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Chapter 58
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Testaments, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Religious Totalitarianism and Hypocrisy
Gender Roles
Truth, Knowledge, and Power
Shame, Fear, and Repression
Choice
Summary
Analysis
Lydia had thought her plan would go unhindered, but Vidala accosts her again one morning after breakfast. Vidala is deeply concerned about Aunt Immortelle (Becka) and Aunt Victoria (Agnes) undertaking their Pearl Girl missions at such a young age. She is particularly skeptical of Aunt Victoria and believes she may pose a flight risk in Canada. Lydia tries to console Vidala, but Vidala is insistent, especially since she saw Victoria reading her own genealogical file. Agnes’s biological mother is notorious for helping Baby Nicole escape and now works as a Mayday operative. Lydia assures Vidala that Victoria and Immortelle will prove themselves virtuous and pure on their mission, but Vidala gives a suspicious half-smile.
Aunt Vidala’s knowledge of Agnes reading her family’s genealogical file implies that she knows something of Lydia’s plot. As with Commander Judd, Lydia and Vidala are locked in a precarious balance of power, a contest of information and misinformation in an effort to discredit and destroy each other. These contests of power reflect the contests of power that actual authoritarian regimes are plagued with, and often toppled by.
Themes
Aunt Helena arrives next, also reporting that Victoria was seen reading her own genealogical file, which Helena also knows to contain dangerous information about Victoria’s mother and the fact that Baby Nicole is Victoria’s half-sister. Lydia assures her that she already knows and says that Vidala may be the one who gave Victoria access to the file. She surmises that Mayday has Baby Nicole in their possession and may be trying to reunite Baby Nicole with her infamous mother. Lydia assigns Helena the task of observing Vidala’s movements, watching for any more signs of treachery.
Once again, Lydia’s loyalties are vague at best, as she reveals true information about Mayday’s secret plan while furthering her own, playing both sides of the conflict in a bid to conceal her own machinations. This furthers Lydia’s characterization as a complex and morally ambiguous character, an anti-hero who uses questionable, even villainous means to achieve a righteous goal.
Themes
In the afternoon, Elizabeth franticly reports to Lydia that Eyes and Angels have invaded Ardua Hall, completely unauthorized. Lydia is greatly alarmed, and as she is striding out to deal with it runs into Commander Judd. Lydia is angry, but Judd explains that they have discovered that microdots were being smuggled on the brochures produced by Ardua Hall’s print shop, though they don’t yet know who the source is. Aunt Lydia expresses her disbelief and says that all of the Founders should be investigated, including herself, though Judd seems not to suspect her. However, he feels that they must reveal Baby Nicole to the world sooner than planned as a symbolic show of power. He will marry her himself. He asks after Shunammite, now in the clinic, and Lydia answers that she is recovering, though may soon have a sudden relapse.
Commander Judd and the Eyes’ unauthorized invasion of Ardua Hall suggests that the balance of power between Judd and Lydia is tipping. Judd is becoming bolder in his willingness to openly defy Lydia and act aggressively towards her, even if he does not realize she is behind the plot he is investigating. Under such circumstances, with the Aunts—and thus women—threatened with losing their last sanctuary from men’s influence and domination in Gilead, the execution of Lydia’s plan seems even more necessary.
Themes
