9.2.1
Literary Techniques - Quotes
Metaphor, Simile and Paronomasia Quotations
Metaphor, Simile and Paronomasia Quotations
The following literary techniques are seen in The Handmaid's Tale:


Metaphor
Metaphor
- Offred uses grotesque imagery to objectify the naked body of the Commander. This may show her disgust at the nature of the Ceremony:
- "His tentacle, his delicate stalked slug's eye, which extrudes, expands, winces and shrivels back into himself."


Paronomasia (a pun)
Paronomasia (a pun)
- In the Historical Notes, the name of the University is Denay, Nunavit, a pun on "Deny none of it!"
- Moira also makes a pun on the Biblical reference "There is a balm in Gilead", changing it to "There is a bomb in Gilead" in Chapter 34. She is attacking the beliefs of the theocracy through her language.


Simile
Simile
- Offred describes the brutality of the world in very prosaic, normal language. This may show how desensitised she is to it all:
- "Helped onto the high stool as if she's being helped up the steps of a bus... the noose adjusted delicately around the neck, like a vestment."
Literary Techniques (Cont.)
Literary Techniques (Cont.)
The following literary techniques are seen in The Handmaid's Tale:


Neologisms
Neologisms
- Neologisms are made-up words. By creating these new words, Atwood shows how language holds meaning and ideological control over those who use it.
- "Unwomen"
- "Particicution"
- "Compucheck"


Polyptoton
Polyptoton
- Polyptoton is when words which are derived from the same lexical root are repeated.
Atwood uses this technique when Offred thinks about the power of language and its many different meanings:
- "Night falls. Or has fallen. Why is it that night falls, instead of rising, like the dawn?"
- "I wait. I compose myself. My self is a thing I must now compose, as one composes a speech."


Chremamorphism
Chremamorphism
- Chremamorphism is the opposite of personification; it is where a human is given the characteristics of an object/something inanimate.
- Atwood uses it to show how objectified Offred feels in her role as a Handmaid.
- "Buttered, I lie on my single bed, flat, like a piece of toast."
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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