The second and third ages of this world are all about money, which transforms from a medium of exchange into a deity. Atwood creates an interesting connection between the gods of old and the god of money. Just as in human history Christianity assimilated other religious traditions when conquering, in Atwood’s world money subsumes the old gods. People make money from the same thing they used to make sculpture of their past gods—shining metals—and money gains credibility by featuring animal imagery in imitation of the gods. Soon, people forget the old gods as money gains god-like powers. It can create and destroy, it benefits and hurts humanity, and some people are able to interact with it while others are not. The rich, then, become the priests of this society. Their interaction with money gives them power over other people and over land.

Atwood’s deserts are stylized wastelands where all life has been eliminated rather than the complex ecosystems of deserts on Earth. Rather than just traditional sandy deserts like the Sahara, she identifies other kinds of deserts, including cities and toxic spills. In the story, deserts represent death, emptiness, and the nihilistic orderliness of absolute zero.