The Wall is a tall brick wall that defines the boundary of the city where The Handmaid's Tale is set. It is heavily guarded and nobody is allowed to pass without permission.
The Wall is infamous for being where the bodies of executed people are put on public display. It has been fitted with hooks which are used to suspend the condemned until they are eventually taken down and used as animal feed.[1] The heads of the victims are usually covered by hoods which are typically stenciled with a pictogram denoting the crime for which they were executed; they may also have placards around their necks for the same purpose. The bodies serve as a warning to anyone thinking of committing subversive acts and to further humiliate and punish the victims of Gileadean justice even in death.
The condemned include salvaged men and women who break the laws of Gilead such as infidelity, unchastity, attempted escape and so on.
Following the liberation of Boston in the series finale, the Wall is covered in messages of hope and encouragement.
Notable examples[]
- Omar
- A Catholic priest
- A doctor who provided abortions before the regime
- Eden Blaine
- Isaac
- Warren Putnam
Gallery[]
