Show notes
Chapter 4 takes the Handmaid outside the house for the first time — past a winking guardian washing a car, through checkpoints guarded by boys with guns, and alongside a walking partner who may or may not be a spy. By the end of the chapter, she's found the one thing Gilead forgot to take from her. It's small. It costs nothing. And it works.
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:
Robot explains the word "chamois" — and somehow connects it to Vince Offer selling ShamWows to people eating cereal at 2am
Why the Marthas and the Guardians both wear green but it means something completely different — and why Gilead did that on purpose
A teenage guardian with a peach-colored mustache tries to sneak a look at the Handmaid's face. She lets him. He looks away first.
Margaret Atwood ends the chapter with the word "stiffly" — Jennifer catches it immediately and is very sure it was not an accident
The black vans with tinted windows that everyone looks away from — and what that one line "nobody's heart is perfect" actually means
Dan's theory about why Nick is washing that car just a little too enthusiastically
Why was The Handmaid's Tale banned? This chapter includes references to male sexual frustration, a woman deliberately using her body to exert power, and the implication that masturbation is considered sacrilege in Gilead. Those are the surface reasons. The deeper reason is that Atwood shows a woman with no name, no money, and no rights finding power anyway — and enjoying it without shame. That's the part that makes book banners 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
Two shows worth adding to your feed this week:
Good News for Lefties — Beowulf Rochlen's twice-weekly antidote to doomscrolling. This week: a new civil rights curriculum backed by Andrew Young is being taught at universities right now, designed to create the next generation of activists. Find it wherever you get your podcasts.
Here's The Scoop from NBC News — A daily news podcast with NBC News journalist Yasmeen Wissam. Sharp, thoughtful coverage of the day's top stories. Listen daily wherever you get your podcasts.
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Featured Clips
This episode includes a short clip from Donald Trump. 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.
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 reads The Handmaid's Tale chapter by chapter?
That's us. Banned Camp reads a different banned book every season, one chapter at a time — neither host has read ahead, so you're discovering the story together in real time. Season 11 covers The Handmaid's Tale, and every episode includes the chapter reading, discussion, a fact-checking Robot, and a segment on why books get banned.
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.
Topics Covered:
The Handmaid's Tale, Margaret Atwood, Chapter Four, Offred, Ofglen, Nick, Serena Joy, Aunt Lydia, the Guardians of the Faith, the Eyes, small acts of defiance, power and control, female autonomy, religious authoritarianism, banned books, banned books podcast, book banning, censorship, literary analysis, comedy podcast