Alias Grace Chapter 28: The Radish, the Chicken, and the Unveiling of Secrets
⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.
Summary
Dr. Jordan gives Grace a radish, which she eats gratefully, and she agrees to continue her story as a return gift. She picks up from the night Mr. Kinnear left for Toronto: she and Nancy go to bed in Nancy’s room, where Grace brushes Nancy’s hair and notices Nancy’s melancholy sigh. Mr. Kinnear returns Saturday morning with two guests. Agitated by the lack of meat, Nancy orders a chicken killed. McDermott is absent, so Grace tries and fails; Jamie Walsh kills the bird and helps pluck it. Nancy teases Grace about Jamie’s “puppy love.” After dinner with the guests, Nancy drinks several glasses of wine, grows morose, and remarks on her weight. Sunday, Nancy lends Grace a dress and they attend church. The minister preaches on Divine Grace, warning against complacency and hypocrites. The congregation snubs them. Later, McDermott, who has been given notice, reveals that Nancy and Kinnear are not married but live as lovers, and that Nancy had a baby that died. Grace realizes the truth and feels ashamed of her blindness.
Key Events
- Dr. Jordan gives Grace a radish; she eats it quickly and promises to tell her story well as a return gift.
- Grace recounts the night she and Nancy shared a bed, with Grace brushing Nancy’s hair.
- Mr. Kinnear returns from Toronto with Colonel Bridgeford and Captain Boyd.
- Nancy orders a chicken killed; McDermott is missing, so Grace must do it but cannot; Jamie Walsh kills the chicken and helps pluck it.
- Dinner is served; Nancy drinks wine, grows melancholic, and complains about her figure.
- Sunday: Nancy and Grace attend Presbyterian church, where the minister delivers a sermon on Divine Grace and hypocrisy.
- McDermott tells Grace that Nancy and Kinnear are lovers, and that Nancy had a child out of wedlock.
- Grace accepts the truth and begins to see the household with new eyes.
Character Development
Grace Marks reveals her gratitude and a reciprocal nature: she gives her story as a gift for the radish. Her squeamishness at killing a chicken and her tears show her tenderness. She matures as she pieces together the truth about Nancy, moving from naïve blindness to a more knowing, if ashamed, awareness.
Nancy Montgomery shows a volatile mix of sociability and anger—she slaps Grace, then is friendly; she sighs in bed like an unhappy woman; at church she holds her head high despite snubs. Her later confession about getting fat hints at insecurity or perhaps pregnancy.
James McDermott grows more sullen after being given notice. His accusation that Nancy is a “whore” and his revelation about her past are delivered with crude certainty, though Grace eventually confirms them.
Jamie Walsh appears kind and helpful, killing the chicken for Grace. He is described as a boy with “puppy love,” but his assistance creates a small bond.
Mr. Kinnear remains offstage for much of the chapter; his return with male friends and his treatment of Nancy as mistress (but not wife) reinforce the power dynamics in the household.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs
- Divine Grace / Hypocrisy: The sermon on Grace contrasts with the congregation’s cold treatment of Nancy. Grace reflects that people try to cage God in church, while God sees their true hearts.
- Stolen Waters: The minister quotes Proverbs 9: “stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant”—an apt warning about Nancy and Kinnear’s hidden relationship.
- Whited Sepulchres: The notion of appearing fair outside but being corrupt inside applies to both the hypocritical churchgoers and the veiled secret of the household.
- Puppy Love / Innocence: Jamie’s infatuation with Grace is treated lightly, but it provides Grace with a moment of kindness and a fleeting sense of normalcy.
- Rebellion of 1837: Colonel Bridgeford and Captain Boyd boast about their deeds in the Rebellion; Nancy resents both sides, and her maiden name Montgomery links her to a rebel leader. This historical backdrop hints at lingering political divisions.
- Broken Staircase: The quilt pattern on Nancy’s bed suggests a disrupted ascent—perhaps a life knocked off course.
Why This Chapter Matters
Chapter 28 marks a turning point in Grace’s understanding of her situation. She finally learns the open secret of Nancy and Kinnear’s relationship, which recontextualizes everything she has observed. The church scene underscores the judgmental society around them, foreshadowing the scandal that will later engulf all the characters. Grace’s willingness to share her story as a gift also deepens her rapport with Dr. Jordan, making her a more active participant in her own narration.
Study Questions and Answers
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Why does Grace agree to continue telling her story in this chapter?
Grace feels indebted to Dr. Jordan for the radish. She believes “one good turn deserves another” and decides to make her story as interesting and rich as a return gift. -
What does the church sermon on Divine Grace reveal about the community?
The minister warns against judging by appearances and calls many “whited sepulchres.” Yet the congregation snubs Nancy and Grace, showing their own hypocrisy. The sermon highlights the gap between religious teaching and social practice. -
How does McDermott’s revelation change Grace’s view of Nancy?
Grace realizes that Nancy’s fine dresses and gold earrings were “the wages of sin,” that the averted heads at church made sense, and that she had been “blind and foolish.” She begins to see Nancy as a woman trapped by her past choices, not simply a friendly mistress.