2.10.1
Chapter 25
Chapter 25 - Summary
Chapter 25 - Summary
After falling asleep on the floor, Offred is woken by Cora walking in, screaming and dropping her tray of breakfast.
Cora hopes for pregnancy
Cora hopes for pregnancy
- Cora immediately thinks that Offred is dead. Then she mistakenly thinks she has fainted. Then she gets hopeful that Offred is pregnant and tells her she will not tell anyone about the wasted breakfast.
- Offred says her secret relationship with the Commander is continuing. She plays games of scrabble in return for some special treats like copies of Vogue or access to hand lotion.
A "whim" for the Commander
A "whim" for the Commander
- The Commander admits to Offred that his relationship with Serena Joy is not working as they have grown apart over the years.
- Offred has to remind herself, as she is moisturising her hands in front of him, that she is just a "whim" for the Commander.
Chapter 25 - Key Quotations
Chapter 25 - Key Quotations
Here are six key quotations from Chapter 25:
Key quotations
Key quotations
- "...Egg, which could not be salvaged"
- The verb 'salvaged' foreshadows the Salvaging later on in the novel.
- "Snipping off the seed pods ... the swelling genitalia of the flowers"
- Serena Joy seems dangerous. She destroys the fertile flowers - ironic given she is infertile.
- "There is something subversive about this garden of Serena's”
- The garden symbolises an unrestrained environment.
Key quotations (cont.)
Key quotations (cont.)
- "Saint Serena, on her knees, doing penance"
- "My tongue felt thick"
- Atwood implies that words can be sensual and conjure up images which Offred no longer experiences.
- "For him, I am only a whim"
- Offred is aware that the Commander doesn't respect her as an individual.
1Author Background
1.1Margaret Atwood
2Chapter Summaries
2.1Chapter 1: Night I
2.2Chapters 2-6: Shopping II
2.3Chapter 7: Night II
2.4Chapters 8-12: Waiting Room IV
2.5Chapter 13: Nap V
2.6Chapters 14-17: Household VI
2.7Chapter 18: Night VII
2.8Chapters 19-23: Birth Day VIII
2.9Chapter 24: Night IX
2.10Chapters 25-29: Soul Scrolls X
2.11Chapter 30: Night XI
2.12Chapters 31-39: Jezebel's XII
2.13Chapter 40: Night XIII
2.14Chapters 41-45: Salvaging XIV
2.15Chapter 46: Night XV
2.16Historical Notes
3Dedications & Epigraph
3.1Dedications & Epigraph
4Context
4.1Setting
4.2Literary Context & Genre
4.3Political Context
4.4Historical Context
4.5Parallels: Read World & Gilead
4.6Religious Context
5Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques
5.1Narrative Structure
5.2Literary Techniques
6Themes & Imagery
6.2Imagery
7Characters
7.1Female Characters
7.2Male Characters
8Readings
8.1Readings of The Handmaid's Tale
Jump to other topics
1Author Background
1.1Margaret Atwood
2Chapter Summaries
2.1Chapter 1: Night I
2.2Chapters 2-6: Shopping II
2.3Chapter 7: Night II
2.4Chapters 8-12: Waiting Room IV
2.5Chapter 13: Nap V
2.6Chapters 14-17: Household VI
2.7Chapter 18: Night VII
2.8Chapters 19-23: Birth Day VIII
2.9Chapter 24: Night IX
2.10Chapters 25-29: Soul Scrolls X
2.11Chapter 30: Night XI
2.12Chapters 31-39: Jezebel's XII
2.13Chapter 40: Night XIII
2.14Chapters 41-45: Salvaging XIV
2.15Chapter 46: Night XV
2.16Historical Notes
3Dedications & Epigraph
3.1Dedications & Epigraph
4Context
4.1Setting
4.2Literary Context & Genre
4.3Political Context
4.4Historical Context
4.5Parallels: Read World & Gilead
4.6Religious Context
5Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques
5.1Narrative Structure
5.2Literary Techniques
6Themes & Imagery
6.2Imagery
7Characters
7.1Female Characters
7.2Male Characters
8Readings
8.1Readings of The Handmaid's Tale
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