Set in a totalitarian christian society named Gilead that has overthrown the United States Government, The Handmaids Tale follows the protagonist Offred, through her journey in life as a handmaid in this society. A handmaid is a role women are assigned for reproductive purposes to ensure the future of society in light of a declining birth rate. One important thing to consider within this society is the fact that all women are defined by the roles the government have given them, essentially stripping them of their individuality. This plays an important part in how italicized words are used within the novel by Offred because it is precisely this individuality she portrays through italicized words. These words in The Handmaids Tale written by Margaret Atwood most importantly occur as afterthoughts in Offred’s mind. The positive and negative associations Offred makes with italicized words throughout the novel demonstrate both the strength of the republic of Gilead as a totalitarian state and the inherent rebellious nature of Offred as well as women in society. The negative associations Offred makes with italicized words reveals how the state controls, manipulates and destroys the humanity inherent in society. In chapter 7 of the novel, Offred spends her time thinking about her former life, telling the readers a story about her daughter that was taken away from her. Towards the end of the chapter, she talks to herself in her thoughts about how she wishes her old life was just a story. We know from the historical notes that this novel was presented to us through recording tapes found by Dr. Pieixoto in the future. The italicized word You arises here and indicates she wants to believe she is talking to somebody. Considering the fact that her thoughts quickly change from one idea to the other, “Theres always someone else. Even when there is no one. A story is like a letter,” signals her fragmented state (Atwood, 40). She states that, “Attaching a name attaches you to the world of fact, which is riskier,” indicating her restraint to attach reality to the reader of this story, you. The primary role of the repeated you in this passage indicates how, by making herself think she is telling a story, she reduces the horror of transitioning from her former life to living in Gilead. The use of the word, “story,” by Offred implies her desire to look at stories of her past as a work of fiction, and she the author. By being the author of this “story” she is in more control of what happens, it becomes a work of fiction and reduces the terrifying nature of her present existence. What this is an example of is self delusion by Offred to make herself think control exists in this society whereas it does not. Another example of Offreds negative association to italicized words is found on chapter 30 of the novel where she has a flashback regarding the murder of her cat by her husband Luke. The italicized words in this passage are it and kill and Offred talks about how, before you kill, “You have to create an it, where none was before.” The creation of the, “it,” referring to stripping humanity from a living thing to make it easier to kill, or to torture in Offred’s case. She then goes on to state how, “Thats one of the things they[Gilead] do. They force you to kill, within yourself,” (Atwood, 193). We already know that the citize