The Handmaid’s Tale Chapter 46: The Black Van Arrives | Banned Books Podcast
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RSS Feed The handmaid sits at her window waiting, and for the first time she can’t say what she’s waiting for. Dan and Jennifer read the final chapter on Election Day, when they don’t know what’s coming either. When they hit the last line, they want answers. Robot has something to tell them.
This episode includes AI-voiced content, including our trusty fact-checking robot, Robot.
Content note: this chapter includes the handmaid thinking about ways to end her life. If you’re struggling, call or text 988 in the US.
Banned Camp is a comedy podcast where we read banned books chapter by chapter. We don’t read ahead, so you’re discovering the story with us.
Things To Listen For:
- Dan’s plan for what the handmaid should do instead of striking her one hidden match
- The line Jennifer says she felt “so hard”
- Dan and Jennifer split on whether to trust Nick, and only one of them does
- The one song that fit this chapter a little too well
- Robot’s reaction when the hosts reach the last line
Why was The Handmaid’s Tale banned?
In this chapter, the handmaid quietly lists the ways she could end her own life, which is exactly the kind of passage challengers point to. But the scene is really about a woman who controls nothing, not even how her story ends. That’s the part that makes some readers uncomfortable.
If this is your first episode, you’re fine starting here. Our fact-checking Robot catches you up fast, then we read the next chapter (spoilers).
Banworthy to Bingeworthy
Want more? Check out our friend’s show:
- Good News for Lefties: Beowulf brings the good news, like a Harford County, Maryland judge who just made a school board follow the state’s Freedom to Read Act.
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Featured Clips
This episode includes a short clip from “The Leopards Ate My Face” by Franchesca Ramsey. All rights belong to their respective owners and are used here under fair use for the purpose of cultural commentary and education.
Disclaimer
Banned Camp features readings and discussions of banned books for the purpose of criticism, commentary, education, and entertainment, in accordance with fair use guidelines.
The material used from the book The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood is shared under these principles, with the intent of provoking thought and discussion about literature, censorship, and societal issues. The original work remains fully owned by its copyright holders, and we strongly encourage listeners to purchase a copy here to experience the book in its entirety.
https://bookshop.org/a/20953/9780385490818
This podcast is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or officially connected to Margaret Atwood, her estate, or the publishers of The Handmaid’s Tale. Any monetization of the podcast is separate from the copyrighted material discussed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was The Handmaid’s Tale banned?
The Handmaid’s Tale has been challenged or banned in American schools and libraries every single year since its publication in 1985. It was the most challenged book in the United States in 2023. It has been targeted for profanity, sexually explicit content, and content deemed “offensive to Christians.” But the deeper reason is that Margaret Atwood showed what happens when a government uses religion, tradition, and “protecting families” as justification for stripping women of their rights, their names, and their autonomy. That’s the part that actually scares book banners, because it looks a lot like Tuesday.
Is there a podcast that discusses The Handmaid’s Tale chapter by chapter?
Yes. Banned Camp breaks down a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time, through comedy, commentary, and discussion. Neither host has read ahead, so you’re discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid’s Tale. Every episode mixes a short reading with reactions, a fact-checking Robot, and a look at why the book gets banned. We always encourage listeners to read along with their own copy.
Do I need to start Banned Camp from the beginning?
No. Every episode opens with Robot’s recap of the previous chapter, so you can jump in anywhere. Most listeners tell us they started mid-season and went back to the beginning after they were hooked.
What happens in chapter 46 of The Handmaid’s Tale?
The handmaid waits in her room after Serena Joy discovers her secret. A black van arrives, and Nick tells her to trust him and go with the men. She can’t tell if it’s rescue or arrest. Banned Camp reads the chapter live and argues over whether Nick can be trusted.
What is Mayday in The Handmaid’s Tale?
Mayday is the secret resistance network inside Gilead. In chapter 46, Nick uses the word to convince the handmaid to go with the men in the van. She knows the Eyes could know the word too. Banned Camp digs into whether that’s proof or a trap.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid’s Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter 46, Serena Joy, the Commander, Nick, Ofglen, Moira, Cora, Rita, Luke, Mary Webster, trust and uncertainty, despair and survival, the black van, Franchesca Ramsey, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast
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