2.8.5
Chapter 23
Chapter 23 - Summary and Key Quotations
Chapter 23 - Summary and Key Quotations
The chapter begins with Offred saying "This is a reconstruction" and thinking about how her story is a narrative that she can control and edit.
Visiting the Commander
Visiting the Commander
- Offred knows she controls what is mentioned and what is left out of her story. She chooses to tell the reader about her secret liaison with the Commander.
- After Ofwarren's Birth Day, Offred secretly goes to the Commander's room (Nick has already told her of his wishes).
- She is aware that this secret meeting is dangerous as she should not be meeting him alone. But she knows she cannot refuse his request either.
Scrabble and the kiss
Scrabble and the kiss
- When Offred enters, she is surprised that his room has walls covered in books and that he wants to play scrabble with her. She loves being able to spell words and read them and when she leaves, the Commander asks that she kisses him "As if you meant it".
- She does. But she admits that she later wished she could have made a weapon to kill the Commander at that moment, but realises that this is just a fantasy and part of her "reconstruction".
Key quotations
Key quotations
- “This is a reconstruction. All of this is a reconstruction.”
- This comment no longer means that the account of Moira's escape is a reconstruction - but that the whole novel is a reconstruction.
- "Two-legged wombs"
- Sex is just about creating life in Gilead.
- "Scrabble ... forbidden"
- As Scrabble focuses on words and meanings, it's considered a dangerous activity in Gilead. Offred choosing to play the game as a secret activity highlights the power of language.
Key quotations (cont.)
Key quotations (cont.)
- Larynx ... Valance ... Quince ... Zygote"
- Offred is clearly very good at Scrabble as she makes many words using high scoring letters (like X, Q and V).
- A zygote is formed when the egg and sperm cell fuse.
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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