Chapter 49 (Alias Grace) Summary: The Aftermath of the Mesmerism
⚠️ 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
The men remain in the library after the mesmerism session. Simon is shaken and glad to be seated. Dr. DuPont confesses the results were unexpected—the subject typically stays under control. Reverend Verringer compares the event to a case of possession, suggesting Mary Whitney inhabited Grace’s body. Simon offers a neurological interpretation, mentioning dédoublement (doubling of personality). DuPont cites cases of double consciousness, like Mary Reynolds, and proposes two distinct personalities could coexist in one brain. Verringer worries this undermines the soul and moral responsibility. Simon wonders if we are what we forget. The conversation ends inconclusively. Simon walks back to the house alone, his mind in turmoil. He doubts whether Grace was truly in a trance or play-acting. He realises he cannot write the report Verringer wants without perjuring himself, and that describing the event would ruin his career. He dismisses thoughts of Grace and turns to Rachel.
At the house, Rachel awaits him in the dark. She reveals her husband, the Major, is returning in two days. She weeps and clings to Simon, proposing they murder the Major and flee to the States. Simon visualises a lurid fantasy of the murder, then rejects it, seeing that Rachel truly expects him to kill. He feigns illness, sends her to fetch medicine, and quickly packs his bags. He writes a farewell letter with banknotes, leaves without addressing her, and takes a carriage to the railway station. On the train, he plans a quick visit to his mother then a trip to Europe. He decides to abandon theoretical research and concentrate on building a model asylum with comfortable facilities and impressive apparatus. He dreams of Grace walking on water with red flowers, then wakes to the grey smoke outside the window.
Key Events
- The three men (Simon, DuPont, Verringer) discuss whether Grace’s trance revealed a second personality, possession, or neurological disorder.
- Simon walks back alone, tormented by doubt: was Grace acting?
- Rachel tells Simon that the Major is coming back in two days.
- Rachel proposes murdering her husband and escaping with Simon to the United States.
- Simon pretends to go along, then tricks Rachel into leaving to fetch medicine.
- Simon packs, writes a farewell note with banknotes, and flees by carriage to the train.
- On the train, Simon resolves to build a conventional asylum and avoid further scandal.
- The chapter ends with a dream of Grace and a melancholic departure.
Character Development
Simon Jordan reaches a crossroad. After witnessing the unsettling mesmerism, he confronts his own limitations as a scientist and a man. His intellectual curiosity gives way to self-preservation. He deceives Rachel, abandons his promise to Verringer, and chooses a safe, compromise‑driven career over risky truth‑seeking. His internal fantasy of murdering the Major and later disposing of Rachel reveals a dark, hidden capacity for violence and manipulation—traits he has previously explored only professionally.
Rachel displays a desperate, unhinged side. Her casual proposal to murder her husband suggests either mental instability or moral decay. She has been planning this, and she mistakes Simon’s passion for genuine commitment. Her character moves from needy lover to potential conspirator, highlighting the dangers of unchecked desire.
Reverend Verringer and Dr. DuPont act as foils. Verringer clings to religious explanations (possession) while DuPont offers a medical frame (double consciousness). Both influence Simon’s thinking, but he ultimately chooses neither path—he retreats from the whole debate.
Grace Marks remains an enigma. The trance may have revealed Mary Whitney’s violent personality, but Simon cannot be certain. In his dream, she appears as a pure, unattainable figure—reinforcing her elusiveness.
Themes, Symbols, or Motifs Actually Evidenced Here
Double Consciousness / Dissociative Identity: The mesmerism session directly raises the possibility of two personalities in one body. DuPont and Simon debate whether this is natural or supernatural, and what it means for moral responsibility.
Truth vs. Self‑Interest: Simon knows the truth of what he witnessed but suppresses it to protect his reputation and career. He chooses pragmatism over honesty—a major theme in the chapter.
Escape and Compromise: Simon physically flees from Rachel and from the demands of the investigation. He also mentally flees from the unsettling implications of Grace’s trance, retreating into plans for a respectable asylum practice. The train journey symbolizes this flight.
The Uncanny / The Threshold: Simon feels he has “looked across” the threshold of the unconscious and nearly fallen in. The imagery of water, drowning, and melting away suggests the dangerous allure of hidden knowledge.
Performance and Manipulation: Both Grace (possibly) and Rachel perform roles to achieve their goals. Simon himself performs illness and affection. The chapter questions the boundary between authentic self and theatrical role.
Why This Chapter Matters
This chapter provides the decisive turning point for Dr. Simon Jordan. He abandons his quest to understand Grace Marks, choosing self‑preservation over truth. It also reveals the dark potential within Simon—his murderous fantasy and his cold manipulation of Rachel. The men’s debate over double consciousness is a central intellectual puzzle in the novel, never fully resolved. Rachel’s murder plot echoes the original Kinnear‑Montgomery case, blurring the line between victim and perpetrator. Finally, Simon’s dream of Grace and his melancholic departure underscore her haunting, elusive presence.
Study Questions and Answers
1. Why does Simon decide not to write the report Verringer wants?
Simon realises that describing the mesmerism event—complete with a separate personality and violent voice—would make him a laughingstock among medical men. It would ruin his chances of building a respectable asylum. He also cannot be certain whether Grace was acting; the truth eludes him.
2. What does Rachel’s proposal to murder her husband reveal about her character?
Rachel’s plan shows she is desperate, morally compromised, and perhaps mentally unstable. She has been fantasising about this solution and genuinely believes Simon will help her. Her willingness to kill underscores how passion and fear can corrupt a person.
3. How does Simon’s fantasy of murdering the Major differ from his actual actions?
Simon imagines a lurid, theatrical crime—complete with a spade, jugular incision, and burying bodies in the garden—but he never intends to carry it out. In reality, he tricks Rachel and flees. The fantasy reveals his capacity for violence, but his actual choice is cowardice and cruelty rather than murder.