The Truth to a Ballad
"At her Redeemer's throne she'll stand, And she'll be cured of woe, And He her bloodied hands will wash, And she'll be white as snow" (15). This quote concludes the beautifully written ballad located in the first chapter of Margaret Atwood's Alias Grace. By summarizing the events leading up to the murders, the murders themselves, and the ensuing trial, the poem presents the reader with what appears to be a foreshadowing of things to come. However, though the ballad reflects many of the novel's events, there are several differences which contradict Grace's narration. The poetic verse and the story told by Grace contain numerous similarities. As the ballad states at the beginning, Grace says she was sixteen years old when the murders at the house of Thomas Kinnear occurred; James McDermott worked as a stable hand, and Grace was the serving maid. Also alike is the poem's description of Nancy as a "no well-born lady....who goes in satin and silk, The finest ever seen" (11). When first meeting Nancy, Grace wonders why "a housekeeper would be wanting a dress like that," (200) immediately noticing Nancy is dressed rather well considering her occupation. When the murders take place in the novel, James st
Mary Whitney, a deceased friend whom Grace thinks and dreams of throughout the novel, is never mentioned in the ballad, yet plays an intricate role in the story of Grace Marks. ------------------------------------------------------------------------**Bibliography**. After the murders were complete, James uses the power of fear when forcing Grace to accompany him, but did not threaten to shoot her as the poem states. We must murder Thomas Kinnear," giving the impression Mr. ' Though the above events are comparable to the story Grace tells, the ballad contains several discrepancies as well. The ballad's descriptions of Grace charming James McDermott into murder and being in love with Mr. Simon thinks to himself, "The old broadstreet ballad, then, was prophetic - but !no vine in Thomas Kinnear's" (386). Jordan visits the grave in the novel, a rosebush blooms at the foot of Nancy's grave, while Thomas Kinnear's is barren. Kinnear's murder was circumstantial, but in Grace's version, James planned to kill Mr. The ballad at the beginning of Alias Grace provides beautifully written images of occurrences to come, leaving the reader to consider which events will actually take place. rikes Nancy on the head with an axe and throws her into the cellar where she eventually died with an unborn baby in her womb. Kinnear are also not reflected in Grace's narration. When the poem explains how Jamie Walsh marked Grace a murderer at the trial, yet she was given a life sentence while James was hung and dissected at the University, Grace's tale is reflected perfectly. Towards the end of the poem, the spirits of Thomas Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery are joined by the junction of the vine growing from Mr.
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