Keyword Guide · character-analysis
This guide breaks down the major characters in The Handmaid’s Tale to help you study quickly and confidently. Use it for class discussions, quizzes, and essay planning without getting lost in plot details.
Offred is the novel’s central viewpoint, and most analysis focuses on how her inner life contrasts with her restricted role. She is observant, cautious, and shaped by memory. Her thoughts reveal how ordinary people adapt under pressure. For essays, track how her small choices show resistance without open rebellion.
Serena Joy represents limited authority within a rigid system. Although she holds status as a Wife, her lack of freedom creates bitterness and control issues. She often enforces the rules that also harm her. In discussion, consider how her character shows that power can still come with confinement.
The Commander embodies institutional power. He benefits from the system while bending its rules for personal comfort. His actions reveal the gap between public morality and private behavior. For analysis, focus on how his character exposes the system’s contradictions rather than personal villainy alone.
Moira and Ofglen highlight different approaches to resistance. Moira is openly defiant and challenges authority directly. Ofglen works quietly through networks and coded behavior. Comparing them helps students discuss whether survival, rebellion, or cooperation is the most effective response to oppression.
Offred is usually the focus because the story is filtered through her perspective, making her thoughts central to theme and meaning.
Choose one shared theme, such as power or freedom, and show how two characters respond differently to the same system.
Clear traits, specific examples from the story, and explanation of how characters connect to larger themes.
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