The Handmaid's Tale Chapters 40-46 Close Reading Worksheet

Support the development of close reading skills for high school with this set of analysis questions for The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Covering chapters 40 through 46, this worksheet saves teachers valuable time at home without sacrificing rigor in the classroom. An answer key is provided. Materials are delivered as printable Word Documents and PDFs.

This resource may serve as the basis for small-group discussions. Through these discussions, students decode language and pose/respond to questions relating to plot, broad topics, and character development, demonstrating an ability to analyze how complex characters transform and advance the plot and themes by applying logic and citing compelling, meaningful textual evidence. They will also evaluate their peers’ reasoning and use of rhetoric to advance claims, clarifying or challenging unclear ideas. Using this resource for structured guidance, students will present information, conclusions, and supporting textual evidence clearly, concisely, and appropriately, thereby helping their peers comprehend their thinking.

By completing this exercise, students will:

• Identify what the text states explicitly and implicitly
• Analyze how complex characters develop and interact
• Explore a character’s psychological state
• Isolate a true statement about plot from a series of false statements
• Analyze the author’s craft
• Explore cause-and-effect relationships
• Explain how a character’s personal history influences their present behavior
• Discern the tone of a remark in context
• Articulate the significance of a given detail
• Explore character motivations
• Apply knowledge of literary devices including ambiguity and anaphora
• Analyze differences and nuances in word meanings
• Write about literature with clarity and precision
• Cite relevant textual evidence in support of claims