2.12.6
Chapter 36
Chapter 36 - Summary and Key Quotations
Chapter 36 - Summary and Key Quotations
Offred is back with the Commander who has been drinking again. Offred is given a tacky outfit made of feathers and sequins to wear, which would be illegal by Gilead standards.
"Evening rental"
"Evening rental"
- Offred is given some makeup which is also contraband.
- The Commander sneaks Offred out of the house. She is hidden by Serena Joy's blue cloak. He whisks her away in his car, chauffeur driven by Nick.
- They end up in an alley behind a building and Nick arranges to meet them later to take them home.
- They get out of the car and the Commander tells Offred that she is an "evening rental".
"Feathers... Freedom..."
"Feathers... Freedom..."
- "A handful of feathers … cups … covered in purple sequins"
- A similar outfit features in another of Atwood's novels, Year of the Flood. It's worn by women who work in 'Scales and Tails' – another nightclub/brothel.
- Atwood is clearly concerned by the exploitation of ladies who work in such establishments.
- "Freedom … is relative"
- Offred's life is so restrained that even minor rebellions give her pleasure.
"A tag"
"A tag"
- "He slips around my wrist a tag … ‘an evening rental'"
- The Aunts claim that women are admired in the state. But in places like Jezebel's they are like commodities that can be bought/sold.
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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