Cora drops Offred’s breakfast tray (symbolically breaking the eggs) as she enters her room, thinking Offred has committed suicide. She had actually fallen asleep in the cupboard. Cora hopes she had fainted due to pregnancy but Offred convinces her she fainted due to the stress of the Birthday Day the previous day. Offred resolves to eat only the toast so they don’t upset Rita who would have to cook more eggs. Rita, perhaps for her own purposes, agrees on a lie between them about what happened, building a little more trust between the two. This incident, however, was a recollection of some time ago. Now it’s deep into spring and Serena Joy is harshly, and symbolically, castrating the genitalia of the Tulips in the garden. Offred also compares her to a saint, on both knees asking forgiveness for...something. (What does Offred feel Serena Joy needs forgiveness for? Being complicit in how Offred is treated? Guilty for helping create such a regime that mistreats women?) But now there are other flowers springing forth. The irises. There is something subversive (secretly rebellious) about the...