The Testaments

Daisy spent weekends at The Clothes Hound because her parents did not want her stay alone at home, even after she was old enough to do so. When she complained, her parents told her she would understand when she was older.

Daisy helps in the store by sorting clothes and putting price tags on them. From her spot at the back of the floor, she can see people as they come and go. There are some street people who ask to use the washroom, including an older man named George. Once, Daisy told Melanie that she should not let George use the washroom, since he was creepy and probably a stalker. Daisy thought Melanie was being naïve.

Melanie’s friend Ada comes to the store regularly to donate boxes of clothing. Daisy doesn’t think that Ada, who wears black leather and heavy boots, looks like the charitable type. Ada never comes in the same car twice.

There are also the Pearl Girls, young missionaries from Gilead who claim to be doing God’s work. They walk around the downtown area speaking to homeless women and handing out brochures in shops. They wear silvery dresses, fake pearls, and glassy smiles. There are always brochures demanding the return of Baby Nicole. Daisy had watched a documentary in school about Baby Nicole and knows her importance to both Gilead and anti-Gilead protesters in Canada. Daisy dislikes Baby Nicole, as she’d gotten a C on a paper she’d written calling Nicole a “football” that both sides were using. She had suggested that the Canadians return Baby Nicole, and her teacher considered that to be a callous response.

Melanie always allows the Pearl Girls to leave brochures and sometimes gives back the old brochures, which will be sent to other countries. Daisy, having learned in school about what a terrible place Gilead is, asks Melanie why she encourages the Pearl Girls. Daisy wants to “set them straight,” thinking: “The Pearl Girls were older than me, it isn’t as if they were children: how could they believe all that crap?” (46). Melanie sharply tells Daisy to never let the Pearl Girls see her.

Daisy never feels that she belongs to Melanie and Neil, and they treat her as if she’s breakable. She finds it strange that there are no pictures of her around their house. Melanie says that a fire consumed Daisy’s baby pictures. Daisy’s parents enrolled her in a private school that she now realizes they chose because of the school’s strict attendance records; her parents always know where she is.

A week before her 16th birthday, Daisy prepares to participate in a march protesting Gilead. News broadcasters have released smuggled footage of executions. Daisy’s class is excused to attend the protest as part of World Social Awareness, but Neil and Melanie forbid Daisy to go. When Daisy complains, Melanie suggests that Ada go with her, but Neil protests that the event will be on the news.

Daisy’s parents don’t allow her to hang out with her school friends, so she’s eager to have a social interaction outside of school. Neil has already informed the school that Daisy won’t participate in the protest, but Daisy exchanges identity cards with a friend. She makes it onto the bus headed for the protest.

At first, Daisy is thrilled with the atmosphere of the protest march. Some speakers are survivors of the Gilead forced marches to North Dakota, where thousands died with no food and water. One Canadian tells the story of a dead relative who the Gilead colonies used as a slave, forcing her to clean up radiation. A speaker from SanctuCare, a group that helps escaped Gilead women, speaks about the babies taken from these women. There are Baby Nicole posters everywhere.

Daisy’s group holds up their posters calling for sanctuary for refugees from Gilead. A group of counter-protesters holding signs about closing the border to “invasion” confronts them. There are also Pearl Girls with signs saying, “Death to Baby Stealers.”

Fights break out, and some people dressed all in black start smashing shop windows. Daisy is terrified when police in riot gear suddenly come onto the scene, hitting people with their batons. The crowd begins to panic. Daisy cannot find her group, and someone hits her in the stomach. Ada appears out of nowhere and grabs Daisy’s collar, somehow clearing a path for them. Later, the media will call the event a riot. Daisy says being in a riot feels like drowning. Ada takes Daisy home.

That night, Daisy sees herself on the news. Instead of being angry, Neil and Melanie are anxious. Daisy overhears Melanie say that they must move immediately. When Daisy returns to the room, no one will explain to her what is going on.

Three days later, someone breaks into the clothing store; They scatter Neil’s files and take some of his collectibles. Daisy overhears Neil tell Melanie that the thief stole “the camera,” but he will not explain which camera he means.

Neil and Melanie watch the news, which is unusual. There is a report about a Pearl Girl named Aunt Adrianna found dead in her condo, an apparent suicide. Daisy recognizes her from The Clothes Hound. The report says that her partner, Aunt Sally, is gone. Neil remarks to Melanie that this is a catastrophe. Daisy wants to know why they care, since the Pearl Girls work for Gilead. Her parents turn to her with a desolate look that Daisy doesn’t understand.

On Daisy’s birthday, Melanie is staring out the window, absorbed in thought. Neil is upstairs on the phone when Daisy leaves for school. On the drive, Melanie says that she will pick Daisy up after school and that she and Neil have some things they want to tell her, now that she is old enough. Daisy assumes it will be about boys and consent. She wants to tell Melanie that she is sorry for having gone to the protest march, but they are already at school, so she gets out silently.

At dismissal, Daisy waits for Melanie to pick her up, but Ada appears and tells her to get in her car. Daisy can tell something bad has happened. Finally, she asks if someone has had a heart attack. Ada says that there was a car bomb explosion outside The Clothes Hound. The car was Melanie’s, and both of Daisy’s parents were inside. Daisy cannot make sense of this. She tries to picture the explosion, but all she sees is a blank square.