"We play two games. Larynx, I spell. Valance. Quince. Zygote." (139)

         Atwood's allusion to Scrabble shows that even in troubling times, people can bond over simple things such as a game. The Commander was lonely, and looking for someone to keep him company, to keep him intellectually stimulated and entertained. This shows that appearances are not always what they seem, and that everyone needs human company.
           In the book, there are suggestions that their meetings were sexual. While their kissing hints at such, perhaps the Scrabble is another hidden meaning. According to the official Scrabble website, the name means "to grope frantically."


Source:  "Story." Scrabble. N.p., n.d. Web. 30 Aug 2010. <http://www.hasbro.com/scrabble/en_US             /story.cfm>.