Controlling the sexuality of the population is central to Gilead’s regime. In what ways does this manifest, and to what degree are these efforts successful?

Although The Handmaid’s Tale is often described as a feminist novel, Offred does not neatly fit the role of a “feminist hero.” In what ways is she a more complex and problematic protagonist, and how might this affect the reader’s response to the novel?

Apart from the white wings around her face, every item of Offred’s clothing is red. Why is this symbolically significant?