Aunt Lydia's Statue
Aunt Lydia's statue, erected while she was still alive, is a monument to her power and a focal point for the political and psychological struggles within Ardua Hall. It serves as a site of idolatry, surveillance, and intrigue, reflecting the regime's contradictions and Lydia's own complex legacy.
Identity and Unveiling
The statue was a "small token of appreciation" for Aunt Lydia's contributions, unveiled nine years before her narrative begins. It is larger than life, depicting her as younger, slimmer, and in better shape, with a firm but benevolent smile. The sculptress, a true believer since deceased, had a tendency to confer bulging eyes on her subjects as a sign of pious fervour, but Lydia's statue looks sane. At the unveiling, Aunt Vidala read the citation, and Lydia pulled the rope to release the cloth drape. She toyed with the idea of frowning but thought better of it, saying "Very lifelike." The statue is placed in a morose cluster of trees and shrubs beside the footpath in front of Ardua Hall, as Aunts must not be too presumptuous, even in stone.
Composition and Symbolism
The statue is a crowded group: a girl of seven or eight clutches Lydia's left hand, gazing up with trusting eyes; a Handmaid crouches at her side, hair veiled, eyes upturned in an expression that could be read as craven or grateful; and a Pearl Girl stands behind, ready for missionary work. Hanging from a belt around Lydia's waist is her Taser, a weapon that reminds her of her failings—had she been more effective, she would not have needed such an implement. The statue has weathered over nine years: pigeons have decorated it, moss has sprouted in its damper crevices. Votaries have taken to leaving offerings at its feet: eggs for fertility, oranges to suggest the fullness of pregnancy, and croissants to reference the moon. Lydia ignores the breadstuffs but pockets the oranges, finding them refreshing.
Political and Psychological Significance
The statue becomes a tool in the power struggles among the Aunts. Aunt Vidala accuses Aunt Elizabeth of planting eggs and oranges at the statue's feet to create evidence of idolatry against Lydia. However, Lydia installs two battery-run surveillance cameras in the statue's base and captures Vidala herself placing the offerings, including a handkerchief embroidered with lilacs, a well-known prop of Lydia's. This allows Lydia to file away the photos for future use. The statue also represents Lydia's own mortality and legacy. She wonders if she will live to a gently neglected old age, ossifying by degrees, or if the regime and she will both topple, her stone replica dragged away and sold off as a curiosity or a chunk of gruesome kitsch. She contemplates being put on trial as a monster, executed, and torn apart by a mob, acknowledging she has inspired sufficient rage for that.
Narrative Role and Thematic Significance
The statue is a recurring symbol of Lydia's ambiguous power and the regime's hypocrisy. It is a monument to a living person, a violation of the rule that only dead people are allowed statues. It is a site of both reverence and manipulation, where offerings are made and evidence is planted. The statue's presence in the narrative underscores the themes of idolatry, surveillance, and the performative nature of power in Gilead. It is a physical manifestation of Lydia's control and her vulnerability, a stone witness to the secrets and struggles that define Ardua Hall.
