Alias Grace By Margaret Atwood

Transcription

1 Alias Grace By Margaret Atwood English IV AP

2 Alias Grace by Margaret Atwood English IV AP Cover Sheet for Essay Center the following information on the page Title Author: AP Teacher s Name Essay must be typed. MLA format: Times New Roman 12 point Double spaced 1 inch margins on all sides The essay must be: AP Lit words Essay Question for AP Class Margaret Atwood as poet and novelist uses language that varies from the direct, literal phrasing much like an objective reporter to the deeply poetic, abstract language expected from a masterful poet. In a well-developed essay, compare how Atwood uses language and imagery to develop a central message or theme in both the poem, Owl Song and Alias Grace.

3 Owl Song by Margaret Atwood I am the heart of a murdered woman who took the wrong way home who was strangled in a vacant lot and not buried who was shot with care beneath a tree who was mutilated by a crisp knife. There are many of us. I grew feathers and tore my way out of her; I am shaped like a feathered heart. My mouth is a chisel, my hands the crimes done by hands. I sit in the forest talking of death which is monotonous: though there are many ways of dying there is only one death song, the colour of mist: it says Why Why I do not want revenge, I do not want expiation, I only want to ask someone how I was lost, how I was lost I am the lost heart of a murderer who has not yet killed, who does not yet know he wishes to kill; who is still the same as the others I am looking for him, he will have answers for me, he will watch his step, he will be cautious and violent, my claws will grow through his hands and become claws, he will not be caught.

4 AUTHOR S BACKGROUND Award-winning Margaret Atwood, a Canadian writer, wrote her first story at age 6 and continued to impress critics throughout her life. She won her first of many awards, the E. J. Pratt Medal, following her graduation from Victoria College and The Governor General s Award. In addition to her writing activities as a novelist, poet, critic and children s story book writer, she has also taught at various universities both in Canada and the United States. Atwood has repeatedly reinvented herself over the course of career because she has also written science fiction, historical fiction and realistic fiction. Her books often emphasize the necessity of storytelling and conveying one s point of view through writing and storytelling. Atwood is also a feminist writer. In all of her works, her ultimate concern is the treatment of women who either tend to be powerful heroines or maledominated victims, but some of her works describe male and female characters who cannot be categorized as either. Atwood has always commanded a great deal of respect partly because of her insistence on depicting issues of gender, science, power and truth in all of their complexity. HISTORICAL BACKGROUND Grace Marks was a real- nineteenth century Canadian woman who was accused of and spent 30 years in prison for murdering two people. These murders of her employer Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper Nancy Montgomery were sensationalized and publicized for most of the mid Dissatisfied with the treatment of the story by Canadian journalist Susanna Moodie who contended that Grace Marks was wildly crazy, Atwood set out to investigate other possibilities. The result was a collection of poetry entitled The Journals of Susanna Moodie. Many discrepancies were uncovered by Atwood who continued to investigate the story for years. The author does not solve the mystery of Grace Marks which accounts in part for the title of the book Alias Grace, but she does through her quilt or patchwork of details allow the reader to come to his or her own conclusion. GENERAL INFORMATION GRACE MARKS Grace Marks, alias Mary Whitney, was a servant in the employ of Mr. Thomas Kinnear. At the age of 16, Mary Whitney was tried and convicted for her part in the murders of Thomas Kinnear and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery on July 28, Arrested days later in Lewiston, New York, she was held in the Home District Gaol, in Toronto until her sentencing on November 3, 1843.

5 Voluntary Confession of Grace Marks to Mr. George Walton, In the Gaol, on the 17 th November, My name is Grace Marks, and I am the daughter of John Marks, who lives in the Township of Toronto, he is a Stone-mason by Trade; we came to this country from the North of Ireland about three years ago; I have four sisters and four brothers, one sister and one brother older than I am, I was 16 years old last July. I lived servant during the three years I have been in Canada at various places: Alderman Dixon s, Mr. McManus s, Mr. Coates s, and Mr. Haraghy. In June last I want to live with Thomas Watson, Shoemaker, on Lot-Street, Nancy Montgomery used to visit there, and I was hired as a servant by her for Mr. Kinnear, at $3 per month, and I went there the beginning of July last, and saw at the house Mr. Kinnear, Nancy Montgomery, and McDermott,--McDermott had been, I understood, about a week at the house, everything went on very quietly for a fortnight, expect the housekeeper several times scolding McDermott for not doing his work properly, and she gave him a fortnight s warning, that when his month was up he was to leave, and she would pay him his wages; he often after this told me he was glad he was going, as he did not wish any longer to live with a parcel of w- --s, but would have satisfaction before he went, and he told me he was positive that Kinnear and the housekeeper, Nancy, slept together; I was determined to find it out, and I was afterwards convinced that they did do so, for her bed was never slept in except when Mr. Kinnear was absent, and then I slept with her. About a week after this, McDermott told me if I would keep it a secret he would tell me what he was going to do with Kinnear and Nancy: I promised I would keep the secret, and then he said Mr. Kinnear was going to the city in a day or two, and would, no doubt, bring plenty of money with him,-- he would kill Nancy before Kinnear came home, would shoot Kinnear when he came home, and would take all the money and all the valuable things he could, and would go over to the United States Excerpt taken from Toronto Public Library

6 Background Information: Key Terms: Feminism Psychology Melodrama Pastiche/collage Alienation Motifs: Dreams Madness Red and White Peonies Water Work Themes: Alienation Relationships between me and women Journeys (Grace compared to Ulysses) Meanings of dreams Storytelling and narratives Points of View: 1 st and 3 rd

7 Dear Parents of English Pre-AP and AP Students: As we end a school year, the English teachers at would like to let you know that we have your child s education in mind when we make decisions about summer reading assignments. In order to adequately prepare for AP English exams and to develop your child s reading and thinking skills within a limited number of months, we require all English I Pre-AP, English II Pre-AP, English III Pre-AP/AP, English IV Honors/AP, and English V Humanities students to read assigned novels during the summer months. Students will be assessed over the summer reading through tests, essays, and class activities during the first week of school. Below, you will find a list of the classes and the novel(s) that need to be read prior to the first day of the school year. Your child will need to acquire the necessary novel and read it during the summer. We have notified Barnes & Noble bookstores on North 10 th Street in McAllen, so there should be sufficient copies if you choose to purchase them there. Please feel free to call your child s current English teacher or counselor if you have any questions as to which novel your son/daughter should read this summer. Please note: Failure to read assigned novel will adversely affect your student s grade. English Course Novel Author English I Pre-AP Anthem Ayn Rand English II Pre-AP Of Mice and Men John Steinbeck English III Pre-AP The Chocolate War Robert Cormier AP Language & Composition The Glass Castle Jeannette Walls English IV Honors The Hobbit J.R.R. Tolkien AP Literature & Composition Margaret Alias Grace Atwood Humanities Man s Search for Meaning Viktor E. Frankl The summer reading writing assignments are due August 29,. The summer reading exam will be on August 30,. Thank you, English teachers

8 Student/ Parent (Guardian) Agreement STUDENT By signing below, I guarantee that I fully understand my responsibilities for summer reading and related assignments. I also guarantee to submit my work by the first day of the second week after the school year begins. I also acknowledge that if I fail to submit my work in a timely fashion, I will be incurring two failing grades per book. Student Signature: Date: PARENT By signing below, I indicate awareness and understanding of my child s responsibilities for summer reading. I also support my child s efforts to fulfill his/ her classroom expectations to submit the summer reading assignments by their due date or else incur two failing grades. Because your child is too advanced academically to continue to read books within the genre of young adult fiction, the novels chosen for summer reading were written for a mature audience. These selections, sanctioned by AP College Board, represent selections deemed to be books of literary merit. Parent Signature: Date: