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wingedbeastThis is a well bookeneded chapter. Atwood shows us and lets us figure out, for ourselves, that what she's showing us is the setting of a stage. The furniture is arranged just so and, as they enter, the people will be arranged just so as well. Offred's place in the arrangement is kneeling. Rita's place will be standing there when she could be getting done any of the things she needs to get done. Serena Joy will be sitting. Nick will be standing.
The Commander's place is... late. He's always late. This gives Cora the opportunity to complain about the lateness. This gives Rita the opportunity to scowl (the book's word for it) at Offred. This gives Serena Joy the opportunity to flip through the channels and catch a bit of the televised news.
What's communicated, quite clearly and without having to spell it out, is that this is a stage set, for the Commander, of a household that is full of people content to be in their place, and that staging is a lie.
Cora and Rita are both unhappy. They might not want the position they've been put in as "Martha"s, but that's the position they have. That means they have to do things like clean things and cook things and prepare things and, probably, get some benefit from having certain things done early or on time. This isn't helping.
Nick isn't in his place. He's trying to sneakily grab some contact with Offred, hidden under her red cloak. She moves to avoid him and he moves again. He may or may not be happy with his effort, but he's certainly not happily in place.
Offred isn't happy. She has fantasies of stealing something small, something that wouldn't be missed, in order to get an illusion of having some power in her life. But, even that would be too much risk for an illusion. So, she has the fantasy of, maybe, being someone who could take the risk on acquiring an illusion to make her feel better.
Serena Joy isn't happy... perhaps for similar reason to why Rita blames Offred for the occasion.
Offred is, in a sense, the cause of this. Or rather, her body is. Her body has this power that she doesn't. Because of it, the Commander must show up and do his part. That is required of him, not just for the proximate purpose, but to fulfill his part in the society that is the Republic of Gilead. Because the Commander and the society he was key in creating demand it, everybody else has to pretend, for his sake, that they're happy to play their little part in his life.
And, this chapter slips into memory of time before. This time, of the attempted escape from the burgeoning Republic of Gilead. The strategy is sound. They don't pack luggage, just take what they wear, basically acting as though they were only going for a day-trip. They were careful to have the forged paperwork match their IDs. And, they got past the first checkpoint.
The Commander's place is... late. He's always late. This gives Cora the opportunity to complain about the lateness. This gives Rita the opportunity to scowl (the book's word for it) at Offred. This gives Serena Joy the opportunity to flip through the channels and catch a bit of the televised news.
What's communicated, quite clearly and without having to spell it out, is that this is a stage set, for the Commander, of a household that is full of people content to be in their place, and that staging is a lie.
Cora and Rita are both unhappy. They might not want the position they've been put in as "Martha"s, but that's the position they have. That means they have to do things like clean things and cook things and prepare things and, probably, get some benefit from having certain things done early or on time. This isn't helping.
Nick isn't in his place. He's trying to sneakily grab some contact with Offred, hidden under her red cloak. She moves to avoid him and he moves again. He may or may not be happy with his effort, but he's certainly not happily in place.
Offred isn't happy. She has fantasies of stealing something small, something that wouldn't be missed, in order to get an illusion of having some power in her life. But, even that would be too much risk for an illusion. So, she has the fantasy of, maybe, being someone who could take the risk on acquiring an illusion to make her feel better.
Serena Joy isn't happy... perhaps for similar reason to why Rita blames Offred for the occasion.
Offred is, in a sense, the cause of this. Or rather, her body is. Her body has this power that she doesn't. Because of it, the Commander must show up and do his part. That is required of him, not just for the proximate purpose, but to fulfill his part in the society that is the Republic of Gilead. Because the Commander and the society he was key in creating demand it, everybody else has to pretend, for his sake, that they're happy to play their little part in his life.
And, this chapter slips into memory of time before. This time, of the attempted escape from the burgeoning Republic of Gilead. The strategy is sound. They don't pack luggage, just take what they wear, basically acting as though they were only going for a day-trip. They were careful to have the forged paperwork match their IDs. And, they got past the first checkpoint.
Cheer up, says Luke. He's driving a little too fast now. The adrenaline's gone to his head. Now he's singing. Oh what a beautiful morning, he sings
Even his singing worries me. We've been warned not to look too happy.
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Date: 2019-05-23 03:02 am (UTC)