5	p. 21
Chapters 4-6	p. 24
Chapters 7-9	p. 28
Chapters 10-12	p. 31
Chapters 13-15	p. 34
Chapters 16-21	p. 38
Chapters 22-25	p. 42
Chapters 26-28	p. 45
Chapters 29-32	p. 48
Chapters 33-36	p. 51
Chapters 37-40	p. 54
Chapters 41-44	p. 58
Chapters 45-46 & Historical Notes on the Handmaid's Tale	p. 61
Important Quotations Explained	p. 67
Key Facts	p. 77
Study Questions & Essay Topics	p. 81
Review & Resources	p. 85
Quiz	p. 85
A Glossary of Terms Used in the Handmaid's Tale	p. 90
Suggestions for Further Reading	p. 92
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