What stands out to me the most at the moment is the use of colour in the novel. More specifically, the colour white. I think for a lot of people, the colour white can represent purity and innocence. It's often associated with angels and heaven, for example. In The Handmaid's Tale Offred's room is white. This could be a form of torture for the handmaid. Interestingly there is actually a form of torture called 'White Torture'.
"White torture is a type of psychological torture that includes extreme sensory deprivation and isolation. Carrying out this type of torture makes the detainee lose personal identity through long periods of isolation." -Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/White_torture)
I'd definitely reccomend reading more about about it. It's pretty horrible, isn't it? Additionally, Offred compares time to 'white sound' which is also a form of torture.
white = torture?
In the novel there is a strong emphasis on losing personal identity. The handmaids are meant to be seen as objects and completing their duties. Are the women meant to be broken down into identity-less robots?
Still, Offred manages to grip onto identity by clinging to her memories.
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An extra note: In chapter 16 the colour white is emphasized a lot.
The copy of The Handmaid's Tale I ordered arrived today! I'm loving it so far. It's written from the first-person perspective of Offred, a handmaid.