Nick

Nick is the Commander's chauffeur and household servant who becomes Offred's lover and, ultimately, her rescuer, embodying the ambiguous possibilities of resistance within the Gileadean power structure. His role shifts from a seemingly casual, rule-bending functionary to a key operative in the Mayday underground, and his relationship with Offred provides her with a crucial, though dangerous, source of intimacy and hope.

Identity and Role in the Household

Nick lives in the household, over the garage, and his low status is evident: he has not been issued a woman, not even one, a sign of some defect or lack of connections. He acts as if he doesn't know or care about this, being too casual and not servile enough, which Offred finds suspicious, wondering if he might be an Eye. He is the one who washes the Commander's expensive black Whirlwind car, a task he performs lovingly. Offred knows his name because she has heard Rita and Cora talking about him, and once heard the Commander speak to him: "Nick, I won't be needing the car." He is also the one who delivers the signal for Offred to visit the Commander at night: if his hat is on askew or not on at all when she sets out for shopping or returns, she is to go to the Commander's study.

Key Actions and Objectives

Nick's most significant actions are those that facilitate Offred's secret life. He is the go-between for the Commander's illicit invitations, a role that makes him a "page boy" or "pimp" in Offred's eyes, though she wonders what he gets for it. He also becomes the instrument of Serena Joy's plan to get Offred pregnant, as Serena proposes that Nick be the one to impregnate her. Offred goes to Nick's room over the garage, and they begin a secret, passionate affair. He tells her, "Don't change anything. Otherwise they'll know," and warns her that the Commander and Serena Joy will love her to death if she is pregnant. His ultimate objective is revealed when the black van comes for Offred: he pushes open her door, whispers, "It's all right. It's Mayday. Go with them," and calls her by her real name, proving his allegiance to the underground resistance.

Relationships and Conflict

Nick's relationships are defined by his ambiguous position. With the Commander, he is a servant who carries out orders, but he also knows the Commander's secrets. With Serena Joy, he is a trusted agent for her black-market errands, and she believes he is loyal. His relationship with Offred is the most complex. It begins with a charged, illegal encounter in the dark sitting room, where he whispers, "He told me to. He wants to see you. In his office." Their physical relationship deepens into genuine intimacy, with Offred feeling that being with him is "safety; it's a cave, where we huddle together while the storm goes on outside." She tells him her real name, and he watches her face while she speaks. The conflict is that this love is built on a foundation of extreme risk, and Offred is constantly aware that he could be a spy or that their affair could lead to her death.

Change and Ending

Nick changes from a figure of suspicion and casual flirtation to a trusted lover and, finally, a rescuer. Offred's initial perception of him as a potential Eye or a man with a "French face, lean, whimsical" gives way to a deep, desperate trust. In the end, when the black van arrives, Nick reveals his true allegiance. He calls her by her real name and tells her to go with the men, who are part of Mayday. He is no longer with them as they escort her down the stairs, having gone down the back stairs, not wishing to be seen. The Historical Notes suggest that Nick was a member of the Mayday underground who had infiltrated the Gileadean power structure as a chauffeur, and that he may have brought about his own downfall by engineering Offred's escape.

Narrative Role and Significance

Nick functions as a shapeshifter and a threshold guardian in Offred's story. He is the conduit for the Commander's desires, the instrument of Serena's scheme, and the embodiment of a forbidden, human connection for Offred. His presence introduces the possibility of love and resistance within the totalitarian state. He is the one who ultimately opens the door to Offred's escape, making him the agent of her uncertain freedom. The Historical Notes confirm his significance, stating that his actions in helping Offred escape mark him as a member of the shadowy Mayday underground, and that his placement as chauffeur to the Commander was a "coup" for the resistance.