Chapters 11 & 12
English Lit: Edexcel A Level The Handmaid's Tale, topic 9.1.6
Chapter 11 - Key Quotations
Here are five key quotations from Chapter 11:
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.)
- "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
Here are two key quotations from Chapter 12:
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
- “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".
Test yourself on Chapters 11 & 12
What's the missing word?
"No such thing as a ____ man"Which quotation from Chapter 11 references the Bible?
Which part of the Bible does this line reference?
"Give me children or else I die"