Offred's Maternal Love

The Handmaid's Tale

Offred's love for her daughter, expressed through memory, hope, and the photograph.

increasing

Bearing strength in each event

decreasing

Memories of Her Daughter Memories of Her Daughter from "The Handmaid's Tale". Memories of Her Daughter The Baby Offred remembers her daughter as a baby, the smell of her hair, the weight in her arms.

Memories of Her Daughter from "The Handmaid's Tale". Memories of Her Daughter The Baby Offred remembers her daughter as a baby, the smell of her hair, the weight in her arms.

Memories of Her Daughter The Baby Offred remembers her daughter as a baby, the smell of her hair, the weight in her arms. She was stolen from a supermarket cart once. The Little Girl She remembers her daughter at different ages: running across the lawn, blowing dandelion seeds. These memories are precious. The Loss Offred's daughter was taken from her. She thinks of her as dead, but hopes she is alive. The love is a constant ache.

The Photograph The Photograph from "The Handmaid's Tale". The Photograph The Gift Serena Joy shows Offred a photograph of her daughter. She is about eight, in a white dress. She is smiling.

The Photograph from "The Handmaid's Tale". The Photograph The Gift Serena Joy shows Offred a photograph of her daughter. She is about eight, in a white dress. She is smiling.

The Photograph The Gift Serena Joy shows Offred a photograph of her daughter. She is about eight, in a white dress. She is smiling. The Erasure Offred sees that her daughter does not remember her. She has been erased. The photograph is both a blessing and a curse. The Hope Offred hopes her daughter is happy. She wants to believe she will be reunited. The love endures.

throughout the narrative, in flashbacks

late summer