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The Handmaid's Tale Chapter Five: Summary and Analysis

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Offred and her shopping partner Ofglen walk through the wealthy centre of Gilead, where the war seems distant. Offred remembers walking with her husband Luke past similar houses, dreaming of buying one and having children—a memory that now feels weightless. They go to a market called Milk and Honey, where they wait in line for eggs and milk. Oranges are available but Offred lacks tokens. In the store, a heavily pregnant Handmaid enters; she is Janine, a former classmate from the Red Centre. Janine displays her pregnancy proudly, provoking jealousy among the other Handmaids. Next they go to All Flesh, a butcher shop. Ofglen buys steak twice this week, a fact Offred will report to the Marthas. Offred recalls arguments with Luke about plastic shopping bags. On the street, they encounter a group of Japanese tourists. Their interpreter asks if the Handmaids will pose for a photo; Offred refuses, knowing modesty rules. The interpreter then asks, "Are you happy?" Offred murmurs yes, knowing it is dangerous not to.

Key Events

Offred and Ofglen walk through central Gilead, passing large houses that remind Offred of lost dreams with Luke.
Offred remembers the unwritten rules women followed in pre-Gilead times, such as not opening doors to strangers.
They shop at Milk and Honey, where Offred longs for oranges but has no tokens.
Janine, a pregnant Handmaid from the Red Centre, enters the store and draws attention, showing off her belly.
Offred and Ofglen proceed to All Flesh; Ofglen buys steak for the second time that week.
Offred recalls domestic arguments with Luke about plastic grocery bags, a trivial memory that now feels precious.
Japanese tourists approach; their interpreter requests a photograph.
Offred looks down to hide her face and refuses to be photographed.
The interpreter asks if the Handmaids are happy; after a tense silence, Offred answers yes.

Character Development

Offred is defined by her interior life of memory and resistance. She contrasts her past freedom—wearing shorts, earning her own money, choosing—with the restricted present. Her thoughts drift to Luke and the ordinary arguments they once had, which she now misses deeply. She feels desire for oranges, envy of Janine's pregnancy, and a mix of fascination and repulsion at the Japanese women's exposed legs. She is aware of the surveillance around her and performs compliance when necessary.

Ofglen remains largely silent and observant. She avoids looking at other women in the store, perhaps concealing something. Her purchase of steak twice in one week suggests her household may have higher status or special privileges.

Janine appears as a pregnant Handmaid who chooses to go shopping despite the risks. She displays her pregnancy with pride, enjoying the envy and attention. Her smirk towards Offred recalls their Red Centre rivalry and shows she now holds a coveted position in Gilead's hierarchy.

Aunt Lydia's teachings echo through the chapter, particularly the idea that modesty is invisibility and that freedom from danger is preferable to freedom to choose. Her voice continues to regulate the Handmaids' behaviour even in her absence.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Memory as resistance: Offred's detailed recollections of pre-Gilead life—shoes, laundromats, plastic bags—function as a private rebellion against the regime's erasure of the past.

Freedom to vs. Freedom from: Aunt Lydia's distinction is put to the test. The Handmaids are safe from street harassment but have lost all personal agency. The Japanese tourists represent a world that still has "freedom to."

Surveillance and performance: The interpreter is suspected to be an Eye, and Offred must answer the question about happiness carefully. The regime demands visible contentment from its subjects.

Commodification of fertility: Janine's pregnant body is a "flag on a hilltop," both revered and envied. The Handmaids' value lies entirely in their reproductive capacity.

The outside gaze: The Japanese tourists' curiosity highlights how Gilead appears from abroad. Offred's refusal to be photographed underscores the regime's control over visibility.

Symbolic items: Oranges represent rare luxury and desire; plastic bags stand for domestic life now lost; the white wings and red dress are uniforms of depersonalisation.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter deepens the reader's understanding of daily life under Gilead. It shows how the regime controls even mundane activities like shopping, memory, and visual contact. The introduction of Janine's pregnancy sets up future plot developments regarding the fate of Handmaids who bear children. The encounter with the Japanese tourists exposes the regime's public relations front and the psychological pressure to perform happiness. Offred's internal conflict—longing for oranges, envying Janine, recalling trivial arguments—humanises her and makes her oppression tangible. The chapter reinforces key themes of loss, memory, and the trade-off between security and freedom.

Study Questions and Answers

How does Offred's memory of arguing with Luke about plastic bags serve as a commentary on loss? The memory of a trivial domestic disagreement becomes a poignant symbol of everything Offred has lost. In pre-Gilead times, she and Luke could argue about such mundane matters as the accumulation of plastic bags. Now, that ordinary life is gone, and Offred clings to the memory as a reminder of the autonomy and intimacy she once had. The argument also reveals her past carelessness—she "took too much for granted"—which contrasts sharply with her current state of constant vigilance.
What does the encounter with the Japanese tourists reveal about Gilead's relationship with the outside world? The tourists come from a country that still practices "freedom to"—their clothing, cameras, and casual curiosity mark them as outsiders. Gilead allows such visits as a form of propaganda, presenting a controlled image of peace and order. The interpreter acts as a gatekeeper, ensuring the Handmaids' responses align with the regime's narrative. Offred's murmured "we are very happy" is a performance for foreign consumption, revealing the gap between Gilead's official story and the reality of oppression.
Why does Janine choose to go shopping while pregnant? What does this reveal about her character and the status of pregnant Handmaids? Janine's decision to go out, despite the dangers, shows that she enjoys the status and attention her pregnancy brings. She displays her belly triumphantly, relishing the envy of other Handmaids. This behaviour marks her as one of Aunt Lydia's "pets," eager to please the regime. It also highlights the precarious position of pregnant Handmaids: they are closer to death (from jealousy or accident) but also seen as vessels of hope. Janine's smirk towards Offred suggests old rivalries persist even under the new order.