Chapter Two
Offred awakens in a stark room of the Red Center, describing each object: a chair, table, lamp, white ceiling with a plastered wreath, a partially opening window with shatter‑proof glass, white curtains, a window seat, polished wood floor, braided rug, and a framed watercolour of blue irises without glass. She notes the absence of anything that could be used to tie a rope and comments on the limited escape routes. Aunt Lydia’s doctrine about “thinking must be rationed” echoes as Offred watches the bell that measures time, recalling nunneries.
She dresses in the prescribed uniform: red flat‑heeled shoes, finger‑by‑finger gloves, an ankle‑length red skirt, full sleeves, and white wings that block her sight and hide her face. She picks up a red umbrella, the only one assigned to her, and notes the other umbrellas—black for the Commander and blue for his Wife. She exits the room into a polished hallway with a dusty‑pink runner carpet, a grandfather clock, and a fanlight of coloured glass depicting flowers. A convex pier‑glass mirror on the wall offers a distorted reflection of herself in red. At the foot of the stairs sits an umbrella stand with bent‑wood rungs, holding the three umbrellas.
Proceeding past the front sitting room and the dining‑room door, she enters the kitchen. There she finds Rita, a Martha, in a dull‑green dress with a bib apron, her sleeves rolled to the elbows. Rita is kneading bread, then pauses, frowns, and tears out three tokens from a token book, handing them to Offred. Rita’s frown reflects suspicion of Offred’s red dress, which she associates with disease or bad luck. A brief, hushed conversation occurs between Rita and Cora (another Martha) about the Colonies, Unwomen, and the consequences of reproductive control; Cora mentions having her tubes tied and jokes about the harshness of the work.
Offred yearns for physical contact, recalling a discussion with Luke about “sororize”—a term for women behaving like sisters. She reflects on the enforced separation between Handmaids and Marthas and the limited ways they can communicate. Finally, Offred receives instructions from Rita: “Tell them fresh, for the eggs… not like the last time. And a chicken, tell them, not a hen.” Offred places the tokens in her zippered sleeve pocket, preparing to make the exchange, and resolves not to smile or seek friendship, maintaining the guarded demeanor required in the Red Center.