Significant quotation from The Handmaid's Tale

"I wait, I compose myself. Myself is a thing I must now compose, as one composes a speech. What I must present is a made thing, not something born." The quotation above symbolizes Offred's thoughts just before she participates in the ceremony. The quotation expresses the thought of a speech being more for a public audience and displaying the best things about one self, rather than Offred expressing how she truly feels about society. "A thing made is created for a purpose" demonstrates Offred's place in the society she lives in. She is descibed as a character with heroic qualities because of her internal rebellion. The only place where Offred is able to be completely free is inside her head, her outer self is artificial meaning she must act as society does. Even in Offred's thoughts her sense of judgement is emphasized. She appears to be self conscious about her thoughts because of what she knows and the way she was raised. Offred's earliest memories are of her aunt teaching her to be a hanmaid. It would be easier for Offred to accept that her current setting is a comfortable lifestyle, but Offred is not made that way.