Alias ​​Grace by Margaret Atwood presents masculinity through several characters in the book. In most of these cases, men are portrayed as unreliable or dependent on a woman. Some characters that allow the reader to understand Atwood's relationship and opinion 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 and developing their reputation and masculinity. Atwood uses different "types" of men to show the reader how they each have a common trait. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay One general idea that remains consistent throughout the book is men's attitudes that women are objects used solely for sexual exploitation. Grace is often sexually harassed by prison guards who may state suggestive advances such as "let's pop down the side alley, into a back stable, down on the hay, it won't be long if you stay still..." (240) . Mary Whitney, despite her wise teachings to be extremely cautious when it comes to men, ends up being seduced by her employer's son. She may have truly believed his promises of a future because of the ring he gave her, but as soon as Mary revealed her pregnancy, he gave her money to have an abortion and abandoned her. He later dies from the procedure, leaving a traumatizing mark on Grace. Nancy experiences similar circumstances. She was used sexually by Mr Kinnear, her employer, and later moved in as his mistress. After Grace moved out 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 took a professional interest in Grace due to her unique situation and her curiosity about psychology. He wanted to study his reactions and memories to determine whether he was guilty or not. He visited her several times to have her respond to the different fruits and vegetables he had brought and to tell him her life story so he could analyze her reactions. By surrounding himself with this topic for a long 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 towards him. He believes he is dreaming, which he has done in the past, but later “[realises] that he is not dreaming; or don't dream about the woman. She is really here, in the flesh, lying still next to him in the suddenly too quiet bed, with her arms at her sides like an effigy; but she is not Grace Marks. It is now impossible to mistake his bonyness, his bird-like ribcage, his smell of burnt linen, camphor and violets. The opium taste of his mouth. She is his skinny landlady, whose name he doesn't even know.”(352). This marks the beginning stages of Dr. Jordan's descent into a nervous breakdown, demonstrating to the reader that not only Grace, but Dr. Simon Jordan as well, cannot be trusted. Dr. Jordan's mental state is not improved by the visit he pays to Grace's lawyer, Mr. Mackenzie. After learning the intricate manipulation and fabrication tactics used by criminals, Dr. Jordan no longer trusts any of the observations and conclusions he has drawn. Atwood uses Dr. Jordan to demonstrate that men are driven by their sexual desire, and this allows them to be left open to manipulation and doubt about their own findings. Jeremiah thePeddler is a mysterious character who makes several appearances over the course of 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 house, he tells her: “You could travel with me, he said. You may be a medical clairvoyant; I would teach you how, instruct you on what to say, and put you in a trance. ... I said, wouldn't it be a deception and a cheat? And Jeremiah said, no more than in the theater.”(268). This comes back into play later in the book when Grace is asked to undergo hypnotism by a professional. This "professional" is later revealed to be Jeremiah himself, under a new name. Atwood presents Jeremiah as an attractive and cunning young man who takes a friendly interest in Grace. He soon reveals that he may not be the most trustworthy and that he uses tricks and deceit to make a living. This solidifies Atwood's skeptical portrayal of male intentions in Alias ​​Grace. James McDermott is a difficult character to analyze due to the unreliable nature of the narrator. On the one hand, McDermott could be a manipulative colleague of Grace's who kills Mr. Kinnear and Nancy simply because of how they treated him. This would make McDermott the one who manipulated Grace. On the other hand, McDermott may have been the one manipulated by Grace. By seducing him, she may have been able to convince him to help her kill 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. It may, however, not have been as difficult as one would have thought for a woman to manipulate a man into doing her dirty work because "Clearly the prospect of spending time and being in physical if not sexual contact with a woman was of great importance" . appeal to the multitude of men” (Belshaw). Atwood later reveals in an interview his awareness 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 was an equally agreed upon arrangement. Atwood can use this ambiguity to reinforce her position that men are manipulative, or she can use it to draw the reader's attention to the fact that men are not the only ones who have this ability. Thomas Kinnear is once again an excellent example of male mentality. sexual desire for the “wrong” women. As previously noted, Dr. Jordan ended up falling in love with and craving the idea of ​​being with a celebrated assassin like Grace Marks. Nancy was originally employed as a housekeeper in Mr. Kinnear's house, but Mr. Kinnear soon took an interest in her and Nancy eventually moved in not only as an employee but also as Mr. Kinnear's lover. This is frowned upon by the village and society as a whole. After Grace was hired, Mr. Kinnear took a subtly interest in her without making dramatic advances. Soon after Grace's hiring, Nancy becomes pregnant, around the time that Mr. Kinnear shows increased interest in Grace. This is a pattern in the book. When a woman becomes pregnant, she is immediately less attractive in the eyes of a man. We learn much later in the book that Grace and Mr. Kinnear had been seeing each other in the week leading up to the murder. These were characterized as periods of amnesia in Grace's mind, but later under hypnosis were discovered to have been haunted by her "alternate personality". These events allow the reader to identify Mr. Kinnear as a kind man who, once again, is driven by his sexual desires. Reflecting that of Dr. Jordan, both are interested in 2016.