Notes

That is, if Ofglen is to be believed. (Can anyone in this world of Gilead ever be trusted?) The fact that Ofglen wants the narrator to pass on information about the Commander to her could either mean that she's part of the resistance or that she's a government spy who's trying to entrap her. On the other hand, the fact that she shares the resistance password, "Mayday," with the narrator would seem to indicate that she is a legitimate member of the resistance. What do you think?
"I am Ofglen," the woman says. Word perfect. And of course she is, the new one, and Ofglen, wherever she is, is no longer Ofglen. I never did know her real name. That is how you can get lost, in a sea of names. It wouldn't be easy to find her, now. (44.15)

All of the Handmaids at this posting (Glen's) are called Ofglen (of Glen). That's why the narrator is able to say of this third Ofglen, "of course she is" Ofglen. The name "Ofglen" says nothing about who this woman really is; her only identity is as the Commander's property. While the narrator despairs of "find[ing] her" friend here, that point seems to become moot just a few paragraphs later, when this new Ofglen reveals that the previous one hanged herself. The narrator feels relief that Ofglen may have died before giving up valuable information about her, then pauses to wonder whether that's even true.

The woman known as Ofglen for most of the book (which sounds kind of like The Artist Formerly Known as Prince) and the two doppelgangers that bookend her provide a contrast to the narrator; they are what she doesn't want to become. She doesnt want to rebel but she doesnt want to completely comply with gilead.

offglen dies and shes a rebel, moira dies metaphorically as she becomes defeated and settles in jezebels. IS it worth rebelling if it only leads to death or settling?

During the course of the novel Ofglen becomes more communicative, and by chapter 27 Offred realises that Ofglen has ‘given up some of her passivity lately'. As they pass the window of ‘Soul Scrolls', where machines churn out printed prayers, Ofglen, using the reflection in the glass, looks straight into Offred's eyes; Offred senses that ‘There is risk, suddenly, in the air between us, where there was none before.' Ofglen then asks a dangerous question - a treasonable question, Offred is aware: ‘Do you think God listens... to these machines?' Offred has at this point to take a risk, whether to trust Ofglen or not; she takes a leap of faith and replies, ‘No.' Ofglen then reveals that she is part of an underground movement: ‘You didn't think I was the only one,' she comments.

It is at the end of this walk that they see a black van swoop and two Eyes leap out to arrest a man, dragging him off the street. Although there is relief - ‘It wasn't me' - the incident shows Offred how vulnerable she is. She could be spied on or betrayed at any time. This is reinforced soon afterwards as she and Ofglen walk back from the Prayvaganza, when Ofglen whispers to Offred that she is aware of Offred's visits to the Commander's office: ‘We know you're seeing him alone.' She asks Offred to ‘find out and tell us... anything you can.'

As Offred tries to sound out the new Ofglen, by mentioning the word May Day in apparently casual conversation, she is warned off, and told that she ought to ‘clear your mind of such... echoes.' ‘She isn't one of us. But she knows,' Offred realises. As the new Ofglen leaves her at the end of their shopping expedition, she leans forward and tells Offred that the previous Ofglen ‘hanged herself' when ‘she saw the van coming for her.' Offred is aware of the sacrifice involved. Ofglen has killed herself before she could betray others under torture:


Later Offred realises that the new Ofglen may be lying, to instil a false sense of security in her. Offred feels she will do anything to avoid torture; she vows to succumb completely to the régime: ‘I am abject.' Whether the black van that then comes for her (chapter 46) is really the rescue arranged by the May Day group, as Nick says, or whether Ofglen has been arrested and has compromised Offred, we never know. All we do know is that there does seem to be a resistance group, and that Ofglen does seem to be part of it. Unless she too was lying....