2.12.7

Chapter 37

Test yourself

Chapter 37 - Summary and Key Quotations

As they enter the building, Offred remembers that the place used to be a hotel. It is where she once met Luke when they were engaged in their affair.

Illustrative background for __"The Club"__ Illustrative background for __"The Club"__  ?? "content

"The Club"

  • The Commander tells Offred that this place is called "The Club" and it is where men get their needs met by women.
  • Offred can see many women, all dressed in provocative and sleazy underwear, in the club, ready to provide sexual services to the men.
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Commander shows Offred off

  • Offred is walked around by the Commander, who seems to be showing her off to the other men as if she were his trophy.
  • As she is being paraded, Offred notices Moira dressed up on a bunny outfit in the club. They make eye contact and Moira signals, like she did in the Red Centre, for Offred to meet her in the bathroom.
  • When the Commander decides to go and get some drinks, Offred makes her excuses and leaves to go to the bathroom to speak to Moira.
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"I've been here... with Luke"

  • "I've been here before, with Luke, in the afternoons"
    • Offred and Luke would meet in this hotel while they were having an affair. Luke later divorced and married Offred, but their marriage was always considered illicit in Gilead because he had been married before. Ironically, this hotel now functions as a brothel for all kind of male fantasies to be acted out.
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"Juvenile... they prefer it"

  • "It's a juvenile display"
    • Offred thinks the Commander acts like a young boy proudly exhibiting his new girlfriend. His behaviour is worlds away from what's expected in Gilead society.
  • "They prefer it ... to the alternatives"
    • The Commander doesn't see the irony in the women preferring life in Jezebel's to the other options. But their only other alternatives are being "Unwomen" or living as Handmaids.

Jump to other topics

1Author Background

1.1Margaret Atwood

2Chapter Summaries

3Dedications & Epigraph

3.1Dedications & Epigraph

4Context

5Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques

6Themes & Imagery

7Characters

8Readings

8.1Readings of The Handmaid's Tale

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