One of the major themes of “Alias Grace” is the role of women in
Victorian society. Although Grace has some fantastic insights, Mary
Whitney is the character who influences Grace’s “radical” thoughts about
the position of women.
Grace recalls when Mary tells her, “there are some of the masters who
think you owe them service twenty-four hours a day, and you should do
the main work flat on your back.”
Once again, Atwood’s satire has me laughing out loud while reading.
Although I found this quote to be humorous, it is sad that we see
this very clearly in Nancy’s relationship with Mr. Kinnear. For women,
it is nearly impossible to move throughout the social classes without
harsh judgement or alienation. Dr. Jordan’s family lost all of their
wealth but still maintained their high social standing, yet when Mary
Whitney falls in love with one of Mrs. Alderson-Parkinson’s sons, she is
betrayed when he leaves her because she is merely a maid. I believe
that Atwood allows for the reader to make their own comparisons between
the situations the characters fall into.
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