Chapter 50 Summary and Analysis – The Final Letters of Alias Grace

⚠️ 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 (Chronological)

The chapter consists entirely of letters spanning August 1859 to November 1867. Simon Jordan writes hastily to Mrs. Humphrey from Kingston, claiming his mother is dying and he must leave immediately—a fabricated excuse to escape his entanglement with her. He encloses money and a postscript about her husband’s possible return. Grace writes to Dr. Jordan in December 1859, confused by his abrupt departure and worried he will not write the promised letter to set her free. She mentions fainting after hearing the news and having a small head wound.

In January 1860, Simon writes to his friend Ed Murchie from Switzerland, admitting he fled Kingston because of “complicated circumstances” and confessing his mental confusion over Grace’s case. He calls her a “mermaid” and says he almost lost his own sanity.

Grace writes to Jeremiah (the former Dr. Jerome DuPont, now a stage performer) in September 1861. She reports that the hypnotism session has improved her status in the prison but not her freedom. She relays gossip about Lydia’s engagement to Reverend Verringer and about Simon’s scandalous affair with Mrs. Humphrey, including Dora’s exaggerated tales of a dug grave and bloody linen.

Mrs. Jordan (Simon’s mother) writes to Mrs. Humphrey in May 1862, revealing that Simon has been wounded in the American Civil War and has lost his memory of the Kingston period, including any relationship with her. She also announces that Simon is effectively engaged to Faith Cartwright, a young woman of impeccable character.

In October 1867, Reverend Verringer writes to Dr. Bannerling, head of the Toronto Lunatic Asylum, asking him to support a new petition for Grace’s release. Verringer explains that Dr. Jordan’s neuro-hypnosis session revealed a secondary personality in Grace, arguing she was not responsible for the murders. Bannerling replies harshly in November 1867, denouncing Jordan as a credulous fool and reiterating his belief that Grace is a dangerous moral degenerate who should never be freed.

The timeline ends with Grace still imprisoned, her fate uncertain.

Key Events

• Simon leaves Kingston under false pretenses, abandoning both Mrs. Humphrey and Grace.
• Simon’s mother intercepts and returns Mrs. Humphrey’s letters, insulting her reputation.
• Grace writes to Jeremiah, sharing news of Lydia’s marriage and the gossip about Simon.
• Simon joins the Union army as a surgeon, is struck in the head, and loses his memory.
• Mrs. Jordan informs Mrs. Humphrey that Simon is now engaged to Faith Cartwright and cannot recall her.
• Reverend Verringer organizes another petition for Grace’s pardon, citing Dr. Jordan’s hypnosis findings.
• Dr. Bannerling refuses to sign, calling neuro-hypnosis “preposterous tomfoolery” and vowing to keep Grace locked up.

Character Development

• Simon Jordan: His arc ends in anti-climax. He fails to produce the promised report, loses his nerve, and ultimately loses his memory. The ambitious young doctor who sought to unlock Grace’s mind becomes a shattered, amnesiac war veteran.
• Grace Marks: Her voice remains calm and reflective even after Simon’s betrayal. She shows resilience and curiosity about Jeremiah’s motives, and her final letter asks about the meaning of a button—symbolizing connection and secrecy.
• Mrs. Humphrey: Exposed as desperate and emotionally vulnerable. Her threat of suicide is dismissed by Mrs. Jordan, and Simon’s mother paints her as a fallen woman.
• Mrs. Constance Jordan: A controlling matriarch who distorts facts to protect Simon’s reputation, belittles Mrs. Humphrey, and orchestrates a convenient engagement.
• Jeremiah (Jerome DuPont): A mysterious ally who sends Grace a button, suggesting ongoing loyalty but from a distance.
• Reverend Verringer: Earnest but ineffective; his religious appeal to Bannerling fails.
• Dr. Bannerling: Unchanged in his conviction that Grace is incurably criminal, hostile to both science and sympathy.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

• Letters as narrative fragments: The chapter is a mosaic of epistles that reveal how much remains unknown. No single letter gives the full truth; each character controls the story through what they reveal or omit.
• Amnesia and double consciousness: Simon’s lost memory mirrors Grace’s claimed gaps. The novel questions whether memory is reliable or whether trauma can erase parts of a life.
• Reputation and social judgment: Mrs. Jordan’s letter to Mrs. Humphrey ruthlessly enforces Victorian double standards. A woman’s reputation is treated as a commodity that can be lost forever.
• The button: Grace receives a bone button similar to one Jeremiah gave her years ago. A button can fasten or unfasten, suggesting both secrecy and release. It becomes a private talisman of connection.
• War as erasure: The Civil War provides a convenient excuse for Simon’s failure and memory loss, implying that history itself can rewrite personal narratives.

Why This Chapter Matters

As the final chapter of Alias Grace, Chapter 50 refuses to provide a clear resolution. Instead of a courtroom confession or a pardon, Atwood gives us letters that prove everyone involved has failed Grace: Simon ran away, the legal system never acted, and medical science was discredited. The chapter reinforces the novel’s central ambiguity—we never learn with certainty whether Grace killed Nancy or was a victim of circumstance. The reader is left with the same unanswered questions as the characters, trapped in the gap between conflicting stories.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Simon Jordan flee Kingston, and what does his final letter to Ed Murchie reveal about his state of mind?
Simon flees because he has become dangerously entangled with Mrs. Humphrey, his landlady, and cannot face the consequences. His letter shows he is mentally tormented—he calls Grace a “mermaid,” fears he has lost his own reason, and admits he cannot distinguish reality from illusion. He also admits he may have been chasing shadows rather than scientific truth.

2. How does Dr. Bannerling’s response to Verringer’s petition reflect nineteenth-century attitudes toward female criminality and mental health?
Bannerling dismisses neuro-hypnosis as “rubbishy” and Mesmerism revived. He insists that Grace is a “moral degenerate” with a “propensity to murder strongly developed.” His language reflects the Victorian belief that some women are inherently evil, and he refuses to consider that trauma or dissociation could explain her behavior. He also scolds Verringer for meddling in medicine, demanding that clergy stick to sermons.

3. What is the significance of the bone button Grace receives, and what does it suggest about her relationship with Jeremiah?
The button is a personal token that Jeremiah sends without a return address. It reminds Grace of their past friendship and suggests he remembers her. A button can fasten or open—Grace wonders if it means “keep silent” or simply “I remember you.” The object carries secret meaning between them, a quiet act of loyalty that contrasts with Simon’s abandonment. It also continues the novel’s motif of everyday objects holding hidden stories.