Trauma is a mysterious thing that affects many people, and it can show up in different ways for everyone. Margaret Atwood's novel Alias Grace is a great example of this, as it explores how trauma can shape a person's life and actions. Alias Grace is a novel by Margaret Atwood. Set in 19th-century Canada, the novel tells the story of Grace Marks, a young woman convicted of the murders of Nancy Mongomery and Thomas Kinnear. The story unfolds through Grace's perspective as well as through the perspective of Simon Jordan, a doctor, who tries to find the truth behind the murders to which Grace claims to have lost all memories. Some believe in her innocence, and some believe in her guilt. Throughout the novel, Grace tries to recall the events of …show more content…
When she dies, she loses that stability and comfort she found after the trauma she experienced with her father. Grace has no recollection of that time after Mary's death and only knows about it because she was told what happened. Dissociative identity disorder involves problems with memory, identity, emotion, perception, behaviour, and sense of self. It can lead to loss of memory or the feeling of being outside one’s body to mentally escape the pain and horror (Drescher 5). The stressors of death at that young age are severely traumatizing for Grace. The factors and characteristics of her behaviour suggest that she suffers from several personality disorders. Another important detail is that it is not easy to recall traumatic events, however, it can be helped with psychotherapy and hypnosis, which Dr. DuPont decides to try with Grace (479). Hypnosis can play back memories with vivid detail like a tape recorder, which helps the patient recall memories that have been lost through trauma (Flarey 2). It turns out Grace was unconscious and her other personality was in control when she killed Nancy Montgomery and Thomas