The Insensitivity of Men in Alias Grace Essay

Alias Grace

In Alias Grace, Margaret Atwood explores the story of Grace Marks. More importantly, she tells the story of each character in Graces life. By mixing different point of views of Grace Marks and Simon Jordan, Atwood achieves a complex novel that explores a moment of history in a unique way. Nevertheless Atwood captures the way women were treated at the time. Also, Atwood grasps the way men were portrayed. She explores both genders through their emotions and intelligence. But one gender, of course is favoured over the other. In Alias Grace, men seem to have a forceful amount of power towards women to be described as insensitive, selfish users. For example men like Simon Jordan, Thomas Kinnear James McDermott, and Mr. Marks deliberately took advantage of woman. Furthermore, Atwood, explores the relationship each of these men, had with woman in Alias Grace. Lastly, their actions defined woman as nothing more than a sexual object.

Undoubtedly, the men in Alias Grace were insensitive towards woman, especially when it came to sex. For example when Simon Jordan first encountered with Rachel Humphrey, his landlady hid did not think much of her since she was a supposed widow. However, in later chapters we find Jordan toying with Humphreys feelings. Leaving her, and not responding to her letter proves that Jordan could care less about Humphrey. Nevertheless, he took advantage of Rachel Humphrey for sex For example, he would deliberately, accompany her, Brusquely he dismisses her, and turns to thoughts of Rachel. She at least is something he can grapple with, take hold of. She will not slip through his fingers. ( Atwood 407), it seems that while Rachel Humphrey was falling for Jordan, he was just enjoying her for his pleasures. Also, Simon Jordan often has thoughts about other woman; for example Hed touch her; but how much, and with how much of her consent? Such episodes appear differently in retrospect than in the heat of the moment; nobody knows that better than he, why should it be different for a woman?( Atwood 388), he had always had thoughts of Grace in his head, disturbed and perverted thoughts at most. Moreover, James McDermott never seemed to show any remorse for woman. He had always denied Nancys existence and badmouthed Grace. As if the women in his presence did not exist. For example; In the midst of all our bustling, James McDermott sauntered in, as cool as you please; and when Nancy asked him where hed himself off to, using a warm tone of voice, he said that hed finished the mornings chores before he left, it was none of her damned business with his insensitive tone of voice, he couldve cared less whether or not his response had hurt Nancy. Also, He finds it intolerable that a woman (Nancy) was set over him. 264, On receiving his notice from Nancy, Grace reports, He said he was glad, as he did not like being ordered about by a woman. such descriptions given by Grace can explain that McDermott was not very fond of Nancy, or Grace; however, he later develops some feelings for her. Therefore, some man within the Alias Grace were insensitive towards woman.

Secondly, in Alias Grace men were selfish users, they used woman for money. For instance, Mr. Marks; Graces father, did nothing but to use Grace foe his selfish needs. He constantly used her to do the household work, abuse her to bring some dissent money into the household, also to take care of her siblings. The older I became, the less I was able to please him, and I myself had lost all of a childs natural faith in parent, as he was drinking up the bread out his own childrens mouths, and soon would fore us to begging or thieving, or worse. Mr. Marks would rather have Grace do all of the work for him, than doing it all himself, using the excuse that he wake up in the morning and say he couldnt remember a thing about it, and he hadnt been himself, and he didnt know what had got into him. Moreover, James McDermott was also using Grace, for trying to flee the Kinnear household. When, the McDermott, was on trial, he had blamed Grace for Thomas Kinnears and Nancys death. When in fact he had been the one who had talked her into it. Therefore, some men were indeed selfish users.

Thirdly, woman were seen as nothing but sexual subjects in the eyes of men. For example, woman like Rachel Humphrey, Grace Marks, Nancy Montgomery were seen as nothing but sexual objects in the eyes of Simon Jordan, Thomas Kinnear, and James McDermott. Atwood, portrays this when Rachel Humphrey is constantly fragile when encountering with Jordan, the weakness and the power he has over her is unimaginable. Also, when Jordan encounters with Grace Marks in the penitentiary to evaluate her, he seems to fancy her in his disturbed, ambushed thoughts. Nevertheless the infamous Thomas Kinnear who was admired by Grace and loved by Nancy, he had the two woman wrapped around his fingers. In addition, he would appear, as kind and dissent man, when in fact he was not much different from the others, using his maid as his mistress does not seem much different from the perverted Simon Jordan. Also, McDermott who always seemed to not care for Grace, turns out to be secretly in love with her; for instance he offers Grace to have sex with her, in Nancys bed.

All in all, the men in Alias Grace were insensitive, and selfish users when it came to woman. Neither of the men, mentioned above care or showed a sense of character that actually appreciated woman. Also, neither, men showed remorse or a felling of affection towards woman, their thoughts either had to please themselves or it had something to do with either sex or money. Therefore, the men were heartless, inconsiderate, miscreant jerks who toyed with woman.