Chapter 4

Chapter 4 - Summary

This chapter switches into the present tense as Offred describes walking out of the house to go shopping. She sees one of the Guardians cleaning the Commander's car.

Recognising Nick

She recognises this man as Nick, who she knows lives above the garage. He is such low status that he isn't even prescribed a woman to live with.
As Offred looks at him, he winks at her. This causes her to look away because this is an offensive act of flirtation.
She wonders whether he is being friendly, flirtatious or even if he is an "Eye", which we find out later means an informer.

Offred waits for Ofglen

Offred waits on the corner of a street for another Handmaid to join her for the journey to the shops. This is because Handmaids cannot walk around alone.
Offred reflects on how this is meant to be for their protection, but she wonders whether it is actually so that they can both keep an eye on each other.
Offred's "double" arrives, called Ofglen, who speaks in scripted speech based on religious phrases ("Praise be").

Youthful Guardians

On their way to the shops, they have to stop at a checkpoint to have their papers checked by the Guardians.
Offred notices how young the Guardians are and realises they are nearly as powerless as the Handmaids. She realises Gilead doesn't just control female sexuality but also the urges of the lower status men too.

Using sexuality as power

Offred imagines using her sexuality as a form of power over the men.
As she leaves the checkpoint, she makes sure to "move my hips a little", knowing that the men are watching and yet helpless to act on their sexual feelings.

Chapter 4 - Key Quotations

Here are seven key quotations from Chapter 4:

"Perhaps he is an eye"

"Think of yourselves as seeds"

"She is my spy, as I am hers"

"...ravenous for news..."

"I'm ravenous for news, any kind of news; even if it is false news"

"...tiny peepholes"

“Such moments are possibilities, tiny peepholes"

Offred says this when she makes eye contact with one of the Guardians when passing through the checkpoint.

"My red shroud"

"...I am not ashamed..."

"I find I am not ashamed after all. I enjoy the power"

Offred says this after she has moved her "hips a little" in front of the Guardians.

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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