The Handmaid’s Tale

Book Jackets

Pick one book and make two covers: a dropcap and a conceptual cover.

The dropcap cover addresses the theme of identity in the book. The vine represents Offred’s past self. It wraps around the wooden post that represents the person she has been carved into by the world she lives in. The cover represents a type of religious illustration, containing symbolism in the color and flowers. They represent fertility, which is the Handmaid’s purpose; the duty to bear children.

The conceptual book cover is butcher block paper because the women are treated like pieces of meat. No woman is safe from the government unless they hide. The author's photo is a sketch of a woman wearing the ‘wings’ (a type of head covering) that Handmaids have to wear to stay modest. She is turned away because who she is does not matter; only her ability to carry a child matters.

The butcher block paper, string, and paper soaked with “blood” (food coloring) were physically laid out on a table, photographed, and then edited in Illustrator.