Like this, our very own protagonist try a woman trapped ranging from these some firms. This puts Offred on 
an impasse throughout the all narrative, too scared to going by herself totally so you’re able to rebellion, as well horrified at Gilead’s barbarism to submit to help you complacency. Involved, in other words. Offred’s mental state contrasts sharply to the “rallying scream” carved in Offred’s closet of the Waterford’s earlier in the day Handmaid: Nolite te bastardes carborundorum, that’s a sort-from Latin keywords meaning, “Do not let the newest bastards work you off.” This could be construed once the an ironic content towards lady to go out of, given that she eventually hanged herself-put another way, this lady rebellious spirit is rooted aside, and you can she don’t met with the have a tendency to to thrive, to battle, left inside her. However, the girl suicide may also be understand as evidence she never quit toward a great struggle, provided Ofglen together with hangs by herself into the conclusion the book, once the girl involvement with the fresh resistance is unwrapped, and also the Sight are coming on her. Did Offred’s pree need? In this case, it shows that she, such as Ofglen, fought towards the most prevent and you will finished her life on her behalf very own conditions.
Whether or not the previous Handmaid heeded her own recommendations or perhaps not, Offred does not, and this refers to necessary to Atwood’s overarching statements for the character regarding patriarchal oppression of women, just how males from inside the fuel work lady off. As it isn’t just Offred one to comes after a reduced trajectory out-of impossible, defacto invited of your own system. Moira, her old pal you to definitely fled the latest Red Cardiovascular system, reappears while the a gender worker in the Jezebels, a hotel turned into brothel set-up by the Commanders regarding Gilead you to definitely legitimately allows them to behave as in the event the there had been perhaps not a keen evangelical theocracy functioning beyond your “gentleman’s pub” (a location Offred’s Commander takes the woman to help his domme habits into supposedly sacred Handmaid). Whenever Moira fulfills Offred inside on which happened following the her stay away from (she try recaptured and you can forced to the prostitution because of the regimen), she claims into the several days that it “actually so bad,” just like the she reaches take in, cig, get highest, and you will explore others lady from the Jezebels as often because the she wants. This admission out of complacency out of Moira delivers Offred towards a beneficial spiral out of hopelessness, since she looked doing their dated pal because the a kind away from everyone champion, the one that got out, which defied the system. As opposed to this person to look to, Offred seems only despair, plus in that it emotional county, she as well begins to succumb, to feel as if fighting might be unnecessary-so much in fact if she understands this new black colored van try future for her, she considers suicide, but is therefore despondent she can’t most determine what answer to out-of herself.
Because she is escorted out of our home, Nick says to her to believe your and you will would no matter what guys state
The fresh new van waits regarding garage, their double doorways stand unlock. The two of them, you to into both sides today, need me personally by arms to simply help me personally during the. Whether or not this can be my personal prevent otherwise a special beginning We have no way off knowing: I have offered myself over towards the hand of strangers, as it cannot be helped. [stress exploit]
He may be appearing the latest black colored-clothed soldiers is actually family here to cut the woman; or, they could in reality be present to companion the girl so you’re able to the woman passing
We at some point understand, for the a keen epilogue created because a transcript out-of a good lecture considering years later, the boys did actually rescue Offred, and that the lady facts are culled of a number of cassette tape tracks produced during the latest lam. But the facts she survived-at the least, up until she hit Maine, as there is no technique for knowing what taken place in order to the woman following-are inconsequential, as her resignation to help you both dying or salvation is key aspect of Atwood’s conclude. Once more, think about the words “it can’t be assisted,” emphasized significantly more than. Within instant, Offred comprehends she has zero strength within this society, that if or not she life or passes away-outside of suicide, needless to say-is entirely off her hand. The lady future is determined from the anybody else (males, especially). Offred renders this resignation even more blatant in the a passage an effective partners profiles before the woman narrative’s achievement: