User:Marie Amoc/sandbox

=Offred=

Offred is a fictional character in the renowned book The Handmaid's Tale by Margaret Atwood. Offred is the main character and narrates what goes on in the book about the dystopian world of Gilead. Streaming service Hulu created a 10 episode show of the same book, The Handmaid's Tale (TV series) which premiered on April 26th, 2017. Due to the show's success the show announced in 2019 they would create a sequel series of the second book. The television show stars Elisabeth Moss who plays Offred, who was awarded at the Golden Globes for 'Best Actress'.

Past life
Before the creation of Gilead, Offred was raised by her single mother, who had very strong feminist beliefs that Offred would disagree on and often argue with her mother about her opinions. Offred and her mother did not have a close relationship with each other but after the creation of Gilead, Offred misses her mother dearly. Offred during her college days made a friend called Moira who like Offred's mother had very strong opinions, ' balance of power was equal between women so sex was an even-steven transaction". Offred admired Moira's rebellious attitude and wished she could be more like her, "if i was Moira" . Offred then met Luke which these two had an affair as Luke was married, they would meet often at hotel rooms to spend time together. After his divorce with his first wife, Luke and Offred got married and eventually, Offred and Luke had a daughter together (unknown name). During the creation of Gilead there were many changes in Offred's life. Offred had a job in a office which she was forced to quit after the control of the Gilead government (the eyes), after that day many opportunities that Offred could do as a woman was restricted. She could not buy anything from the store she used to go to as her card was declined and later disabled as women were not permitted to own or make money as now the men are the only ones who can. Offred then gets a call from Moira hearing that women were no longer allowed to hold property. Since Gilead was established Offred spent most of her time indoors which she became very depressed about it as she now lost her freedom to do anything. Offred then learnt that her and Luke was their marriage was invalid by the new system due to Luke being married before and divorces were now baseless. Because of this Luke's first marriage became valid. Luke and Offred attempt to flee Gilead but got separated from her daughter and Luke. Offred does not know if her daughter or Luke are alive, Offred has some hope that they are still alive somewhere and it's the driving force for Offred to keep going. "I want Luke here so badly".

Current Life in Gilead
After Offred was captured, she was sent to 'The Red Centre' which she would train to become a Handmaid (fertile women whose sole purpose is to bear children). Offred after her training was sent to a household controlled by Commander Fred and his wife Serena Joy. Offred's time in that household was not of a happy one as Serena Joy disliked Offred openly and that she was still not pregnant yet like many other Handmaids before her. It is not confirmed of Offred's name before Gilead with many readers believing her previous name is 'June'. Though it's not confirmed by the author. But, during the Gilead regime the main character was forced to be called 'Offred' as she now owned by the commander called Fred hence her name 'Of-Fred'.

Offred became close with another Handmaid that she had to go with on her shopping trips, her name is Ofglen. The two converse on what's going on in Gilead and Offred finds out through Offglen about Mayday and offers to let her join but Offred does not answer, later on in the book Offglen is replaced by a different person but finds out that Offglen's replacement knows of Mayday but doesn't support them, but assures Offred that the old Offglen killed her self before the 'Eyes' (Gilead's secret police) could take her which calms her as now the Eyes won't look for Offred for her rebellious acts.

During her time Offred is surprised that she is asked to be seen by the Commander which is entirely forbidden and could get Offred in trouble. Offred and the Commander build an interesting dynamic though their time togther. Like many Handmaid's Offred must go through 'the ceremony', during the ceremony the Commander almost touched Offred's face which is also forbidden and could get Offred into trouble, offred tells the Commander secretly that he should not do this again. Offred and him also play scrabble and offred confides with him on information or to get material goods that Offred is not allowed to have like lotion as Handmaid's aren't allowed to use those products which Offred uses butter to moisturise herself. In one of her nights with the Commander he gives Offred gifts, one of them was some lingerie to which he told Offred that he will take her outside. Offred dressed up for the first time manages to go outside with the help of Nick (the Commander's driver) and the Commander, they reached a brothel called 'Jezebel's'. There Offred learns that Moira, her old friend is now in a brothel, the two catch up and Offred is saddened that her old friend is not the rebellious woman she used to be after being captured for escaping. Offred imagines a different scenario where Moira does escape the authorities. "Here is what I’d like to tell. I’d like to tell a story about how Moira escaped, for good this time. Or if I couldn’t tell that, I’d like to say she blew up Jezebel’s, with fifty Commanders inside it. I’d like her to end with something daring and spectacular, some outrage, something that would befit her". Serena Joy unaware of Offred's relationship with the Commander speculates that the Commander is infertile and offers Offred to have a sexual encounter with Nick, at one point of the book Serena guides Offred to Nick's apartment. Offred reaches Nick's apartment and the two have sex, Nick and Offred then have an affair together which she grows fond over Nick and is willing to spend more time with him. "being here with him is safety;it's a cave, where we huddle together while the storm goes on outside".

After going to a gruesome salvaging (public executions) and particicution (executions carried out by Handmaids) Offred returns home to find Serena Joy waiting for her and Serena confronts Offred for betraying her for going to the Commander without her knowledge, Offred then get sent to her room after being threatened by Serena that she will end up like the last Handmaiden, dead. Offred is in her room a goes off a tangent on what will happen to her and ways she could escape, like suicide or burning the house down but takes too much time thinking that she does nothing. She sees a van outside the house and immediately believes that the Eyes are going to take her away but Nick comes into the room and tells her to come down, Offred at first believes he's an Eye but reassures it's Mayday and that she should go with them as they'll take her to somewhere safe. With no other choice Offred goes downstairs and passes the members of the house, the Commander, Serena Joy, the Martha's (the maid's) Rita and Cora who are confronted who are confused on why Offred is being taken which Offred finds out it was not them who called the men that arrived at the house. The Commander then panics as he will be in trouble by the government to which Serena Joy curses at Offred for what she's done. Offred is taken outside where she goes into the van where she is taken somewhere."Whether this is my end or a new beginning I have no way of knowing: I have given myself over into the hands of strangers, because it can't be helped. And so i step up, into the darkness within, or else the light".

Offred's Fate
After escaping with the help of Nick, Offred escapes but the ending of the book does not clarify where Offred is being taken or if she truly did escape Gilead. In the special chapter at the end of the book called Histories. It is revealed that Offred during her time in Gilead had recorded her story on a series of tapes which after the fall of Gilead decades later were found. Offred's tapes were transcribed and are studied at universities which they learn about the Gilead Period. It is also speculated that the squeal to the book, The Testaments that Offred did escape Gilead and gave birth to one of the characters in the second book but its neither confirmed by the Atwood whether this speculation is true or not.