However, there is more going on in Grace’s mind then Dr. Jordan goes to see Grace, she seems vulnerable and innocent.

Jordan the full story, “Just because he pesters me to know everything, is no reason for me to tell him.” (2) When Dr. The reader never knows whether or not she is truly innocent, because although Grace denies being a part of the murders and says that it was all McDermott’s doing, Grace hints at the fact that she does not tell Dr. Grace Marks is a very deceiving and complex character. Throughout the novel, Atwood was able to accurately portray how women were treated in the 1800’s in a manner that helps the reader connect better with the time period that the story is written in. The man who she thought she loved (and who claimed to love her) said he wanted nothing to do with Mary after she realized she was pregnant. Grace’s friend Mary passes away as a result of an abortion gone wrong. Atwood understands the pressure that young women were put under during this time period. Unfortunately, events such as this that Grace is put through happened much too often in the 1800’s, with the employee choosing to stay for fear of not being able to come across another job. As Mary used to say, there are some of the masters who think you owe them service twenty-four hours a day, and should do the main work flat on your back. I always locked myself in at night, but I knew that lock or no lock, sooner or later he would find a way of getting in, with a ladder if nothing else, and I couldn’t sleep easy for thinking of it and I needed my sleep, as I was very tired from the day’s work and once you are found with a man in your room you are the guilty one, no matter how they get in. He was fumbling with the latch of the door. Grace helps us understand this concept when one of her employers attempts to take liberties with her:īut then one night I heard him outside the door of my attic chamber I recognized his wheezy cough. The line between good and bad is very distinct there is no such thing as “in between”. As we get further and further into Grace Marks’ story, we learn that, to Grace and many other people, a single woman is either a virgin or a who*e. Margaret Atwood successfully and accurately portrays how women were treated in the 1800’s. Grace Marks’ story is one that takes place in the 19 th century, which is a time that is a lot different than today’s. Margaret Atwood accurately portrays the century that Grace Marks’ story takes place in, as well as develops Grace into a very complex character, whose hobby of quilting is a very important symbol in the story. Or, Grace’s story could be one about an innocent young woman who has been falsely accused of murder. Grace Marks could be a magnificent story-teller: a deceitful young woman who is very good at manipulating people to get her way. Alias Grace is a story about a girl who may have many of her own secrets. Everyone has their own secrets, including their own reasons for having them.

Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood