Final answer:
The commander telling Offred to 'paint her face' means to apply makeup, reflecting ancient attitudes towards women's use of cosmetics as means to appear attractive, despite the negative perceptions surrounding their application.
Step-by-step explanation:
When the commander tells Offred she needs to paint her face, he means A) Apply makeup. This phrase is a euphemism for applying cosmetics to enhance one's appearance, a practice that dates back to ancient times. Historical sources such as Ovid describe the societal expectations that women use makeup to appear more attractive to men, despite the contradictory attitudes towards the visibility of cosmetic use. Ovid's advice to women to apply makeup discreetly, without letting their lovers see, reflects the complex standards of beauty and femininity of his time. Juvenal, on the other hand, cynically views cosmetics as a form of deception or moral corruption, comparing a woman's face covered in makeup to an ulcer.