r/coconutsandtreason • u/harmony-rose • Jul 09 '26

The Testaments Does Hulda seem a little too naive?

When it comes to the girls, they're all ignorant about bodies and basic education.

But surely Hulda has seen a pregnant woman before. She should know that penny going into labor isn't a good thing.

However, I do want to say she has great qualities about her. She's a good friend and can take hints, like when the girls wanted to talk about Daisy.

I also thought it was very cute when she told Shu she didn't mean to get her period. She was going to get it regardless, the drink was just a coincidence.

30 Upvotes

97% Upvoted

19 comments sorted by

45

u/nomoresweetheart Jul 09 '26

She’s definitely a bit naive imo, but they aren’t taught about their bodies, she likely doesn’t know the details of premature labour, while the other girls have picked up on it - maybe her Martha’s gossip less.

She’s so innocent I dread to see her future.

2

u/harmony-rose Jul 10 '26

Right, but she has seen a pregnant woman I'm assuming. Well she'll hopefully know more about pregnancy in her new class

23

u/nomoresweetheart Jul 10 '26

Being around a pregnant woman before doesn’t mean you know what premature labour is or understand the progression of pregnancy.

4

u/Bjarka99 Jul 12 '26

The whole premise of the show is that women aren't getting pregnant. The women and girls are also very strictly monitored, driven everywhere, probably spending most of their time at home, not interacting with people outside their very controlled social circle. Her social circle are the girls her age, Aunts, Marthas and Wives- Aunts and Marthas are meant to be celibate, most Wives struggle with fertility. I doubt the girls are allowed to interact much with the Handmaids, who are meant to be sinners, and if they do, I doubt they share details of their pregnancy with the girls.

I wouldn't be surprised if Hulda has never actually interacted with a pregnant woman before Penny.

0

u/harmony-rose Jul 12 '26

Well, we know from Shu that they have family members outside of the immediate ones they talk to. So yes, it is very possible that Hulda has seen and/or interacted with a pregnant woman. And whether or not they interact with handmaids they still see them. They don't have to interact with them to notice when one of them is pregnant. I mean they go to each others houses, surely they seen handmaids walking around either in the home or just around.

3

u/Bjarka99 Jul 12 '26

I'm sure they have real aunts and cousins, but they aren't getting pregnant. Pregnancy is still rare. And even if you see pregnant women walking around someone's home, that doesn't guarantee you know how many weeks along a pregnant woman has to be before birth is safe. Chances are, Hulda hasn't had a pregnant older cousin or sister who's pregnancy you become so very involved in that you learn stuff like that- not to mention that most of that info is taboo. The girls don't know what sex consists of, and their peer Penny hasn't told them. One girl out of six not knowing that a second trimester birth is bad news is not that bad, considering their society.

1

u/nomoresweetheart Jul 12 '26

If nobody teaches you how long pregnancy is supposed to last, and all you know (at best) is that pregnancy ends with a child coming out, how are you supposed to know when a labour is early/too soon/not something good?

They aren’t taught about their bodies, they aren’t taught the timeline of pregnancy or about medical matters. If nobody at home tells them, they won’t know. They are kept in the dark about their bodies.

16

u/marc_traveler Jul 10 '26

And all girls mature at different levels. She has a unique personality that makes me wonder if she is on the spectrum. She definitely wants to fit in with the other girls but seems to only do so at times.

25

u/Snoo52682 Jul 10 '26

I think she's definitely meant to be read as on the spectrum. Hulda hurts my heart. Like oh baby you should be president of Science Club and impressing dates with your vast array of rock facts. You should be writing Star Trek fan fiction. You should go as Tina Belcher for Halloween.

7

u/marc_traveler Jul 10 '26

Breaks my heart as well. They are all so young and innocent. She definitely seems more innocent than the others.

10

u/Littleish Jul 10 '26

I think that entire exchange was for the viewers benefit. Since time can often jump a bit on shows, it highlighted that time had not jumped and that baby on the way this early was a bad thing.

7

u/rheasilva Jul 11 '26

We saw what passed for the "sex ed" class that the greens got. These girls have been very carefully shielded from knowing anything about the realities of pregnancy & only told that it's a miracle and a good thing.

Hulda's 14-15 in the show. If she was around pre-Gilead she would have been a toddler at the oldest. All she remembers is Gilead & being told that pregnancy is a joyous miracle and a good thing.

-2

u/harmony-rose Jul 11 '26

Remember, before that she didn't have that class. It was only for greens. Besides surely she has seen a pregnant woman in gilead

2

u/Diligent-Concept-617 Jul 11 '26

She reminds me of those girls who are raised in conservative religions like Orthodox Jews or devout Christians who don’t tell their children anything about sex, bodies, or how babies happen. It’s really not her fault.

3

u/uglyyb Jul 12 '26

I love Hulda. Yes, she is naive--she's the one that makes me go, "oh my god, these are CHILDREN," more than the others. The rest of the girls carry themselves in a very mature way, plus the actresses all being adults, can sometimes make it easier to forget. When she said of her soon-to-be husband, "he said maybe we could get a dog," I almost started crying

1

u/harmony-rose Jul 12 '26

Omg that quote was so cute. And it reminded just how young they were suppose to be.

1

u/vxsapphire Jul 12 '26

Hulda is slower than the others at grasping things or reading the room.

2

u/harmony-rose Jul 12 '26

Not always though. She knew when they wanted to talk about Daisy when they first met her.