Are the activities which take place in the epilogue more or less familliar to us than the details of Gileadean life?

THe epilogue is like a university lecture we might attend about the factual history of Gileadean life. In this context Atwood's novel takes on a sense of authenticity rather than merely dystopian science-fiction.

I should add that at the same time Pieixoto takes on a very sexist view of Offred's writings. He devalues her personal details because they are in the form of oral history which negates its authenticity as a factual document. Pieixoto is a jerk!