Alias Grace

by

Margaret Atwood

As a boy, Jamie works running errands for Mr. Kinnear and Nancy Montgomery. Jamie is awkward, shy, and smitten with Grace. He often spends evenings at the Kinnear house playing his flute for Nancy and Grace. At Grace’s trial, Jamie testifies against her; he also points out that Grace is wearing one of Nancy’s dresses, which, according to both Grace and Kenneth MacKenzie, turns public opinion against Grace and directly leads to her guilty sentence. After Grace receives a pardon and is freed from prison, she is sent to live in Ithaca, New York, where she marries Jamie. Grown-up Jamie is fascinated by Grace’s life story and pressures Grace to relive her traumatic experiences by narrating them to him.
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Jamie Walsh Character Timeline in Alias Grace

The timeline below shows where the character Jamie Walsh appears in Alias Grace. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 23
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
Truth, Memory, and Madness Theme Icon
...Mrs. Alderman Parkinson’s). She is introduced to a “shy and awkward” boy of fourteen named Jamie. She then spots Nancy cutting flowers in front of the house; Nancy waves to Grace... (full context)
Chapter 24
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
...not overheard” Nancy laughing at him like this. Later on the tour, Nancy explains that Jamie Walsh is a neighborhood boy who runs errands for Mr. Kinnear. She also shows Grace... (full context)
Chapter 26
Female Sexuality and the Nature of Women Theme Icon
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
Justice and Religion Theme Icon
...and grass stains out of one of Nancy’s petticoats. While she is admiring her work, Jamie Walsh comes around the corner; he tells Grace he’ll be running errands in town and... (full context)
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
Truth, Memory, and Madness Theme Icon
Gender, Ownership, and Power Theme Icon
...tells Grace that he is just showing off, but Grace is still secretly impressed. Later, Jamie Walsh comes by with his flute and the women sit and listen to him play.... (full context)
Chapter 28
Storytelling and Power Theme Icon
Female Sexuality and the Nature of Women Theme Icon
Gender, Ownership, and Power Theme Icon
...cry, and Nancy shakes and slaps her and pushes her out into the yard. There, Jamie Walsh offers to kill the chicken and Grace gratefully accepts. Nancy comes out and teases... (full context)
Chapter 29
Female Sexuality and the Nature of Women Theme Icon
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
Gender, Ownership, and Power Theme Icon
...a man standing near her and screams, but then realizes the man is actually young Jamie Walsh. Jamie asks why Grace is sad, and she replies that she is without friends.... (full context)
Chapter 35
Female Sexuality and the Nature of Women Theme Icon
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
...him when he did it.” The next day, Friday, Grace claims “began right as rain.” Jamie Walsh came over to play the flute, and Nancy and Grace sang and drank whisky... (full context)
Chapter 36
Storytelling and Power Theme Icon
Truth, Memory, and Madness Theme Icon
Simon tells Grace that, according to Jamie Walsh’s testimony, Grace was standing by the pump at the yard at eight o’clock in... (full context)
Chapter 43
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
Truth, Memory, and Madness Theme Icon
Justice and Religion Theme Icon
...began on November 3rd. She recalls searching the crowd for Jeremiah, who was not present. Jamie Walsh testified against her, which pained her because she “valued his good opinion of [her],... (full context)
Chapter 52
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
Justice and Religion Theme Icon
Grace arrives in Ithaca and comes face to face with Jamie Walsh, who collapses at her feet. The two go to a hotel where Jamie explains... (full context)
Chapter 53
Social Class and Propriety Theme Icon
Gender, Ownership, and Power Theme Icon
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...place I ever used to think of myself as going.” Grace has been married to Jamie for almost a year, and she describes the house they share; she specifies that she... (full context)
Female Sexuality and the Nature of Women Theme Icon
Truth, Memory, and Madness Theme Icon
Gender, Ownership, and Power Theme Icon
...Jordan, since she has “no close woman friend [she] can trust.” She says that sometimes Jamie holds her hand and says, “To think of the sufferings I have caused you.” He... (full context)
Storytelling and Power Theme Icon
Truth, Memory, and Madness Theme Icon
Gender, Ownership, and Power Theme Icon
Justice and Religion Theme Icon
Grace adds that Jamie always begins to undress her after she finishes “a few stories of torment and misery,”... (full context)