NOTE: This page is about the novel and film versions of the character. For the television series adaptation, see Serena Waterford.
  |
This article's content is marked as Mature The page contains mature content that may include coarse language, sexual references, and/or graphic violent images which may be disturbing to some. Mature pages are recommended for those who are 18 years of age and older. If you are 18 years or older or are comfortable with graphic material, you are free to view this page. Otherwise, you should close this page and view another page. |
| “ | I want to see as little of you as possible, I expect you feel the same way about me. | „ |
| ~ Serena speaking to Offred. |
Pam, more commonly known by her stage name Serena Joy, is the secondary antagonist of the 1985 dystopian novel The Handmaid's Tale and its 1990 film adaptation of the same name.
She is a former televangelist who went on to marry a Commander who was involved in the destruction of America and the rise of Gilead, a totalitarian government which forces women to be "Handmaids", breeding slaves for Commander's and their wives. Serena and her husband become the Master's of "Offred" whom Serena is extremely abusive towards, mistreating her at every turn and only caring about the fact that she can provide them with a baby.
In the 1990 film adaptation he was portrayed by Faye Dunaway, who also played Joan Crawford in Mommie Dearest, Bonnie Parker in Bonnie and Clyde, Jane Wilkinson in Thirteen at Dinner, Selena in Supergirl, and Elena Dubrow in Dunston Checks In.
Personality[]
Serena is shown to be an extremely cruel individual, sometimes even more than her husband, saying she doesn't want to see Offred at all during her time in the Commander's household and generally talking down to her at every turn. When she finds out that the Commander took Offred to Jezebel's, Serena angrily insults her over this despite it being the Commander's fault and something Offred had no control over. Serena's true goal is to get a child through Offred, and is even willing to break the rules to do so after it becomes clear that the Commander is infertile, having Offred sleep with Nick in order to get her pregnant as she knows Gilead will blame Offred for her inability to get pregnant and never admit that a man may be at fault. The novel ends with Serena being nothing but spiteful to Offred, seeing that she is being taken away by the Eyes and hurling insults at her, calling her ungrateful for what the Commander has done for her despite the repeated abuse they have both subjected Offred to, showing that Serena truly sees nothing wrong with what she and her husband have been doing.
Quotes[]
| “ | She wasn’t singing anymore by then, she was making speeches. She was good at it. Her speeches were about the sanctity of the home, about how women should stay home. | „ |
| ~ Offred recalling when Serena was a televangelist. |
| “ | She doesn’t make speeches anymore. She has become speechless. She stays in her home, but it doesn’t seem to agree with her. How furious she must be, now that she’s been taken at her word. | „ |
| ~ Offred describing how Serena seems to despise her position as a wife. |
| “ | Serena has begun to cry. I can hear her, behind my back. It isn’t the first time. She always does this, the night of the Ceremony. | „ |
| ~ Offred's description of how Serena acts following the ceremony. |
| “ | There is loathing in her voice, as if the touch of my flesh sickens and contaminates her. | „ |
| ~ Offred explaining Serena's contempt for having to perform the ceremony. |
| “ | Pick up that disgusting thing and get to your room. Just like the other one. A slut. You’ll end up the same. | „ |
| ~ Serena telling Offred she'll end up just like that last Handmaid in their household. |
Trivia[]
- Like the other characters in the novel, Serena's real name is not known, as Offred uses pseudonyms and is an unreliable narrator. If her husband's real identity was indeed Fred Waterford, then Serena's real name would have been Thelma.
- The film and television adaptations did not make the character's name Thelma, although both chose to have the character be named Serena rather than Pam despite Serena being a stage name.
- In the television series, Serena's mother is named Pamela, likely in reference to the character's name in the novel.
External Links[]
[]
 Villains
| ||
|
Republic of Gilead Wives Aunts Other | ||