Biblical References and Control Through Language
Atwood doesn't just mention religion - she weaves biblical allusions throughout every aspect of Gileadean life. The name Gilead itself comes from a biblical story where Jacob takes his wives and their handmaids to create a new society under his complete authority - sound familiar?
Even the greetings people use are designed to control. "Blessed be the fruit" comes from Mary's pregnancy story, constantly reminding handmaids that their only purpose is producing children. "May the Lord open" refers to biblical wombs being "open" or "closed" - basically telling handmaids they'll become "unwomen" sent to deadly colonies if they can't get pregnant.
The most chilling phrase is "Under His Eye", which works on two levels. It references God always watching, but also refers to Gilead's secret police called the "Eyes" who spy on citizens and report rule-breakers.
There's even a twisted reference in "There is a bomb in Gilead" - a play on the biblical verse asking "Is there no balm in Gilead?" Instead of Jesus's healing power, Atwood's Gilead brings only violence and harm.
Remember: These aren't just clever literary references - they show how completely religion has been weaponised to control every aspect of daily life in Gilead.