Margaret Atwood leaves the readers with that question at the end of
“Alias Grace”. Since Grace Marks was a real person and this novel is a
piece of historical fiction, Atwood could have made the decision to give
her version of Grace a sentence. Atwood could have led the readers to
believe that she was guilty of assisting McDermott in the murders of
Nancy Montgomery and Mr. Kinnear. Or, she could have invented pieces of
Grace’s memory or evidence that proclaimed her innocent. That is why
fiction is so great; the author has the power to construct the lives of
their characters to fit the overall meaning.
With that said, I now understand why Atwood left the status of
Grace’s guilt ambiguous. Overall, the story is not about whether Grace
had any part in the murders. It is a perspective on Victorian culture
and Atwood gives the readers her insight to the time period. “Alias
Grace” covers themes like the role of women in society, gender
constructs, class systems, freedom, madness, and physical and
psychological imprisonment. The attempted discovery of Grace’s guilt
plays a central role in the plot, but is not the most important factor
driving the story. I enjoyed the interactions between the characters
(particularly Grace and Dr. Jordan) and the parallels in Grace’s life
(the deaths of power female role models, different types of
imprisonment) much more than solving the “mystery” of whether or not
Grace murdered Nancy and Kinnear.
I really loved this novel for many different reasons and I believe it
deserves to be revisited time and time again. Perhaps not to just
enjoy the story, but to look for deeper meaning in our own lives as
well!
Monday, January 14, 2013
The Tree of Paradise
For the 21st century reader, it may not be initially
apparent but each chapter of “Alias Grace” is titled after a different
quilting pattern. Since I have no sewing abilities, I did not
understand Atwood’s use of this technique at first. All of the patterns
related to the content in the individual chapters, but also served the
greater purpose of giving more meaning as a whole. The last chapter in
the novel is called “The Tree of Paradise”, which I found very
interesting.
In this chapter, we learn of Grace’s fate. After Dr. Jordan disappeared, the truth behind the murders of Nancy and Mr. Kinnear was never revealed. Grace served her time and was later released from the penitentiary, where her former co-worker Jamie Walsh awaited to take her hand in marriage. Jordan lives out his life with his mother still doting over his affairs, covering up his mistakes with claims of amnesia. All in all, there is very little catharsis and very little closure for the audience.
However, I did find Grace’s quilt as metaphor for her life. She incorporates different artifacts from her past and connects together the disjointed pieces of her memory with stitches rather than the truth, which she could never fully grasp. I also feel liked the quilt represented the freedom that Grace could never come to gain early in life. “The Tree of Paradise” is not the Tree of Knowledge from the biblical tale, whose fruit condemned the first man and woman. Rather, it is the Tree of Knowledge without the terrible truth. It is as if Eve never took the apple and the Garden of Eden remained pristine. I think that Grace made the quilt to symbolize her own desire to have remained pure of heart and to have lived an idealized life. Although she cannot go into the past, she can connect together her pain and have it symbolize a new future.
In this chapter, we learn of Grace’s fate. After Dr. Jordan disappeared, the truth behind the murders of Nancy and Mr. Kinnear was never revealed. Grace served her time and was later released from the penitentiary, where her former co-worker Jamie Walsh awaited to take her hand in marriage. Jordan lives out his life with his mother still doting over his affairs, covering up his mistakes with claims of amnesia. All in all, there is very little catharsis and very little closure for the audience.
However, I did find Grace’s quilt as metaphor for her life. She incorporates different artifacts from her past and connects together the disjointed pieces of her memory with stitches rather than the truth, which she could never fully grasp. I also feel liked the quilt represented the freedom that Grace could never come to gain early in life. “The Tree of Paradise” is not the Tree of Knowledge from the biblical tale, whose fruit condemned the first man and woman. Rather, it is the Tree of Knowledge without the terrible truth. It is as if Eve never took the apple and the Garden of Eden remained pristine. I think that Grace made the quilt to symbolize her own desire to have remained pure of heart and to have lived an idealized life. Although she cannot go into the past, she can connect together her pain and have it symbolize a new future.
The Other Side of Simon
When I began reading “Alias Grace”, I had many hopes for Dr. Simon
Jordan’s character. I was hopeful that he would be the won to win
Grace’s trust and use his power to help, rather than hinder, Grace’s
development. I hoped that he would show himself to be a gentleman who
had good intentions for Grace’s recovery and to help her come to terms
with what happened in her past. I did not expect him to heal her or
fully discover the truth, but at least treat her with civility. However,
I was wrong. Jordan showed his disrespect for women by starting an
affair with Rachel Humphrey and allowing for that relationship to make
him jaded and divide his attention from his work with Grace.
In the chapter Falling Timbers, Jordan’s attitude is described. “He’s coming to hate the gratitude of women. It is like being fawned on by rabbits, or like being covered with syrup: you can’t get it off. It slows you down, and puts you at a disadvantage. Every time some woman is grateful to him, he feels like taking a cold bath. Their gratitude isn’t real; what they really mean by it is that he should be grateful to them. Secretly they despise him.”
Jordan was raised in a family with money and good social standing, which entitled him to a “good” woman to marry. Throughout “Alias Grace”, we see Jordan struggling to understand where he ranks in society now that his family has lost their money. For a woman, this fact would be devastating to their future, yet since Jordan is a man he does not have to deal with such a tragic fate. He could easily marry a women from a well-off family, yet he chooses to become involved with a married housekeeper. He is pursued by women from different social classes, yet he disregards all of them due to the fact that he is tired of their gratitude. I believe that this directly relates to his doting mother, who concerns herself with her son’s life. I believe that these factors led to Jordan’s disgusting behavior and ultimate dismissal of Grace in her time of need.
Simon’s inability to assert his right to choose his own wife and profession eventually leads to a domineering mother, who is unable to distance herself from his private affairs.
In the chapter Falling Timbers, Jordan’s attitude is described. “He’s coming to hate the gratitude of women. It is like being fawned on by rabbits, or like being covered with syrup: you can’t get it off. It slows you down, and puts you at a disadvantage. Every time some woman is grateful to him, he feels like taking a cold bath. Their gratitude isn’t real; what they really mean by it is that he should be grateful to them. Secretly they despise him.”
Jordan was raised in a family with money and good social standing, which entitled him to a “good” woman to marry. Throughout “Alias Grace”, we see Jordan struggling to understand where he ranks in society now that his family has lost their money. For a woman, this fact would be devastating to their future, yet since Jordan is a man he does not have to deal with such a tragic fate. He could easily marry a women from a well-off family, yet he chooses to become involved with a married housekeeper. He is pursued by women from different social classes, yet he disregards all of them due to the fact that he is tired of their gratitude. I believe that this directly relates to his doting mother, who concerns herself with her son’s life. I believe that these factors led to Jordan’s disgusting behavior and ultimate dismissal of Grace in her time of need.
Simon’s inability to assert his right to choose his own wife and profession eventually leads to a domineering mother, who is unable to distance herself from his private affairs.
The Beaches
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.
Misplaced Loyalty
When James McDermott murdered Mr. Kinnear and Nancy (with or without
the help of Grace Marks), he wrongfully took the lives of two people who
had not harmed him in any serious way. Although they may have
inconvenienced him or Nancy’s remarks may have been emotionally abusive,
he still had not right to murder them. In “Alias Grace” and the
real-life case, we are unsure whether Grace is as innocent as she
claims. However, I believe Grace is definitely guilty of remaining loyal
to McDermott after the murders occurred.
The pair are on the run when Grace has the opportunity to flee from McDermott. And even though he has assured Grace that they will either “hang together or hang separately”, she could have escaped and gone to the authorities. However, according to Grace:
“There is something despicable about betrayal; and I’d felt his heart beating next to mine, and however undesired, still it was a human heart; and I did not wish to have any part in stilling it forever, unless I should be forced to it.”
It is understandable that Grace does not want to be the one to end McDermott’s life, but I fully believe that she was truly innocent (or at least thought herself innocent) Grace could have gone to the authorities and reported the murders. Her misplaced loyalty to McDermott may have been one of the strongest factors leading to her perceived guilt.
The pair are on the run when Grace has the opportunity to flee from McDermott. And even though he has assured Grace that they will either “hang together or hang separately”, she could have escaped and gone to the authorities. However, according to Grace:
“There is something despicable about betrayal; and I’d felt his heart beating next to mine, and however undesired, still it was a human heart; and I did not wish to have any part in stilling it forever, unless I should be forced to it.”
It is understandable that Grace does not want to be the one to end McDermott’s life, but I fully believe that she was truly innocent (or at least thought herself innocent) Grace could have gone to the authorities and reported the murders. Her misplaced loyalty to McDermott may have been one of the strongest factors leading to her perceived guilt.
Clean Freak
I love cleaning. I get great satisfaction from disinfecting commonly
touched surfaces, scrubbing dishes, and mopping floors. However, even I
thought Grace’s comment was slightly ridiculous:
“Oh, for God’s sake don’t kill her in the room. I said, you will make the floor all bloody.”
Initially, I was shocked when I read this statement. Of course, as a servant in the Kinnear household, Grace would not want to see a mess made. However, as James McDermott plots to kill Nancy and Kinnear, her only thought is on preserving the floors. Grace has had a tough life filled with struggle and the loss of loved ones, but I would never think of her being so heartless.
She justifies her statement by saying that since cleaning the floors was one of her routine tasks, she did not want to see blood ruin the carpets. But I doubt Grace was naive enough to think that she would have to scrub the carpets free from evidence or else be punished by her employer (in fact, it was his blood that was spilled).
I don’t know whether this came out of the confusion of the moment or Grace’s shock surrounding the situation, but it made her character seem heartless.
“Oh, for God’s sake don’t kill her in the room. I said, you will make the floor all bloody.”
Initially, I was shocked when I read this statement. Of course, as a servant in the Kinnear household, Grace would not want to see a mess made. However, as James McDermott plots to kill Nancy and Kinnear, her only thought is on preserving the floors. Grace has had a tough life filled with struggle and the loss of loved ones, but I would never think of her being so heartless.
She justifies her statement by saying that since cleaning the floors was one of her routine tasks, she did not want to see blood ruin the carpets. But I doubt Grace was naive enough to think that she would have to scrub the carpets free from evidence or else be punished by her employer (in fact, it was his blood that was spilled).
I don’t know whether this came out of the confusion of the moment or Grace’s shock surrounding the situation, but it made her character seem heartless.
Trapped
Grace is often visited by her good friend Mary Whitney in a dreams.
Grace had dreamed about Mary in the past, often revisiting the happier
times the two shared together before Mary’s death. The dreams provided
her with a sense of comfort during the difficult time; dealing with
Nancy, the murders, her trial, and her time spent being shuffled between
the Asylum and prison.
However, one dream is not as pleasant. In this particular one, Mary appears to Grace in Mr. Kinnear’s bedroom. Grace believes that she can see Mary’s heart through her nightdress, but it is actually the needle-case she made as a Christmas gift. Grace takes this as a sign that Mary had not forgotten her kindness, since the needle-case was put in the casket upon her burial.
Then, Grace notices that in Mary’s hand in a jar which holds a firefly glowing in the dark. Grace retells how Mary, “took her hand from the top of the glass, and the firefly came out and darted about the room; and [Grace] knew that this was [Mary’s] soul, and it was trying to find its way out, but the window was shut; and then [she] could not see where it was gone.”
One of the themes that I have noticed throughout “Alias Grace” is imprisonment. Most obviously, Grace is held accountable for the murders by being sent to jail. Grace is also held prisoner by her own thoughts. Since she cannot remember whether she committed the crimes or not, she has no way to help prove her innocence since the memories do not exist. Also, we see the theme of imprisonment with the different deaths throughout the novel. Mrs. Marks died in the hull of the ship and the according to the myth, her soul would be trapped below and left to wander back and forth across the ocean unless it could escape through an open window. Similarly, Nancy’s body is thrown into the basement after the murder and presumably the same myth of the escaping soul exists. In the quote from Grace’s dream, Mary’s soul experiences the similar torment of looking for an escape. It is clear that all three of these women struggled to live outside the oppression set forth onto them by society. Mrs. Marks died trying to make a new life for herself and her family in North America, but died to the poor conditions she was subjected to as a second-class citizen. Nancy, who although seemed to bring much of the trouble upon herself, tried to defy social ranks by having an affair with her employer. She ran the household without being recognized as the “woman of the house”. Lastly, Mary Whitney was a girl who fell in love and was harshly betrayed due to her social standing. All three women were trapped both in life and death.
However, one dream is not as pleasant. In this particular one, Mary appears to Grace in Mr. Kinnear’s bedroom. Grace believes that she can see Mary’s heart through her nightdress, but it is actually the needle-case she made as a Christmas gift. Grace takes this as a sign that Mary had not forgotten her kindness, since the needle-case was put in the casket upon her burial.
Then, Grace notices that in Mary’s hand in a jar which holds a firefly glowing in the dark. Grace retells how Mary, “took her hand from the top of the glass, and the firefly came out and darted about the room; and [Grace] knew that this was [Mary’s] soul, and it was trying to find its way out, but the window was shut; and then [she] could not see where it was gone.”
One of the themes that I have noticed throughout “Alias Grace” is imprisonment. Most obviously, Grace is held accountable for the murders by being sent to jail. Grace is also held prisoner by her own thoughts. Since she cannot remember whether she committed the crimes or not, she has no way to help prove her innocence since the memories do not exist. Also, we see the theme of imprisonment with the different deaths throughout the novel. Mrs. Marks died in the hull of the ship and the according to the myth, her soul would be trapped below and left to wander back and forth across the ocean unless it could escape through an open window. Similarly, Nancy’s body is thrown into the basement after the murder and presumably the same myth of the escaping soul exists. In the quote from Grace’s dream, Mary’s soul experiences the similar torment of looking for an escape. It is clear that all three of these women struggled to live outside the oppression set forth onto them by society. Mrs. Marks died trying to make a new life for herself and her family in North America, but died to the poor conditions she was subjected to as a second-class citizen. Nancy, who although seemed to bring much of the trouble upon herself, tried to defy social ranks by having an affair with her employer. She ran the household without being recognized as the “woman of the house”. Lastly, Mary Whitney was a girl who fell in love and was harshly betrayed due to her social standing. All three women were trapped both in life and death.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)