Orange

The Orange first appears as a votive offering left at the feet of Aunt Lydia's statue by anonymous worshippers. Aunt Lydia notes that she "pocket[s] the oranges" because they are "so refreshing," revealing her pragmatic willingness to accept the material benefits of her own cult of personality. The oranges are part of a pattern of offerings that also includes eggs and croissants, which Aunt Lydia interprets as symbols of fertility and the moon. This practice of leaving offerings becomes a point of contention, as Aunt Vidala later accuses Aunt Elizabeth of planting oranges and eggs at the statue to create evidence of idolatry against Aunt Lydia, turning the innocent fruit into a weapon in the internal politics of Ardua Hall.

Votive Offerings and Political Intrigue

The Orange becomes central to the power struggle between Aunt Lydia and her rivals. Aunt Vidala, in an attempt to frame Aunt Elizabeth for heresy, places an orange and an egg at the base of Aunt Lydia's statue herself, along with a handkerchief embroidered with lilacs. Aunt Lydia, having installed surveillance cameras in her statue, captures this act on video, filing the evidence away for future use. The Orange thus transforms from a simple gift into a piece of incriminating evidence in a scheme to discredit a rival. Aunt Lydia reflects on the difficulty of obtaining oranges, noting that they are "like gold these days, lemons, considering the disasters in Florida," which underscores their value as a luxury item in Gilead's war-ravaged economy and makes their use as offerings all the more significant.

A Token of Defiance and Sustenance

During the escape from Ardua Hall, the Orange takes on a new role as a token of defiance and a source of sustenance. After Nicole (Jade) punches Aunt Vidala and drags her behind the statue, she picks up an orange that had fallen to the ground and puts it in her pocket. Later, in the car that is driving them away from Gilead, Nicole peels and eats the entire orange, offering half to her sister Agnes, who refuses, saying "It's not right to eat it" because it had been a sacred offering. Nicole's act of eating the orange is a final, irreverent rejection of Gilead's piety and a practical act of nourishment for the journey ahead. The orange peels are later discovered by the Eyes inside the discarded Pearl Girls backpacks in Vermont, serving as a red herring that distracts the search party from the true escape route. The Orange thus completes its journey from a symbol of worship to a piece of evidence in a political plot, and finally to a stolen, life-sustaining fruit that marks the beginning of freedom.