The Handmaid's Tale: Ch 1-2

"In the desert there is no sign that says, Thou shalt not eat stones." probably means,

• If people aren't told not to, they will eat stones

• there should be signs warning people not to eat stones

• stones are delicious, and we should snack on them

• people shouldn't need to be told not to do ridiculous things

What was the solution Rachel proposed in the biblical quote?

• she wanted to kill her husband and have the maid to herself

• she wanted to make Bilah have a baby and she would take it

• She wanted to party all the time, party all the time

• she proposed marriage and happiness

"the games that were formerly played there" Might mean...

• games of life and death were played here

  
  

• this used to be a gym

  
  

• game night was probably popular here

  
  

• fights to the death happened here

  
  

"A revolving ball of mirrors" Might mean...

• a basketball

  
  

• the vanity mirror from a bathroom

  
  

• one mirror after another

  
  

• a disco ball

  
  

"the army cots that had been set up in rows" Might mean...

• this is a fun camp of some kind

• this space has been converted to house people at night

• the US army is in charge of all the people now

  
  

• people sleep in rows now

  
  

"the old ones that still said US"

• There is no more United States

  
  

• there is no you and me

  
  

• The blankets are old

  
  

• old people still said things about us

  
  

"a chain linked fence topped with barbed wire"

• this is a happy peaceful place

• these people are being locked in like a jail

  
  

• this is a place for really bad people

  
  

• this is a dance club

  
  

"something could be exchanged" Might mean...

• people exchanged goods and services all the time

  
  

• there's a possibility of exchanging favors or information

  
  

• not sure

  
  

• they want to exchange phone numbers

  
  

How is the life of the narrator controlled?

• She can't leave the room without permission.

  
  

• no glass, assigned dress code, no small talk

  
  

• They can only think about their lamp, table and flowers

  
  

• each woman is allowed to decide their future

  
  

"..It’s those other escapes, the ones you can open in yourself, given a cutting edge." Means:

• They worry about the women running out of the houses

  
  

• they worry about the women getting too competitive

  
  

• they worry about women killing themselves to escape

  
  

• they worry about women having complex inner lives