Notes

Nick is one chracter whose itial presentation shows how hypocritical Gilead is as it outwardly presents itself as being completely in control when this doesn't seem to be the case. There's something about him that hints at his dissentful nature as he's descirbed as having his cap 'tilted at a jaunty angle' and a 'cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth' showing he 'has soemthing he can trade on the black market.' Here the use of the adjectives jaunty and stuck have connotations of liverlyness and shows how unrepressed he is as he doesnt have to do things by the book. Addtionally the noun ohrase 'black market' which is a symbol for rebellion and a rejection of control shows hwo hypocritical Gilead is as people higher up the hierachy have access to all sorts of wordly possesions

Even now that there is no real money any
more, there’s still a black market. There’s always a black market, there’s always
something that can be exchanged.
He’s wearing the uniform of the Guardians, but his cap is tilted at a jaunty angle and
his sleeves are rolled to the elbow, showing his forearms, tanned but with a stipple of
dark hairs. He has a cigarette stuck in the corner of his mouth, which shows that he too
has something he can trade on the black market.