6.2.1
The Garden & Doubles
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Imagery - The Garden
Offred often describes Serena Joy's garden, and in particular, the tulips that grow there.
Recurring motif
- "The tulips are red, a darker crimson towards the stem, as if they have been cut and are beginning to heal there".
- The tulips are a recurring motif. They symbolise the female reproductive organs. Atwood uses yonic imagery (relating to the female genitalia) to represent Offred's frustrations at her diminished role in society. She feels like she is nothing more than a vehicle for pregnancy.
Tulips along the border
- "The tulips along the border are redder than ever, opening, no longer wine cups but chalices; thrusting themselves up, to what end?"
"Like teeth"
- "The tulips have had their moment and are now done, shedding their petals one by one, like teeth"
- This quotation references the Freudian theory Vagina Dentata, which is a male phobia that a woman's vagina could castrate a man's penis while he is penetrating her.
- The references to "teeth" and "tulips" in this quotation reflect Offred's transgressive attitude towards her role in Gilead. She wishes she had the power to emasculate the patriarchal powers that control her.
"Red of the smile"
- "The red of the smile is the same as the red of the tulips in Serena Joy's garden, towards the base of the flowers where they are beginning to heal. The red is the same but there is no connection. The tulips are not tulips of blood..."
- Here, Offred is reminded of her situation by the "smiles" she imagines on the sacks covering the heads of those who are executed on the wall.
"Red of the smile" (cont.)
- Offred likens her fertility and "reduced circumstances" to the executed bodies of those who sinned against Gilead.
- She knows that she too could be on the Wall or in the Colonies if she doesn't fulfil her purpose or is caught breaking the rules.
Imagery - Doubles
The gothic image of the Doppelganger (a double) is used in the novel. Offred relates herself to Ofglen as they go shopping.
"Doubled, I walk the street"
- This image symbolises the depersonalisation of the Handmaids.
- Gilead makes sure they are never alone and always have someone to keep watch of them "Under his eye".
Cinema and Library
- Atwood uses the idea of double vision as Offred frequently reminds the reader of what used to be in place before the creation of Gilead, like a cinema instead of the Lilies of the Garden shop, or a Library which stood behind the Wall.
Gynasium and palimpsest
- In the opening chapter, Offred recalls what the gymnasium was used for before the Army took over.
- The idea of a palimpsest is mentioned in Chapter 1 ("a palimpsest of unheard sound").
- This symbolises that, even though the present has overwritten the past, Offred still remembers the truth.
- Atwood's message may be that you cannot hide or ignore the past as it always has a way of returning - in the case of the novel, through Offred's memories.
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
9Recap: Main Quotes
9.1Quotes by Chapter
9.1.1Chapters 1 & 29.1.2Chapters 3 & 49.1.3Chapters 5 & 69.1.4Chapters 7 & 89.1.5Chapters 9 & 109.1.6Chapters 11 & 129.1.7Chapters 13 & 149.1.8Chapter 15 & 169.1.9Chapters 17 & 189.1.10Chapters 19 & 209.1.11Chapters 21 & 229.1.12Chapters 23 & 249.1.13Chapters 25 & 269.1.14Chapters 27 & 289.1.15Chapters 29 & 309.1.16Chapters 31 & 329.1.17Chapters 33 & 349.1.18Chapters 35 & 369.1.19Chapters 37 & 389.1.20Chapters 39 & 409.1.21Chapters 41 & 429.1.22Chapters 43 & 449.1.23Chapters 45 & 469.1.24Historical Notes & Epigraphs
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
9Recap: Main Quotes
9.1Quotes by Chapter
9.1.1Chapters 1 & 29.1.2Chapters 3 & 49.1.3Chapters 5 & 69.1.4Chapters 7 & 89.1.5Chapters 9 & 109.1.6Chapters 11 & 129.1.7Chapters 13 & 149.1.8Chapter 15 & 169.1.9Chapters 17 & 189.1.10Chapters 19 & 209.1.11Chapters 21 & 229.1.12Chapters 23 & 249.1.13Chapters 25 & 269.1.14Chapters 27 & 289.1.15Chapters 29 & 309.1.16Chapters 31 & 329.1.17Chapters 33 & 349.1.18Chapters 35 & 369.1.19Chapters 37 & 389.1.20Chapters 39 & 409.1.21Chapters 41 & 429.1.22Chapters 43 & 449.1.23Chapters 45 & 469.1.24Historical Notes & Epigraphs
Practice questions on The Garden & Doubles
Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.
- 1Complete the quotations about the tulips in Serena Joy's garden:Fill in the list
- 2What do the tulips symbolise throughout the novel?Multiple choice
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