The Eyes
The Eyes are the secret police and intelligence apparatus of Gilead, an organization whose name evokes the lidless, all-seeing eye of God. They are the regime's primary instrument for surveillance, interrogation, and the elimination of dissent, operating from a former grand library that has been stripped of its original books and repurposed as their headquarters. The building's interior staircase still bears murals depicting dead soldiers, angels, and wreaths of victory, though the flag of the former United States has been painted over with that of Gilead. The Eyes hold sway in this space, which now shelters no books but their own, the original contents having been either burned or added to the private collections of various Commanders.
Structure and Command
The Eyes are commanded by Commander Judd, a man who has risen in power by straightening out Gilead's women and then taking charge of the intelligence network. His office is at the back of the building, in a space once used for book storage and research cubicles, and a large Eye with a real crystal in the pupil is centered on the door, allowing him to see who is about to knock. Judd is universally feared, and his authority over the Eyes makes him one of the most powerful figures in Gilead. The organization's methods are harsh and efficient: they conduct raids, interrogations, and executions, and they are responsible for tracking down and eliminating Mayday operatives and other enemies of the regime.
Methods and Operations
The Eyes employ a range of tactics to maintain control. They conduct raids on suspected resistance networks, as when they raided the Ardua Hall print shop in search of microdots used to pass information to Mayday. They also carry out targeted assassinations, such as the car bomb that killed Neil and Melanie, the Mayday operatives running The Clothes Hound in Toronto. The Eyes are known for their harsh interrogation techniques, and they are not shy about using violence to extract information. Commander Judd himself has overseen the use of the Thank Tank, a repurposed police-station isolation cell where prisoners are subjected to sensory deprivation, beatings, and psychological torture to break their will.
Relationship with Aunt Lydia and the Aunts
Aunt Lydia, the founder of the Aunts, has a complex and carefully managed relationship with the Eyes. She knows that the Eyes are always watching, and she uses her knowledge of their methods to protect herself and advance her own agenda. She has placed surveillance cameras throughout Ardua Hall, knowing where the Eyes' cameras are because she placed them herself. She also maintains a network of informants and uses the Pearl Girls, originally her idea, to gather intelligence for the Eyes. However, she is also aware that the Eyes could turn on her at any moment, and she has taken precautions, including hoarding incriminating documents that could be used against the regime's leaders. Commander Judd, for his part, relies on Aunt Lydia to manage the women's side of Gilead's enterprise, but he also suspects her of being the traitor within Ardua Hall who has been passing information to Mayday.
The Eyes as a Tool of Control and Paranoia
The Eyes are a pervasive presence in Gilead, and their reputation for ruthlessness creates an atmosphere of fear and paranoia. They are known to be everywhere and nowhere, and their agents can be anyone. This constant surveillance is a key mechanism of social control, as citizens are afraid to speak or act against the regime for fear of being reported. The Eyes are also used to purge the regime's own ranks, as when they investigate the leak of information to Mayday. Their power is such that even high-ranking Commanders are not immune to their scrutiny, and the threat of being denounced to the Eyes is a constant source of anxiety for all who live under Gilead's rule.
Narrative Significance
The Eyes function as a symbol of the regime's totalitarian nature, representing the ever-present threat of surveillance, betrayal, and violence that underpins Gilead's social order. They are the mechanism by which the regime enforces its will, but they are also a tool that can be turned against the regime itself, as Aunt Lydia's manipulation of their operations demonstrates. The Eyes' presence in the narrative underscores the constant danger faced by those who resist Gilead, and their methods highlight the regime's reliance on fear and coercion to maintain power.
