Perception Of The Truth In Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace
A challenge in the recording of history is that oftentimes the truth cannot be known, but only interpreted. According to the first Premier of the Soviet Union, Vladimir Lenin: “A lie told often enough becomes the truth” (Moncur On-Line). In the case of Margaret Atwood’s historical novel, Alias Grace, the renowned Canadian author went through the trouble of compiling hundreds of resources on historical figure Grace Marks in order to present Atwood’s version of the truth. By examining the author, what little is known of Grace Marks, and the novel itself, one can gain an idea of Atwood’s own perception of the truth about Grace’s character. In order to understand Atwood’s insights into Grace Marks, one must first understand the author’s motives.
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Among these perceptions, Atwood describes Grace as “an innocent victim of a blackguard forced against [her] will and in danger of [her] own life” (Atwood Alias 23). While Grace is shown to have innocent and endearing qualities, in the book Atwood has Grace explore some of the characterizations written about her in the newspapers that challenge the author’s own viewpoint: “I am an inhumane female demon… I robbed a dead woman… I am cunning and devious” (Atwood Alias 23). Using these opposing standpoints, Atwood not only illustrates her beliefs about Grace, but also the slander and damage to her character by many accusations that have since been demonstrated to be biased. Atwood further illuminates the damage done to Grace by explaining how her lawyer, Kenneth MacKenzie, receives the murder case: “as [he] was the youngest, it ended up with [him]; and at the last minute, too, with scarcely a month to prepare” (Atwood Alias 447). With a rookie lawyer who has little time to prepare and much of the public opinion against her, Grace Marks never obtains a fair trial and is doomed from the start. By mentioning Grace’s redeeming traits at the beginning of the novel and describing how she is victimized throughout, it is apparent that Atwood perceives the truth to be that Grace Marks is an
Among these perceptions, Atwood describes Grace as “an innocent victim of a blackguard forced against [her] will and in danger of [her] own life” (Atwood Alias 23). While Grace is shown to have innocent and endearing qualities, in the book Atwood has Grace explore some of the characterizations written about her in the newspapers that challenge the author’s own viewpoint: “I am an inhumane female demon… I robbed a dead woman… I am cunning and devious” (Atwood Alias 23). Using these opposing standpoints, Atwood not only illustrates her beliefs about Grace, but also the slander and damage to her character by many accusations that have since been demonstrated to be biased. Atwood further illuminates the damage done to Grace by explaining how her lawyer, Kenneth MacKenzie, receives the murder case: “as [he] was the youngest, it ended up with [him]; and at the last minute, too, with scarcely a month to prepare” (Atwood Alias 447). With a rookie lawyer who has little time to prepare and much of the public opinion against her, Grace Marks never obtains a fair trial and is doomed from the start. By mentioning Grace’s redeeming traits at the beginning of the novel and describing how she is victimized throughout, it is apparent that Atwood perceives the truth to be that Grace Marks is an