The Veils

In The Handmaid’s Tale, women are bounded by the regime of Gilead. The obligatory wearing of veils is one of the obvious evidences.

First, Wives, Handmaids and Marthas are wearing veils in different colors. Wives’ veils are in blue, while Handmaids’ are red, which also shows the inequality of different women. They are all controlled by Gillead, but are assigned different responsibilities. They have no freedom to choose how their life will look like. Besides, they are isolated from outside by the veils. Under the veils, anyone can be the Eye. It also accelerates the form of a system of distrust. Because citizens do not trust each other, it is much easier for Gilead to control the society.

Second, Gilead uses the veil called protection to conceal its violence. A veil’s function is to cover and protect a face from being seen. And Gilead just covers a big veil for citizens. “A woman does not need to be worried about walking along at night any more.” It is Gilead that protects all the people from horrific potential accidental danger. However, violence just permeates into the life. The bodies hanging beside the main gateway, the punishment to people who violate their obligation, the Colonies, and the Salvaging… The violence under the veil is more horrible than potential accidental danger.

Survival Or Not

At the end of the Handmaid’s Tale, Atwood left a mystery fate of Offred. Under Nick’s instruction, Offred was taken away from the Commander’s house. And then she “steps up, into the darkness within; or else the light”.

There are two major probabilities of Offred’s future- escaping or being caught. And it is depending on Nick’s trustworthiness.

Nick may not be trustful. First, When Nick winks at Offred, he may just take a risk. But if he is one of the Eyes, the wink may be a test to see what Offred would do. Next, just like the Commander, he may have Besides, there is a fact that the last handmaid had suicide herself. If Nick is a member of Mayday, why didn’t he save her?

Offred choose to trust Nick. First, he makes Offred think of her husband Luke. The affair between Offred and Nick is the only hope and ease in Offred’s life in Gilead. Second, Serena Joy has found the affair between Offred and the Commander. If Offred didn’t go with Nick, her life later would be surely tough. Next, when Nick wanted to take her away, he said, “Trust me”. And he was calling her by her real name. Offred also wanted to believe in his sincerity.

If Nick was sincere, she may get rescued. But if not, she may have much worse life, because she was caught. Whether or not she should, we shall never know.

An Interesting Character - Luke

An Interesting Character - Luke

There is an interesting character called Luke in The Handmaid’s Tale, who was Offred’s husband before. There is no direct description of him. No one knows his life later in Gilead. And he only exists in Offred’s flashback. Therefore, I think he is really a character worth thinking.

From Offred’s flashback, we can know some scattered information about him. Let me clear it up. First, He had a family with another woman before. But he had an affair with Offred surreptitiously. After spending two years in “prying himself loose” from that marriage, he got divorced and married Offred. Then they got a daughter. Next, when Gilead was replacing the former regime, Luke, Offred and their daughter were fleeing together. However, they were caught and separated. And no one knows Luke’s life later anymore.

Luke is a symbol of intimacy. He had a passionate affair with Offred before surreptitiously. After marriage, they had a daughter. In Offred’s flashback, they really had a happy life. Later when she lay on the bed in the Commander’s house, she wanted to “feel Luke lying beside” her. Their relationship was not only sexual; they valued each other and enjoyed each other’s company deeply. Their daily disputes were a sign of their companionship. “I want Luke here so badly. I want to be held and told my name. I want to be valued, in ways that I am not.” From Luke, Offred got passion, happiness, hope and the worth of her life.  

Luke is a symbol of protection. Knowing Offred’s mother was caught, Luke stopped Offred from calling to the police. He comforted her, organized their escape and gave her bravery and security all the time.

Luke is also a symbol of resistance. It was Luke that led the family to escape from Gilead. And he covered a big part of Offred’s flashback. Every flashback was a symbol of resistance in her heart. She wanted to find her passion, happiness, hope and the worth of life, which were deprived in Gilead and all in her flashback.

As for Luke’s fate, no one knew that. And so did Offred. In her imagination, she gave three possible versions. First, he may have been shot during the escape. Second, he may be caught and now in the prison. Third, he may escape successfully and now try to contact her and save her. His real fate is not important any more. Even if he was a bad guy, it was these imaginations that gave Offred hope to live in the Gilead and reflected the society’s repression.