Such as this, our very own protagonist was a woman trapped anywhere between this type of various providers. This leaves Offred on an enthusiastic impasse while in the all the narrative, as well frightened to commit herself totally to help you rebellion, too horrified from the Gilead’s barbarism to submit to help you complacency. Caught up, to put it differently. Offred’s state of mind contrasts sharply into “rallying scream” carved in the Offred’s cabinet of the Waterford’s past Handmaid: Nolite te bastardes carborundorum, that is a sort-out of Latin keywords meaning, “Don’t let the newest bastards grind you down.” This could be construed as the an ironic message on girl to depart, just like the she ultimately hanged by herself-to phrase it differently, the woman edgy heart is rooted aside, and she don’t encountered the have a tendency to in order to survive, to battle, left in her. However, this lady committing suicide may be realize just like the evidence she never quit towards an excellent strive, considering Ofglen including hangs herself towards the end of new novel, shortly after this lady involvement with the fresh new resistance was exposed, plus the Attention are on their way on her. Performed Offred’s pree cause? If that’s the case, it demonstrates that she, such Ofglen, fought into the most prevent and you may concluded her life on her behalf very own terminology.
Whether the prior Handmaid heeded her very own guidance or not, Offred will not, and this refers to required to Atwood’s overarching reviews on the nature away from patriarchal oppression of females, just how boys during the power work people off. Whilst isn’t just Offred you to definitely pursue a reduced trajectory regarding hopeless, defacto invited of your system. Moira, their old pal one fled the Yellow Heart, reappears because an intercourse employee from inside the Jezebels, a resort turned into brothel establish of the Commanders out of Gilead 
you to definitely lawfully lets these to act as in the event that there are maybe not an evangelical theocracy doing work away from “gentleman’s club” (a place Offred’s Chief takes her to further their mistress models on the purportedly sacred Handmaid). When Moira fulfills Offred in the on which happened after the her refrain (she is actually recaptured and you will forced into prostitution of the routine), she insists to your multiple hours that it “isn’t really so bad,” as she reaches take in, cigarette, score highest, and you may have fun with others people from the Jezebels normally just like the she desires. So it admission regarding complacency off Moira directs Offred towards the a good spiral out-of hopelessness, because the she appeared to the woman old friend as a sort from men and women character, one that had away, whom defied the machine. In the place of this person to seem around, Offred feels only despair, and also in this emotional condition, she also starts to succumb, feeling like attacking could well be pointless-so much so when she understands the newest black colored van are upcoming on her, she considers suicide, it is so depressed she cannot really determine what cure for off herself.
Due to the fact this woman is escorted out of the house, Nick tells this lady to think your and you can manage no matter what people state
The brand new van delays about driveway, its twice doors remain discover. The two of them, that towards either side now, just take me by the arms to simply help myself within the. If that is my personal prevent or yet another beginning I have no chance off once you understand: I’ve offered me personally more than to your hand from visitors, because cannot be assisted. [stress exploit]
He might getting appearing new black-clad troops is nearest and dearest right here to help you rescue the girl; or, they could in fact show up in order to companion the woman so you can their demise
I sooner or later see, in the an enthusiastic epilogue created as the a great transcript from an effective lecture offered hundreds of years later, that boys performed actually save your self Offred, and this the girl story was culled out of several cassette recording recordings made while on the fresh lam. Although reality she lasted-at the least, up until she achieved Maine, because there isn’t any technique for knowing what taken place in order to the girl following-try inconsequential, just like the the lady resignation to help you both demise or salvation is the key part of Atwood’s finish. Once more, think about the words “it cannot feel helped,” highlighted more than. Contained in this quick, Offred knows she has zero fuel within this area, you to definitely if or not she lifetime otherwise dies-outside committing suicide, obviously-is very out of the lady give. The woman fate is determined by others (men, especially). Offred produces this resignation far more blatant inside the a passageway an effective partners pages in advance of the woman narrative’s completion: