The Handmaid's Tale Lesson Plan

What does Offred get out of playing Scrabble with the Commander?

At the beginning, she can't really refuse him – he has so much power over her life, and could easily arrange for her to be horribly punished or killed for disobeying him. There are reasons other than fear as well: by engaging in a forbidden activity with the Commander, Offred may be able to leverage the Commander into getting her something she needs. Their arrangement, though exploitative, puts her in a slightly elevated position of power: she may be able to gain more information from the Commander, and she is able to participate in all kinds of forbidden activities (including reading!). Slowly, it seems to...