Alias ​​Grace by Margaret Atwood presents masculinity through several characters throughout the book. In the majority of these cases, men are portrayed as untrustworthy or dependent on a woman. Some characters that allow the reader to understand Atwood's relationship and her views on men include Dr. Simon Jordan, Jeremiah the Peddler, James McDermott, Thomas Kinnear, and Jamie Walsh. Each of these characters represents a coherent idea about men and their interest in women as well as the development of their own reputation and masculinity. Atwood uses several different “types” of men in order to show the reader that they each have a common trait. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essayA general idea that remains consistent throughout the book is the attitude of men that women are objects who are only there for sexual exploitation. Grace is often sexually harassed by prison guards who may make suggestive advances towards her such as "let's just go down the side alley, to a back barn, on the hay, it won't take long if you stay still... » (240). Mary Whitney, even after learning to be extremely cautious around men, ends up being seduced by her employer's son. She may have truly believed his promises of a future thanks to the ring he gave her, but as soon as Mary revealed her pregnancy, he gave her money for an abortion and abandoned her. She later dies as a result of the procedure, leaving a traumatic mark on Grace. Nancy experiences similar circumstances. She was sexually used by Mr Kinnear, her employer, and later became his mistress. After Grace moved in and Nancy became pregnant, Mr. Kinnear began to take an interest in Grace, leaving Nancy equally deserted. Simon Jordan was an essential character in Alias ​​Grace. He became professionally interested in Grace because of her unique situation and his curiosity about psychology. He wanted to study her reactions and memories to determine whether or not she was guilty. He visited her several times so that she could react to several fruits and vegetables that he brought her, and to tell him about her life so that he could analyze her reactions. Surrounding himself with this topic for an extended period of time, his mind began to wander and resulted in sexual fantasies. At one point in the book, his landlady, Mrs. Humphrey, makes advances toward him. He believes he is dreaming, which he has done in the past, but later he “[realizes] he is not dreaming; or not to dream of the woman. She is there, in the flesh, lying motionless next to him in the suddenly too calm bed, her arms at her sides like an effigy; but she's not Grace Marks. It is now impossible to misunderstand its frame, its bird-like rib cage, its smell of scorched linen, camphor and violets. The taste of opium in his mouth. It's his skinny landlady, whose first name he doesn't even know. »(352). This marks the beginning of Dr. Jordan's descent into a nervous breakdown, proving to the reader that not only Grace, but also Dr. Simon Jordan, cannot be trusted. Dr. Jordan's mental state is not improved by his visit to Grace's lawyer, Mr. Mackenzie. After learning the complex manipulation and fabrication tactics that criminals use, Dr. Jordan no longer trusts the observations and conclusions he has drawn. Atwood uses Dr. Jordan to show that men are driven by their sexual desire, which leaves them open to manipulation and doubt about their own findings. Jeremiah the Peddleris a mysterious character who makes several appearances throughout Alias ​​Grace. . He was always kind to Grace and even sold her some items when she started working. When he later finds her at Mr. Kinnear's residence, he offers: "You could travel with me," he said. You could be a medical psychic; I would teach you how and explain to you what to say, and I would put you in a trance. …I said, wouldn't that be a deception and a cheat? And Jérémie responded, no more than in the theater. »(268). This comes into play later in the book when a professional asks Grace to undergo hypnosis. This “professional” later turns out to be Jérémie himself, under a new name. Atwood presents Jeremiah as an attractive and cunning young man who takes a friendly interest in Grace. She reveals early on that he may not be the most trustworthy and uses tricks and deception to make a living. This reinforces Atwood's skeptical portrayal of masculine intentions in Alias ​​Grace. James McDermott is a difficult character to analyze due to the unreliable nature of the narrator. On one hand, McDermott could be a manipulative colleague of Grace who kills Mr. Kinnear and Nancy simply because of the way they treated him. This would make McDermott the one who manipulated Grace. On the other hand, maybe it was McDermott who was manipulated by Grace. By seducing him, she might have succeeded in convincing him to help her assassinate their employers. The second theory may not have been as plausible in the eyes of society at the time, simply because it was not common for a woman to have such control over a man. However, perhaps it wasn't as difficult as one might think for a woman to manipulate a man into doing her dirty work because "obviously, the prospect of spending time with a woman and having physical, even sexual, contact with her had a great effect.” to appeal to the multitude of men” (Belshaw). Atwood later reveals in an interview that she is aware that in the case where a woman and a man are guilty of a man, the man is always guilty and the woman is either a poor victim or it is a matter of 'an agreement also agreed. Atwood can use this ambiguity either to reinforce her position that men are manipulative or to draw the reader's attention to the fact that men are not the only ones with this ability. Thomas Kinnear is once again an excellent example of the attitude of men. sexual desire for “bad” women. As previously stated, Dr. Jordan eventually broke down and coveted the idea of ​​being with a famous murderess like Grace Marks. Nancy was originally employed as a housekeeper in Mr. Kinnear's house, but Mr. Kinnear quickly took an interest in her and eventually Nancy moved in not only as an employee but also as Mr. Kinnear's mistress. .Kinnear. This is frowned upon by the village and society as a whole. After Grace was hired, Mr. Kinnear took a subtle interest in her without making dramatic progress. Shortly after Grace's employment, Nancy becomes pregnant, around the time Mr. Kinnear becomes more interested in Grace. This is a pattern in the book. When a woman becomes pregnant, she is immediately less attractive to a man. We learn much later in the book that Grace and Mr. Kinnear were seeing each other in the week before the murder. These were characterized as periods of amnesia in Grace's mind, but were later revealed under hypnosis to have been continued by her "alternate personality". These events allow the reader to identify Mr. Kinnear as a sympathetic man, once again motivated by his sexual desires. HAS 2016.