Self Denial Offred example essay topic

Brief summary: In this chapter, the opening starts off by describing Offred's bedroom. Offred realises that she has so much time on her hands, the only way to benefit from it is to observe each minute part of her room section by section and memorise where and how everything looks. She begins to reminisce back to times when she was in the hotel waiting for Luke and remembers how she did not pay much attention to the way the room was and took it for granted. On the 3rd day, she explores the cupboard and realises that there is a message scribbled inside by a previous handmaid. The message "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum" -"Don't let the bastards grind you down".

Cheers her up as she no longer feels so isolated and knows that someone had been in her position before. Characters: Mainly focuses on Offred. As she reminisces back to the times she spends waiting for Luke to arrive at the hotel, we realise that she is just a 'typical', carefree lady as she allows Luke to be unfaithful towards his wife by continuing in their affair. Through her way of thinking, the character of Luke is revealed because even though he is in the midst of an affair, it proves to us how much he cares and loves Offred to let himself into such a situation. Themes: The Latin message Offred finds in the cupboard links to the story in many significant ways. When she asks the Commander what this sentence means, she realises that it came from a book owned by the Commander.

Offred then realises that other previous Handmaids must " ve been into the Commander's room just like herself. However knowing this, it gives her self-confidence and hope. Important passages: -Page 60 "My room, then. There has to be some space, finally, that I can claim as mine, even in this time". This tells us that Offred has begun to value her own private space and claim to own something as hers.

Shows her self esteem growing. -Page 62 "Nolite te bastardes carborundorum... It pleases me to ponder this message. It pleases me to think I'm communing with her, this unknown woman... Sometimes I repeat the words to myself. They give me small joy".

This is an important passage as it gives Offred joy and hope as she realises that another woman has been like she is now. This then, gives her strength to carry on. The Handmaid's Tale - Chapter 30 Brief summary: It is a summer night and Offred is looking out her window. She sees Nick out the window and they exchange a glance showing their longing for each other. In this chapter, Offred is feeling isolated, helpless, upset and wants to give up.

It seems as though life is too hard to endure and she thinks about committing suicide like the predessor before her. Offred then thinks back to the past and how Luke, her daughter and herself had failed to escape and they were betrayed. In her desperation, the faces of her two loved ones, Luke and her daughter and gradually diminishing and fading away although she can't help it. In the end, she pours out her anguish in her version of the Lord's prayer and changing it to how it suited her in her situation. Characters: This chapter shows us how much Luke meant to Offred and how much she truly loved him. We learn this by the flashbacks Offred has.

Also, we begin to see a relationship begin between Nick and Offred. It shows that Offred is moving on as she is forgetting the faces of her loved ones. However, no matter how much Offred fees towards Nick, he would never replace Luke. Themes: -Individualism Commander had once told her 1+1+1+1 doesn't equal 4, each one remains unique. Offred finally understands the meaning to this as she finally realises the specialty and uniqueness of people and that not one person in the world could replace another person. -Betrayal, despair and isolation, self-denial Offred felt totally betrayed as someone revealed their identity to the authorities and so therefore, their passport failed them.

She feels despair and isolation as she does not know what else to do. Memories of Luke and her daughter and beginning to fade away. Offred describes the prayer sessions and how Handmaids and made to feel. They pray for emptiness so that they can be filled with grace, love, self-denial, semen and babies. The word "self-denial" shows that the aspect of SELF is not important to the community. However, in the next part of the prayer, they say "Thank you for not creating me a man" this is to make the Handmaids feel special.

Important paragraphs: -Page 201 "What the Commander said is true, one and one and one and one doesn't equal four. Each one remains unique, there is no way of joining them together. They cannot exchanged, one for another. They cannot replace each other.

Nick for Luke or Luke for Nick. Should does not apply". This proves she now understands that everyone in special and different and no one can replace someone else as it just wont be the same. -Page 203 "Because they were ready for us, and waiting. The moment of betrayal is the worst, the moment when you know beyond any doubt that you " ve been betrayed: that some other human being has wished you that much evil.

This shows us how she felt and how much despair she was experiencing at the time. It also tells us how bad human kind can sometimes be. -Page 203 "I try to conjure... I need to remember what they look like.

I try to hold them still behind my eyes, their faces, like pictures in an album. But they won't stay still for me, they move, there's a smile and it's gone, their features curl and bend as if the paper's burning, blackness eats them... its my fault. I am forgetting too much". This tells us as time is passing, she is forgetting her loved ones although Offred desperately tries to cling on to them. -Page 205 "Oh God. It's no joke.

Oh God oh God. How can I keep on living" Tells us she is about to give up, does not know how to endure life anymore.