How does “Rape Fantasies” reflect the contradictory messages women received about safety and sexuality in the 1970s? Use examples from the story and the background section to explore how Atwood critiques public messaging, victim-blaming, and the internal conflicts women were left to navigate alone.

Compare and contrast each of the character’s rape fantasies. What overlaps or disparities do you notice between their stories? What do each of their fantasies say about them as individuals, or about their cultural moment?

Analyze the structure of the short story. Is the story linear? Why or why not? How would “Rape Fantasies” resonate differently if it adhered to a more traditional narrative structure?

Craft an argument that supports or refutes the following claim: The media representations of rape that Estelle and her friends are exposed to control how they understand sexual violence. Point to specific passages from the text to support your argument.

Analyze the role of macro and micro settings in the short story’s overarching mood. Consider, for example, how Estelle and her coworkers’ lunch hour impacts their conversation. Consider also how Estelle’s solo time affects her thought patterns, particularly in the context of city life.

Craft an essay that analyzes “Rape Fantasies” in the context of other 1970s women’s literature. For example, how does Atwood's story compare and contrast to titles like Angela Carter’s The Bloody Chamber or Erica Jong’s Fear of Flying?

Analyze the role of imagery and symbolism in Atwood’s thematic explorations. How do the plastic lemon, the bridge game, the man with the axe, the man with the pimples, or the bubble bath relate to Atwood’s examinations of fantasy, reality, and rape?

Craft an argumentative essay that interrogates Atwood’s representations of rape in “Rape Fantasies.” Is Atwood confirming cultural stereotypes? Is her approach effective? Why or why not? Incorporate examples from the text.