The Handmaid's Tale Vol 2

[PacificDogwod]

I go to work and this is what happens: the previous thread fills up when I have pertinent things to say!

Hope nobody minds, I've taken the opportunity to start a new one before the Offspring demand food and the likes...

One of the masterful strikes of strategic genius of the new regime is the division and envy between everybody and everybody: men vs women, women in different roles vs other women, high ranking vs low ranking.
No solidarity is allowed - even the partnered Handmaids were half companion and have guard. Never knowing who might be an Eye and who to trust must be soul destroying.

I think Serena is quite a tragic figure - in the book and in the TV series. She must feel so betrayed by the ideals she fought for and that she is now kind of forced to uphold because otherwise what would her life be?? Admitting that she supporting a world view that while giving her some kind of social status by dint of her husband's role, considers her without value as she cannot have children would render everything she stands for invalid, and herself by extension.

The author who wrote a book about women being able to electrocute men by touch thereby causing a power change over (sorry, I cannot remember either name ) was talking on Radio Scotland today. She said the idea for her book came from when she wondered why so many mechanisms in society seem to go back to the fact that 'more men can throw a woman across a room than the other way around'. It's a depressing thought that physical strength underpins so much.

Why not what sorry?

Wow. A symbol of resistance.

Will they still kill a fertile handmaiden?

Re smoking.
Yes there was a gun, more 3vidence that he is an eye. I wonder did he leave it out deliberately so she woukd know

Isn't it that the wife's are assumed to be infertile? In the book they're all post menopause so not an unreasonable assumption. In the program so far it's not been made clear.

Surely a wife getting pregnant would be a huge status boost to a commander.

Has anyone watched Top of the lake with Elizabeth moss? Just saw the trailer after poldark and see that season 1 is on Netflix.

It would be a big risk for the wife though - she could end up being make to become a handmaiden in the future if she's known to be fertile? That's what I would be scared of if I was a wife.

Go Offred

Wow. I loved how they didn't touch or kiss until they had shed all the republic trappings.
Do we think nick is an eye? I doubt it

Now thats how you get preggers!!

I don't think so. A properly married fruitful wife is 'protected' .
The handmaids are fertile women of the 'slut' class. Unmarried or in Junes case an illegitimate adulterous marriage

I thought he said he was an eye, either way I'm confused!

The handmaids are not allowed to be wives because they were sinners. Either 'adulterers' or 'gender traitors'
Some wives of commanders would have had their own children. They were not all infertile.

So much power and control in that episode.

I now watch waiting for the final song.... this week did not disappoint

What was the bit when she came back from the market and went into the drawing room where Mrs W had been painting or some such and Mrs W was checking she was ok?

There were pliers on the table right? What was that conversation about? Then Mrs W said she was 'smart'?

That was an interesting moment. You can't be sick every month.

I thought Ofsteven's wife's aporoach could be one of two ways:

1. she is doing her small bit to fight the system, not collaborate with state sanctioned rape or knows Ofsteven's recent circumstances, show sisterhood. Hand on exOfglen's shoulder = sign of soldarity.

2. she can't bear to let another woman be intimate with her husband, knows she is taking risks both with her own position and Ofsteven's, as a lack of baby will consign Ofsteven to the colonies in due course. Hand on Ofsteven's shoulder = apology.

I thought he said he was an eye, either way I'm confused!

I think Nick told her he is an Eye because he thinks she should maintain her caution for her own safety. Whether he is Eye, Mayday or neither is open to question.

Top of the Lake is really good, Crispbutty

Such good tv. I thought the Commander's magazines were so patronising: here she is remembering bits of highbrow poetry and he's 'treating' her to stupid fluff.

And her feeling of guilt at 'cheating' on Luke (when told to have sex with him by Serena, so not like she had much choice in the matter) didn't really tally with Luke's feelings about cheating on his wife (which he appeared to do without compunction)

I'm thinking offred shouldn't be wearing her big stomping boots to walk round the house to her forbidden relationship. Stomp stomp stomp

Ahhhrr were is the old thread? What happened?

I need to catch up!

SPOILER ALERT

I'm going by my memory of the book and the original film here, but I though Nick was a double agent - so an Eye, but working for the Resistance. But - I think the book leaves it as more unknown than the film - where you see her safe at the end. I still remember the last line of the book after all these years.

Was less concentrated this week - feel as if I missed stuff.

Found the conversation between her and the commander confusing as I wasn't sure which handmaid they were talking about.

Plus of Nick's an Eye then is she having sex with him because he thinks it'll keep her safe or because she wants to.

This was an interesting episode. Partly because it is the first time I've found June / Offred unsympathetic - the scene where she and Luke are working out where to go to have sex was a bit uncomfortable.

It also showed that not all households are like hers - the new Ofglen said that she was treated well and Ofsteven / Emily seemed to have a kind Wife. I think that Steven's wife probably knew what had happened to Emily and wanted to spare her - but of course that isn't actually merciful since it just means she'll end up sent to the colonies.

It's also the first episode where the Commander has shown who he really is. He genuinely believes that this new society is better and that they were justified in mutilating Emily. He thinks of June as his dolly and he placates her (or tries to) with crappy magazines.

Yes, I think Nick is actually a double agent.

I loved her repeating Better never means better for everyone then cutting to the scene where she is agreeing to sleep with a married man and then pushes him to leave his wife. Not better for everyone in that social set up either.