9.1.20

Chapters 39 & 40

Test yourself on Chapters 39 & 40

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Chapter 39 - Key Quotations

Here are three quotations from Chapter 39:

__"The same... serviced"__

"The same... serviced"

  • "The drapes are the same"
    • Irony. Previously, Offred visited with her lover. Now, she visits with a Commander who uses her for sex and nothing more.
  • "Serena wants me serviced"
    • This references the plan for Offred to sleep with Nick to get pregnant. The verb "serviced" indicates that this is a purely mechanical action, like having a vehicle serviced.
<b>"Dead bird... afford pride"

"Dead bird... afford pride"

  • "I lie there like a dead bird... I can't afford pride or aversion"
    • Offred is aware that she's powerless in her relationship with the Commander. In the Ceremonies, she's supposed to suppress any reaction. But here, she's trying to get her body to respond as if she has an emotional or physical response.
    • The entire sex scene is awkward and creates an atmosphere of deadness.

Chapter 40 - Key Quotations

Here are four key quotations from Chapter 40:

<b>"Myself... alive... human"

"Myself... alive... human"

  • "Myself, my obverse"
    • There are moments where Offred views Serena Joy as a sort of double of herself.
  • "I'm alive in my skin"
    • In Offred's first account of sleeping with Nick, she talks about the pleasure of being touched. She seems to be emotionally engaged in the process.
  • "Some acknowledgement that he too is human"
    • Offred finds emotionless sex dehumanising. Atwood stresses this by juxtaposing Offred's nights with the Commander and Nick.
__"Didn't happen that way"__

"Didn't happen that way"

  • "It didn't happen that way either"
    • Even Offred's alternative version of events is not a 'true' account. We're reminded that the entire novel is Offred's reconstruction - and that she is an unreliable narrator for that reason.
Jump to other topics
1

Author Background

1.1

Margaret Atwood

1.1.1Margaret Atwood
2

Chapter Summaries

2.1

Chapter 1: Night I

2.1.1Chapter 1
2.2

Chapters 2-6: Shopping II

2.2.1Chapter 22.2.2Chapter 32.2.3Chapter 42.2.4Chapter 52.2.5Chapter 6
2.3

Chapter 7: Night II

2.3.1Chapter 7
2.4

Chapters 8-12: Waiting Room IV

2.4.1Chapter 82.4.2Chapter 92.4.3Chapter 102.4.4Chapter 112.4.5Chapter 12
2.5

Chapter 13: Nap V

2.5.1Chapter 13
2.6

Chapters 14-17: Household VI

2.6.1Chapter 142.6.2Chapter 152.6.3Chapter 162.6.4Chapter 17
2.7

Chapter 18: Night VII

2.7.1Chapter 18
2.8

Chapters 19-23: Birth Day VIII

2.8.1Chapter 192.8.2Chapter 202.8.3Chapter 212.8.4Chapter 222.8.5Chapter 23
2.9

Chapter 24: Night IX

2.9.1Chapter 24
2.10

Chapters 25-29: Soul Scrolls X

2.10.1Chapter 252.10.2Chapter 262.10.3Chapter 272.10.4Chapter 282.10.5Chapter 29
2.11

Chapter 30: Night XI

2.11.1Chapter 30
2.12

Chapters 31-39: Jezebel's XII

2.12.1Chapter 312.12.2Chapter 322.12.3Chapter 332.12.4Chapter 342.12.5Chapter 352.12.6Chapter 362.12.7Chapter 372.12.8Chapter 382.12.9Chapter 39
2.13

Chapter 40: Night XIII

2.13.1Chapter 40
2.14

Chapters 41-45: Salvaging XIV

2.14.1Chapter 412.14.2Chapter 422.14.3Chapter 432.14.4Chapter 442.14.5Chapter 45
2.15

Chapter 46: Night XV

2.15.1Chapter 46
2.16

Historical Notes

2.16.1Historical Notes
3

Dedications & Epigraph

3.1

Dedications & Epigraph

3.1.1Dedications3.1.2Epigraph
4

Context

4.1

Setting

4.1.1Setting
4.2

Literary Context & Genre

4.2.1The Canterbury Tales & The Scarlet Letter4.2.2Links to Dystopian Fiction
4.3

Political Context

4.3.1Berlin & Iran4.3.2The New Right in America
4.4

Historical Context

4.4.1Puritan New England
4.5

Parallels: Read World & Gilead

4.5.1The Underground Femaleroad4.5.2Children of Ham & Soul Scrolls4.5.3Offred's Tattoo, Salvaging & Illegal Abortions4.5.4Unwomen, Colonies & Giving Away Offred's Daughter
4.6

Religious Context

4.6.1Religious Context
5

Narrative Structure & Literary Techniques

5.1

Narrative Structure

5.1.1Narrative Structure
5.2

Literary Techniques

5.2.1Literary Techniques5.2.2Colour Symbolism
6

Themes & Imagery

6.1

Themes

6.1.1Survival & Language6.1.2The Female Body
6.2

Imagery

6.2.1The Garden & Doubles
7

Characters

7.1

Female Characters

7.1.1Offred & Moira7.1.2Offred's Mother, Ofglen & Ofwarren7.1.3Serena Joy & Aunt Lydia
7.2

Male Characters

7.2.1The Commander7.2.2Nick & Luke
8

Readings

8.1

Readings of The Handmaid's Tale

8.1.1Eco-Criticism8.1.2Complacency
9

Recap: Main Quotes

9.1

Quotes 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
9.2

Text Structure - Quotes

9.2.1Literary Techniques - Quotes9.2.2Survival & Language -Quotes9.2.3The Female Body - Quotes9.2.4The Garden & Doubles - Quotes9.2.5Eco-Criticism & Complacency - Quotes

Practice questions on Chapters 39 & 40

Can you answer these? Test yourself with free interactive practice on Seneca — used by over 10 million students.

  1. 1
    What does Offred say are <b>"the same"</b> in the room?Multiple choice
  2. 2
    What does Offred say of Serena Joy in Chapter 40?Multiple choice
Answer all questions on Chapters 39 & 40

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Chapters 37 & 38

Chapters 41 & 42