In Chapter nine of The Handmaid’s Tale, Offred finds the phrase, “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum,” carved into a hidden part of her room. The translation isn’t revealed until much later in Chapter 29, when the Commander tells her, “Don’t let the bastards grind you down” (187). Despite it being a frivolous phrase for the Commander, it made me think, is it really? This phrase became a symbol of a quiet yet powerful act of rebellion in a society that was designed to suppress independence, hope, and identity. In Gilead, women aren’t allowed to read and write, so the simple presence of the phrase is a brave act. It was a whisper of solidarity among the women who weren’t completely coerced by Gilead, giving Offred hope and comfort that she wasn’t alone, and that there were despite the oppressive system that forbids any independence, hope, and identity among the women. The phrase not only encouraged Offred to internally survive but it could also apply to other characters in the novel who resisted in their own ways, particularly Moira.

Moira mentally and physically embodied resistance and vigor, early on in the novel she’s one of the few women we see that doesn’t fall completely victim to Gilead’s ‘teachings’. Her character is also greatly defined by the interactions she has with Offred, as she often speaks and acts against the government, “I’ve got to get out of here, I’m going bats”(89). She is one of the only known characters in the book to have stood up against the authorities in Gilead having escaped twice. And, despite her first failed attempt in escaping, she tries again, “Moira marched straight out the front door…presented Aunt Elizabeth’s pass… and disappeared” (132). She didn’t let the government, the bastards, oppress her. Moira then becomes a figure that many Handmaids, including Offred, use as a way to project their hopes, “Moira had power now, she’d been set loose, she’d set herself loose… Nevertheless Moira was our fantasy. We hugged her to us, she was with us in secret…” (133). After her evasion, we are left to wonder about what happened to her afterwards.

However, this image of Moira is then shattered by Chapter 37. Offred accompanies the Commander to the secret nightclub, Jezebel’s, a place hypocritical to Gilead’s beliefs where men bring women for sex. There she shockingly spots Moira. Willingly participating in what could be considered a corrupt version of freedom. Offred learned what really happened after her second escape, about the lengths the government went through to keep her from resisting any further to the point where she essentially had no choice but to let Gilead overpower her. Despite her claims, “Don’t worry about me… I’m still here, you can see it’s me,” (249). It’s clear that this moment is supposed to be disheartening for, not just Offred, but the readers as well. Moira no longer is the embodiment of freedom and resistance she once was. Moira’s defeat was a turning point for Offred, her hopefulness converted into dismay. The phrase shifts and becomes more of a wish than a statement.

Moira’s defeat, as well as the conditions of every woman left to work in Jezebel’s, led me to think about what does resistance mean in a society like Gilead? Is it the fact that you get to choose to survive or surrender to survive? Moira who resisted more openly than anyone, was crushed for it. Her defeat is a reminder of the reality of living in a totalitarian government. So, does her earlier acts of protest matter? Even though Moira couldn’t maintain her resistance forever, I like to think that they did, she gave others, like Offred, something, someone to believe in. In cases like these, it could be that resistance won’t always look like victory, but rather the resistance is in the effort that matters most.

In the end, “Nolite te bastardes carborundorum,” isn’t just a ridiculous phrase, and it doesn’t just apply to one character either. Rather, it represents the spirit of rebellion and resistance that persists even when not taken seriously or in the face of defeat. Even though Moira may have been broken down by the government, her early defiance left a persistent impact, her strength helped others like Offred survive and hope. In Gilead, a place where survival itself could be seen as an act of rebellion, any act of resistance can be powerful. Moira’s experiences are reminders of how in oppressive systems, not letting them break you, may not always mean fleeting, but instead, surviving long enough to inspire others to keep going.

Lagunas-Peso Pluma Throughout the book, Offred is constantly being haunted by her past. Her memories are now just constant reminders of what she could’ve had and of the things she wishes were still real. She craves the connection she once had with her loved ones, “I want her back, I want everything back, the way it was. But there is no point to it, this wanting.” (122) But she is aware that the likelihood of even getting to see them is low. But perhaps in another life, or another galaxy, she could’ve lived out her life the way she had planned/wanted to. Lagunas, though its main focus is on romantic heartbreak and not systemic oppression, it is similar in the way the artist reflects back on past relations. Ideas of what could have been, just like our character, Offred, float around in his mind, hence the name “Lakes” or “Lagoons.” These two situations are connected in the sense that they both use memories as ways that continue to develop. They both reflect on the possibilities of what could’ve been if things had turned out the way they had planned, but maybe for them, it’s in another galaxy.

Let Down- Radiohead Another song that could resonate with the situations and characters of Margaret Atwood’s novel is Let Down, released in 1997. Both of these pieces of media capture the silent despair of being contained in a world that tends to strip away any sense of individuality or identity. Offred frequently feels helpless throughout the book to the point where she detaches herself from her body and identity, “I’m a cloud, congealed around a central object, the shape of a pear, which is hard and more real than I am…” (73,74). And, in Gilead, her every move is constantly being monitored and controlled by others, causing her to feel powerless and disappointed, much like how the songs describe the overwhelming heaviness of having to endure the constant routines that often lead to disappointment. But, similarly to the previous song, she not only uses her memories and beliefs to keep herself sane but also to give herself hope, “Someone must be out there, taking care of things. I believe in the resistance as I believe there can be no light without shadow; or rather no shadow unless there is also light. There must be a resistance…” (105). Though she might feel “hysterical and useless,” at the moment, she still has the desire and hope to be free, much like how the artist does as well; “One day, I am gonna grow wings…”

Good Looking- Suki Waterhouse Both of these pieces of media explore themes of intimacy and tension between relationships that are constructed by circumstances. Offred is often reflecting on her memories of love and affection and compares them to how her situation is today, where any close and genuine relationship is forbidden under Gilead. As she reflects back on her relationship with Luke, she thinks about the possibilities of his current situation and what he could be feeling, “I believe Luke is… I also believe that Luke… Any day now there may be a message from him…The message will say that I must have patience: sooner or later he will get me out…, that keeps me alive, I believe in this message…. Does Luke hope?” (106). Likewise, Good Looking transmits the bittersweet feeling of closeness and detachment in relationships. And the lyrics, “You’re not who you are to anyone/to anyone/you’re not who you are to anyone/to anyone, these days, I’m not who I am to anyone/no, not me at all/I’m not who I am to anyone these days/not at all,” mirror how Offred is feeling in this moment. She knows she isn’t considered a person anymore, and she suspects that Luke isn’t considered one either.

Amor Eterno- Rocio Dúrcal This song, released in 1984, is about grieving, about what could’ve been done to prevent misfortunes. Offred is unaware of the state that her daughter is in, and given the circumstances, she assumes the worst. She often thinks about her loss, and it is something that haunts her constantly. “I can see her, going away from me, through the trees which are already turning, red and yellow, holding out her arms to me, being carried away… Of all the dreams this is the worst” (75). Similarly, the artist thinks about her current situation and talks about how she wishes she could’ve done something to prevent the tragedies she faced, “Cómo quisiera, ay/ Que tú vivieras/ Que tus ojitos jamás se hubieran/Cerrado nunca y estar mirándolos/ Amor eterno/ E inolvidable/ Tarde o temprano estaré contigo/ Para seguir amándonos.” Similarly to the artist, she and Offred want to return to her loved ones. Offred makes it clear that even though her daughter was taken away, there is still some part of her that knows or believes that she will be reunited with her and things will go back to how they were; “ She’ll remember…and we will be all three of us together.” (106).

Homesick- Wave to Earth The song Homesick is not just about wanting to return home, but about how certain events led the artist to feel held back and disappointed about his situation, even though the artist just wanted to chase his dreams. Offred is also feeling her own sense of homesickness. She mentions how she yearns for freedom, for identity, to be valued as a person, and to be free from the restrictions set in Gilead, “I want to be held and told my name. I want to be valued, in ways that I am not; I want to be more than valuable. I repeat my former name, remind myself of what I once could do, how others saw me.” (97). The song acknowledges a similar feeling through the lyrics, “Erase me from here and set me free/All I wanted was to fly high/I can’t believe my wings are broken/And fell against the sky”. Both the artist and Offred express a great desire to be able to escape their circumstances, but because of things beyond their control, they’re forced to be confined and are met with disappointment. Offred, as much as she wants to be erased from Gilead, can’t be, her “broken wings” symbolizing her denied freedom.