The Handmaid’s Tale: Style 1 key example

Atwood's style of writing often situates Offred as a passive object relative to her surroundings, whether through figurative and literal description or by use of the passive voice. This stylistic choice implicitly communicates Offred's dire situation to the reader, complementing more explicit plot elements.

The following excerpt from Chapter 2 exhibits Atwood's stylistic passivity well:

I go out into the polished hallway, which has a runner down the center, dusty pink. Like a path through the forest, like a carpet for royalty, it shows me the way. The carpet bends and goes down the front staircase and I go with it.

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