Mrs. Phelan Character Analysis in Alias Grace

A kind, elderly Catholic whom Grace befriends on her family’s sea voyage to Canada. When Grace’s mother falls ill, Mrs. Phelan helps Grace care for her younger siblings, since Grace’s father is rendered useless by seasickness. Mrs. Phelan introduces Grace to the notion that a window should be opened when a person dies, so the person’s soul can escape the room; Grace is haunted by this belief for years to come.

Mrs. Phelan Character Timeline in Alias Grace

The timeline below shows where the character Mrs. Phelan appears in Alias Grace. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

...as “a sort of slum in motion.” Grace befriends a kind, elderly Catholic woman named Mrs. Phelan , who is sleeping in a neighboring bunk. As the ship enters an ice field,... (full context)