In this padlet you’ll find ressources for the study of The Handmaid’s Tale, including a reading guide which was compiled in Mayotte for the class of 2021, that is the first generation of students facing the new baccalauréat devised by the then French minister of education Mr. J-M. Blanquer. We expanded on material found online with the purpose of helping non English speakers engage with the novel. This is not a shortcut to the exam ; indeed, the form of the exam itself is paradoxically of little concern here.

What it is, is a selection of excerpts each associated to a small task or question meant to highlight the point of the passage chosen. The text is Margaret Atwood’s and has not been altered. The edition used is Penguin.

It should be pointed out that the selection is obviously subjective and that the result is a personal interpretation of the novel. Luckily for you, you can still read the whole book to experience it as you should.

And as a bonus, here is a video about book censorship with Margaret Atwood herself.