route; theres nothing against it, as long as we stay in the barriers. A rat in a maze is free to go anywhere, as long as it stays inside the maze. (155). She is talking about the barriers that confine her. The narrator feels trapped. She compares herself to a lab rat, because she knows she has not other choice, just as the rat has no choice. As long as she stays inside the maze, nothing can happen to her. The handmaids are not only trapped inside barriers, but also their minds are trapped. They even have limitations on the information they receive.The handmaids are trapped for their protection by being kept from knowledge of the world outside of the manor. The narrator is thinking of how the night has fallen and what the significance is of saying night falls. Maybe night falls because it is heavy, a thick curtain pulled up over the eyes. Wool blanket. I wish I could see in the dark, better than I do. (179). The narrator is feeling as though everything is being hidden from her. She is saying that she is being kept in the dark from information, and wishes she could understand everything better. The narrator feels as though her life is out of her control. She feels that without knowledge she is being held against her will.The handmaids in The Handmaids Tale are in a Garrison mentality because they feel trapped but are also protected in their society. There are many restrictions put on what the handmaids can do. These restrictions are put on them for their protection. This results in a Garrison mentality. When one is given freedom to, responsibility and consequence often follow. Freedom from protects one from consequence, but also can give one a heavy feeling of entrapment....
