The story fictionalizes the notorious 1843 murders of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery in Canada West. Two servants of the Kinnear household, Grace Marks and James McDermott, were convicted of the crime. McDermott was hanged and Marks was sentenced to life imprisonment.

Was Grace in Alias Grace guilty?

To this day, there is no consensus on Grace Marks' guilt. Even during her research, Margaret Atwood noted that no one, even people who claimed to be first-hand witnesses, could say for sure what happened at the Kinnear household.

Was Grace in Alias Grace possessed?

It was suggested variously that she was possessed by the consciousness of her dead friend, Mary Whitney, or had some kind of personality disorder. Another theory was that Marks had in fact died and that Mary Whitney had adopted her identity.

What actually happened to Grace Marks?

At one period (May 4, 1852 – August 18, 1853) she was committed to an asylum but was later returned to Kingston Penitentiary. In 1872, after almost thirty years of incarceration, Marks was pardoned and moved to northern New York. After that she disappeared from the historical record.

What is the twist in Alias Grace?

While under hypnosis, Grace speaks in an unusual voice and communicates in an uncharacteristically frank manner. Dr. Jordan guesses that this voice belongs to Mary Whitney. The voice confirms his guess, then goes on to say that she assisted McDermott in the murders and that Grace took no part in them.

The Thomas Kinnear Murder

Did Jeremiah really hypnotize Grace?

Because Grace feels powerfully drawn to him, it seems possible that Jeremiah and Grace are in cahoots in staging the hypnosis. In a letter Grace writes to Jeremiah toward the end of the novel, after he has left Kingston and adopted a different alias, Grace writes ambiguously: “Why did you want to help me?

Who committed the murders in Alias Grace?

Despite their conflicting narratives about who was the ringleader, Marks and McDermott both confessed to the murders of Kinnear and Montgomery. The partners in crime were sentenced to death, but the jury decided to give Marks mercy and changed her sentence to life imprisonment.

Is Grace Marks innocent?

No one really knows whether Grace is innocent or guilty of the crimes of which she has been convicted. Apparently, even Grace doesn't know since her memory of the murders is full of gaps.

What happened to Dr. Jordan at the end of Alias Grace?

In the novel, Simon Jordan is hit in the head with a piece of shrapnel during a battle, and comes home with his own (ironic) amnesia, erasing the memory of Grace Marks from his mind. He marries a woman his mother picks out for him, by the name of Faith.

Why did Margaret Atwood write the Alias Grace?

The trial of Paul Bernardo and Karla Homolka were happening around the same time Atwood was writing Alias Grace. While Atwood didn't follow the trial all that closely, she was fascinated by how the public reacts to female criminals differently than male criminals.

Was Mary a real person in Alias Grace?

But since it's historical fiction, some of them are real (like Grace Marks) and others are invented for the purposes of telling an even more exciting story. So, though Mary Whitney from Alias Grace isn't a real person, her addition to the tale will chill you to the bone.

Was Nancy pregnant in Alias Grace?

At the time of her murder, Nancy was pregnant with a child most likely fathered by Mr. Kinnear. Before working for Mr. Kinnear, Nancy was a servant at a different household; there, she became pregnant by an unknown man and gave birth to a baby that died.

What illness did Grace Marks have?

The research discussed the symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) suffered by Grace Marks in Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace. As it focused on personality study, a psychoanalysis approach was used. To identify the symptoms of DID suffered by Grace Marks, Haddock's DID theory was employed.

What do red peonies symbolize in Alias Grace?

Peonies. The peonies that Grace sees in a recurring dream symbolize her confusion about her own guilt and innocence. In Grace's dream, red peonies grow from a gravel path. She knows it's the wrong time of year for peonies, and when she touches them, she realizes the petals are made of cloth.

How accurate is Alias Grace?

Alias Grace is essentially a true-crime story, albeit one based on a 174-year-old case. But through the combined efforts of Polley and Harron, and with Atwood's text as its base, it's true crime filtered through the female gaze. Grace might be a murderer, but she's also a victim.

How old is Grace supposed to be in Alias Grace?

Although the setting and characters remain largely the same, Atwood fictionalizes new elements of the story to allow readers to decide whether the 16-year-old convicted murderer Grace Marks is innocent or guilty.

What did the doctor do to Mary in Alias Grace?

According to the account Grace will give Dr. Jordan in Part VI, Mary died after undergoing a botched abortion, and it's possible that the “Mary” part of Grace believes this to be the same doctor who killed her.

Did Grace Marks have multiple personalities?

During her time in prison, Marks claimed to experience psychological problems, including a multiple personality disorder. She said her body was possessed by the consciousness of other people. After serving nearly 30 years in jail, Marks was granted a pardon in 1872.

Who got Mary pregnant in Alias Grace?

Grace is incredibly close to Mary; in fact, there are several hints throughout the novel that Grace might be a lesbian, and that she was in love with Mary. After Mary becomes pregnant by her employer's son, Mr. George Parkinson, she undergoes an abortion and dies from complications of the procedure.

How did Grace Marks get caught?

McDermott and Marks took Kinnear's valuables and wagon and fled to Toronto. They boarded a steamer to Lewiston, New York. However, the pair were tracked down and arrested in a waterfront tavern and brought back to Toronto. They were tried separately for the murder of Thomas Kinnear on 3 and 4 November 1843.

Who is Grace Marks in Alias Grace?

Grace, the novel's protagonist, is an Irish immigrant to Canada who, while working in the home of Mr. Thomas Kinnear, participates in murdering him and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery. For much of the novel, Grace narrates her story from prison, but she is ultimately pardoned and released.

Is Alias Grace paranormal?

Although the show has little in the way of overt paranormal activity, the idea is floated by Grace herself during the hypnosis scene: that she is sporadically possessed by the spirit of Mary Whitney.

How did Jeremiah end?

Answer and Explanation: According to sources outside the Bible, he was stoned by his own people in Egypt. Jeremiah had predicted an invasion of Hebrew lands, which took place when the Babylonians invaded in 597 BC.

Why was Jeremiah stoned?

Paralipomena of Jeremiah

In the last chapter of the Greek text of the Paralipomena (additional stories) of Jeremiah, there is a hint of the Christian part of the Ascension of Isaiah: the people stoned Jeremiah to death because he, like Isaiah before him, prophesied the coming of Christ.

What was Jeremiah's affliction?

He was denied participation in the ordinary joys and sorrows of his fellowmen and did not marry. He thus could say, “I sat alone,” with God's hand upon him. Jeremiah had periods of despondency when he expressed the wish that he had never been born or that he might run away and live alone in the desert.