The Testaments

The Testaments

by

Margaret Atwood

Baby Nicole

Baby Nicole works as a dual symbol: for the Mayday movement she represents female liberation, while for the people of Gilead, she represents the threat of the outside world. Since Baby Nicole was smuggled out…

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The Wall

The Wall encircles the city in which the story is set and functions as a symbol of Gilead’s authoritarian power and control over its citizens. The Wall’s representation works both physically and psychologically. Physically, the…

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Brown Robes

The brown robes that the Sons of Jacob force cooperating women to wear represent submission and female oppression in Gilead. The robes are a sign of the women’s penitence, their admission of guilt for being…

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