Chapter 28

Chapter 28 - Summary

Offred opens the chapter by thinking about different moments in her life, like talking to Moira and having a job. Through these small moments in her life, she recalls how Gilead was created.

Army takes control

Offred remembers that all the members of Congress were killed and the blame was placed on Islamic terrorists, meaning that the Army took over control of the area and identity cards and checkpoints were created.
Then women were forced out of their jobs and were not allowed to have their own money. They had to rely on their husbands' salaries.
Offred remembers being rounded up by armed men at work and marched out of her office.

Offred's conversation with Luke

Offred remembers the awkward conversation she had with Luke who said he would look after her and "not to worry".
This made Offred wonder if he was enjoying this newfound patriarchal power.

Nick signals her meeting

Time flashes forward to the present. Offred looks out of the window and sees Nick next to the car with his hat on at an angle. This is a sign the Commander wants to see her again.
Offred ends the chapter by worrying about what Nick thinks of her secret relationship with the Commander and if he benefits from the situation.

Chapter 28 - Key Quotations

Here are five key quotations from Chapter 28:

"Moira... sadly mistaken"

“If Moira thought she could create Utopia by shutting herself up in a women-only enclave she was sadly mistaken. Men were not just going to go away, I said. You couldn't just ignore them.”
- Atwood implies that feminism is not a simple issue.
- This comment is ironic. Moira is later confined to Jezebel's - "a women-only enclave" that's actually a state-run brothel operating purely to please powerful men.

"Under control...do a jobbie"

“Keep calm, they said on television. Everything is under control"
- This is a pun. The phrase either means 'everything is now OK' or 'those in power are clamping down on things'.
Having a job ... do a jobbie ... the Book of Job"
- A play on words. Offred belittles the significance of work by linking "having a job" to going to the toilet.
- Job suffers in the Old Testament. So the second pun brings in the idea of undue suffering.

"Ceremonious... I am his"

I wanted from her a life more ceremonious"
- Offred wished her mother had had a more conventional life instead of protesting. The word "ceremonious" is ironic given the Handmaids have to take part in monthly Ceremonies.
"Instead, I am his"
- Offred says the nature of relationships change when partners don't have equal choice. She doesn't like the thought of Luke possibly having enjoyed having power over her.

1Author Background

1.1Margaret Atwood

1.1.1Margaret Atwood

2Chapter Summaries

2.1Chapter 1: Night I

2.1.1Chapter 1

2.2Chapters 2-6: Shopping II

2.2.1Chapter 2

2.2.2Chapter 3

2.2.3Chapter 4

2.2.4Chapter 5

2.2.5Chapter 6

2.3Chapter 7: Night II

2.3.1Chapter 7

2.4Chapters 8-12: Waiting Room IV

2.4.1Chapter 8

2.4.2Chapter 9

2.4.3Chapter 10

2.4.4Chapter 11

2.4.5Chapter 12

2.5Chapter 13: Nap V

2.5.1Chapter 13

2.6Chapters 14-17: Household VI

2.6.1Chapter 14

2.6.2Chapter 15

2.6.3Chapter 16

2.6.4Chapter 17

2.7Chapter 18: Night VII

2.7.1Chapter 18

2.8Chapters 19-23: Birth Day VIII

2.8.1Chapter 19

2.8.2Chapter 20

2.8.3Chapter 21

2.8.4Chapter 22

2.8.5Chapter 23

2.9Chapter 24: Night IX

2.9.1Chapter 24

2.10Chapters 25-29: Soul Scrolls X

2.10.1Chapter 25

2.10.2Chapter 26

2.10.3Chapter 27

2.10.4Chapter 28

2.10.5Chapter 29

2.11Chapter 30: Night XI

2.11.1Chapter 30

2.12Chapters 31-39: Jezebel's XII

2.12.1Chapter 31

2.12.2Chapter 32

2.12.3Chapter 33

2.12.4Chapter 34

2.12.5Chapter 35

2.12.6Chapter 36

2.12.7Chapter 37

2.12.8Chapter 38

2.12.9Chapter 39

2.13Chapter 40: Night XIII

2.13.1Chapter 40

2.14Chapters 41-45: Salvaging XIV

2.14.1Chapter 41

2.14.2Chapter 42

2.14.3Chapter 43

2.14.4Chapter 44

2.14.5Chapter 45

2.15Chapter 46: Night XV

2.15.1Chapter 46

2.16Historical Notes

2.16.1Historical Notes

3Dedications & Epigraph

3.1Dedications & Epigraph

3.1.1Dedications

3.1.2Epigraph

4Context

4.1Setting

4.1.1Setting

4.2Literary Context & Genre

4.2.1The Canterbury Tales & The Scarlet Letter

4.2.2Links to Dystopian Fiction

4.3Political Context

4.3.1Berlin & Iran

4.3.2The New Right in America

4.4Historical Context

4.4.1Puritan New England

4.5Parallels: Read World & Gilead

4.5.1The Underground Femaleroad

4.5.2Children of Ham & Soul Scrolls

4.5.3Offred's Tattoo, Salvaging & Illegal Abortions

4.5.4Unwomen, Colonies & Giving Away Offred's Daughter

4.6Religious Context

4.6.1Religious Context

5Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques

5.1Narrative Structure

5.1.1Narrative Structure

5.2Literary Techniques

5.2.1Literary Techniques

5.2.2Colour Symbolism

6Themes & Imagery

6.1Themes

6.1.1Survival & Language

6.1.2The Female Body

6.2Imagery

6.2.1The Garden & Doubles

7Characters

7.1Female Characters

7.1.1Offred & Moira

7.1.2Offred's Mother, Ofglen & Ofwarren

7.1.3Serena Joy & Aunt Lydia

7.2Male Characters

7.2.1The Commander

7.2.2Nick & Luke

8Readings

8.1Readings of The Handmaid's Tale

8.1.1Eco-Criticism

8.1.2Complacency

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