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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. In Chapter 7, what did the gravestone have engraved on it?

2. What is a disfigured baby called?

3. According to Chapter 3, what does the narrator see when she is drugged, later?

4. What color is Offred’s bathroom?

5. Where was Offred’s daughter first stolen?

Short Essay Questions

1. What does Offred do after exercising in Chapter 5?

2. Why is the doctor’s offer to Offred in Chapter 4 tempting?

3. In Chapter 4, What does the message in Offred’s room say?

4. Why do the women steal something for Moira at the center?

5. Why does the narrator start thinking about Moira at night in Chapter 3?

6. Why is the narrator in the setting at the opening of the novel?

7. How does the Commander act before and during the ceremony in Chapter 6?

8. How does the narrator feel about the Commander’s House in Chapter 2? Describe her surroundings as well as her reactions to them.

9. Describe the narrator’s mother as depicted in Chapter 3.

10. If Luke is free in Chapter 7, what happened to him?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

Each role in the novel has a particular color associated with it – red for Handmaids, blue for Wives, and so on. Why are these colors important? Examine the importance and symbolism of various colors throughout the book, tying them to characterizations.

Essay Topic 2

Though the novel focuses on Handmaids, other characters, in other roles, also permeate the book. Describe one role in-depth. What are some of the advantages of this role? Disadvantages?

Essay Topic 3

In his speech at the end of the book, the professor gives several real-world links to Gilead. What contemporary society or issues do you see mirrored in Gilead? Take one real-life example and compare and contrast it with the society in the book.

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This section contains 495 words (approx. 2 pages at 300 words per page) View a FREE sample