Grace’s dreams are particularly telling about the
inner-workings of her mind. Although Dr. Jordan attempts to break
through the barriers of her thoughts and uncover the mystery behind the
murders, we never really get to understand the whole truth. I believe
the Grace’s dreams allow the reader to gain insight to her character and
decide for themselves whether she is guilty or not.
One dream that really struck me was when Grace see’s the ocean rolling onto the shores. She believes that it is the Atlantic, which she journeyed across to come to Canada and make her new life. The act of traveling was a way for her to start new, but in the dream it is represented differently. The waves come and wash away her footsteps as she walked on the beach. Grace says that, “On the edge of sleep [she] thought: It’s as if [she] never existed, because no trace remains, [she] has left no marks. And that way [she] cannot be followed. It is almost the same as being innocent.”
It is clear that Grace holds a sense of guilt. The question is; for what? Does she feel guilty for running away with McDerrmot? Does she feel guilty for not reporting him when he first made mention of his plan? Or does she feel guilty for actually helping to kill Nancy and Kinnear? From this dream, we understand Grace’s desire for absolution. Atwood leaves the readers wondering what Grace is guilty of, but it is apparent that the past haunts her.
One dream that really struck me was when Grace see’s the ocean rolling onto the shores. She believes that it is the Atlantic, which she journeyed across to come to Canada and make her new life. The act of traveling was a way for her to start new, but in the dream it is represented differently. The waves come and wash away her footsteps as she walked on the beach. Grace says that, “On the edge of sleep [she] thought: It’s as if [she] never existed, because no trace remains, [she] has left no marks. And that way [she] cannot be followed. It is almost the same as being innocent.”
It is clear that Grace holds a sense of guilt. The question is; for what? Does she feel guilty for running away with McDerrmot? Does she feel guilty for not reporting him when he first made mention of his plan? Or does she feel guilty for actually helping to kill Nancy and Kinnear? From this dream, we understand Grace’s desire for absolution. Atwood leaves the readers wondering what Grace is guilty of, but it is apparent that the past haunts her.
No comments:
Post a Comment