
early in the story
Shopping with Ofglen
Offred goes on her daily shopping walk with her partner, Ofglen, a fellow Handmaid. They walk in pairs through the streets of Gilead, passing checkpoints guarded by young Guardians. They visit stores like Milk and Honey and All Flesh, using tokens to purchase food. During the walk, they encounter a pregnant Handmaid, Janine, who is visibly proud of her condition. Offred and Ofglen also pass the Wall, where the bodies of executed men hang as a warning. The walk is a routine but fraught with tension, as the women must maintain a pious demeanor while secretly observing their surroundings.