Case Study: The Mind of Alias Grace

In Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood, Doctor Simon Jordan is a psychologist that is analyzing and talking to convict Grace Marks with the ultimate goal of unlocking the truth behind the murder case of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery. Parts of Grace’s memory are missing completely, and through constant discussions with Doctor Jordan about her dreams and memories from the past, Doctor Jordan is trying to find a way around the memory blocks while examining the validity of Grace’s claims and psychological state. Despite the fact Doctor Jordan is Grace’s link to mental stability and truth, Doctor Jordan needs just as much help as Grace does in finding himself, but his process of self-discovery is never completed due to an accident during the war that permanently damages his brain.

Since the very first encounter, Doctor Jordan has interacted with Grace in a way that nobody else has. Doctor Jordan understands that she “will be a very hard nut to crack” and that she has “scant reason to trust anyone at all for a very long time period” (Atwood 54). Society already has preconceived ideas about Grace whether or not they are true. “They said in the newspaper that I was illiterate, but I could read some even then” (Atwood 27). For the most part, Doctor Jordan has ignored the notions that society has projected on Grace. Instead of judging Grace, Doctor Jordan tries to understand and analyze her (Darroch). “Perhaps I will tell you lies, I say. He doesn’t say, Grace what a wicked suggestion, you have a sinful imagination. He says, Perhaps you will. Perhaps you will tell lies without meaning to, and perhaps you will also tell them deliberately” (Atwood 41). The relationship between Grace and Doctor Jordan is not only a step towa...

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...ve the mysteries of her mind.

Works Cited

Atwood, Margaret. Alias Grace. New York: Anchor Books, 1977. Print

Blanc, Marie-Thérèse. "Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace And The Construction Of A Trial Narrative." English Studies In Canada 32.4 (2006). Literary Reference Center. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

Colton, Alyssa. "Literary Contexts In Novels: Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace.” Literary Contexts In Novels: Margaret Atwood's 'Alias Grace' (2006). Literary Reference Center. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

Darroch, Heidi. "Hysteria And Traumatic Testimony: Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace..” Essays On Canadian Writing 81 (2004). Literary Reference Center. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.

Siddall, Gillian. "That Is What I Told Dr. Jordan..." Public Constructions And Private Disruptions In Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace. Essays On Canadian Writing 81 (2004). Literary Reference Center. Web. 30 Oct. 2011.