9.1.6
Chapters 11 & 12
Chapter 11 - Key Quotations
Chapter 11 - Key Quotations
Here are five key quotations from Chapter 11:


Key quotations
Key quotations
- "It intersects me...he deals only with a torso"
- The doctor doesn't regard Offred as an individual.
- "He's said a forbidden word. Sterile".
- "No such thing as a sterile man"
- In Gilead, only women can be blamed when couples cannot conceive. This reflects the opinions of some older civilisations - e.g. Jacob criticises Rachel's infertility in the Old Testament.


Key quotations (cont.)
Key quotations (cont.)
- "He could ... report me"
- The doctor has total control over Offred. She can reject him here, but he could take total control of her by raping her.
- "Give me children or else I die"
- This references Genesis 30 when Rachel demands children. In the context of Gilead, die actually means I shall be executed.
Chapter 12 - Key Quotations
Chapter 12 - Key Quotations
Here are two key quotations from Chapter 12:


Key quotation
Key quotation
- “Blessed are the meek. She didn't go on to say anything about inheriting the earth.”
- The quotation from the Bible is “Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” But the handmaids cannot be taught this because they have no hope of getting out of the “poverty of spirit.” This shows how manipulative and controlling Gilead is.


Key quotation
Key quotation
- “I wait. I compose myself. My self is a thing I must now compose.”
- The narrator cannot act naturally or be herself being "Offred". It's as if she has a dual personality. Offred is a side of her that is a "thing" she must "compose".
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 & 2
9.1.2Chapters 3 & 4
9.1.3Chapters 5 & 6
9.1.4Chapters 7 & 8
9.1.5Chapters 9 & 10
9.1.6Chapters 11 & 12
9.1.7Chapters 13 & 14
9.1.8Chapter 15 & 16
9.1.9Chapters 17 & 18
9.1.10Chapters 19 & 20
9.1.11Chapters 21 & 22
9.1.12Chapters 23 & 24
9.1.13Chapters 25 & 26
9.1.14Chapters 27 & 28
9.1.15Chapters 29 & 30
9.1.16Chapters 31 & 32
9.1.17Chapters 33 & 34
9.1.18Chapters 35 & 36
9.1.19Chapters 37 & 38
9.1.20Chapters 39 & 40
9.1.21Chapters 41 & 42
9.1.22Chapters 43 & 44
9.1.23Chapters 45 & 46
9.1.24Historical 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 & 2
9.1.2Chapters 3 & 4
9.1.3Chapters 5 & 6
9.1.4Chapters 7 & 8
9.1.5Chapters 9 & 10
9.1.6Chapters 11 & 12
9.1.7Chapters 13 & 14
9.1.8Chapter 15 & 16
9.1.9Chapters 17 & 18
9.1.10Chapters 19 & 20
9.1.11Chapters 21 & 22
9.1.12Chapters 23 & 24
9.1.13Chapters 25 & 26
9.1.14Chapters 27 & 28
9.1.15Chapters 29 & 30
9.1.16Chapters 31 & 32
9.1.17Chapters 33 & 34
9.1.18Chapters 35 & 36
9.1.19Chapters 37 & 38
9.1.20Chapters 39 & 40
9.1.21Chapters 41 & 42
9.1.22Chapters 43 & 44
9.1.23Chapters 45 & 46
9.1.24Historical Notes & Epigraphs
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