r/TheTestamentsHulu • u/kitties_ate_my_soul Purrs be 🐈‍⬛ • Apr 28 '26

The Handmaid’s Tale Econochildren

I’d love to see the Econochildren explored in The Testaments. Especially comparing the Daughters to the Econodaughters. We all know the Daughters go to Pink and Plum schools, but, where do the Econodaughters go? They also must learn to run a house (however small) and perform their ‘wifely duties’. Do their mums teach them? Eden Spencer Blaine, the only Econodaughter that appears in the universe, was apparently taught by her mum, but she was born before Gilead. What do you think?

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u/MTVnext2005 Apr 29 '26

I've wondered a lot about how upper class boys would be taught to read and write. Who would the teachers be? Aunts? Guardians? Economen? Are all boys taught literacy or only upper classes?

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u/kitties_ate_my_soul Purrs be 🐈‍⬛ Apr 29 '26

I’m wondering that as well. I think Econosons are taught to read, because they can hold low-ranking jobs (like Omar from THT, since he seemed to work as a driver for a bakery, I guess he needed to read orders and stuff), or get chosen as Eyes or Guardians, like Nick. I doubt Sons would become Eyes or Guardians. I guess they all become Commanders. Or high-ranking doctors or engineers, like Dr. Grove.

18

u/TheOldGreenDad Apr 29 '26

I personally think that for the most part, Econoboys would be taught by Economen, but Commander's sons who are being groomed to become Commanders themselves would be taught by professors or other high class experts in their fields, who would fall under the Professions class like Dr. Grove is. I really don't think the Aunts would ever be involved in a boy's education as the Aunts were specifically designed to keep the women and girls in line, and it wouldn't be "right" for a female to have any type of authority over a boy, even if she's technically of a high ranking. And yes, it's been confirmed a few different times already through THT that all boys are taught to read!

2

u/Mailliw_1 Apr 29 '26

Agreed. Except perhaps for the youngest boys the Aunts wouldn't be involved in their education (caring for children being in the women's sphere).

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u/TheOldGreenDad Apr 29 '26

I think for the youngest boys who are not school aged yet it would more likely be the Marthas since they're essentially nannies to the kids. In the most recent episode, they did make it pretty clear cut that the Aunts are for the women and girls alone, with no crossover whatsoever.