歷史書寫是詮釋過去的一種方法，「歷史書寫」在於尋找過去，拼湊過往的「真實」；尋求那唯一可知的「真相」；歷史書寫和一般所謂的歷史小說有著相似的「過程」，像「編織」一樣，原始事件經過情節編織並且賦予特定意義，再進而拼貼成完整的型態，過去並不等於真相，歷史也不等於過去，歷史書寫不乏修辭學的講究和情節的編織(Emplotment)，根本和文學創作沒有兩樣；發生過的事件被編排、被表意、被呈現，成為綿密文字，進而成為論述(discourse)。
本論文主要探討由現代加拿大著名女性文學作家，瑪格麗特．愛特伍，描述關於1843年在加拿大發生一件震驚當時社會的謀殺案，關於此案，眾說紛紜，對於事實「真相」更是看法歧異；艾特伍依循現存檔案紀錄回望過去，發現文本所記載與真實的過去有所差距，而且這些文本彼此互相矛盾。艾特伍於是尋找造成文本差異性的原由，《雙面葛蕾斯》就是在這種時空背景下被創作出來。
本論文主要探討在特殊時空背景下歷史小說中的真實性往往超越當時所紀錄的歷史檔案真實性，首先第一章提出文本概要與詮釋文本的觀點與架構。第二章探討是什麼因素造成這些文本的差異性。第三章探討故事為何會被虛構，並試圖探討其背後真正目的為何。第四章為結論，藉由多種「書寫過去」的方式，證明歷史書寫並不是唯一正統，讀者在閱讀、尋找所謂的過去時，有多樣的方法可以拼湊出屬於讀者自己相信所謂的「真相和真實」，例如「歷史小說」，因此沒有「所謂的真相」，而是真相怎樣在書寫過程中被呈現和被型塑。

Historical texts are supposed to reflect the whole past; unfortunately, historical texts are not really faithful to the true past due to historians’ emplotment. Atwood thus calls into question that history is built on objective written documents. The written records concerning the murder and the historical Grace Marks also become highly questionable and unreliable. My thesis will not only tries to rethink how history is provided on the basis of events, but also to question how events are emplotted to give meaning. Moreover, I would like to examine how Atwood deploys emplotment and delivers meanings by virtue of storytelling in Alias Grace. The subject will be considered under the following four chapters including Chapter one: introduction, Chapter Two: juxtaposition of texts, Chapter Three: the symbol of quilting, and Chapter four: conclusion. Chapter one will introduce Alias Grace and Atwood’s essay, “In search of Alias Grace: on Writing Canadian Historical fiction,” and highlights the problematics of the unreliability of given documents. Chapter two examines what kinds of factors cause the differences and unreliability of documents. Chapter three elaborates on the symbol of quilting to unravel how Grace uses storytelling to survive. Chapter four recapitulates my thesis and explains why Atwood re-emplots Grace’s events and composes Alias Grace.

Chinese Abstract ii

English Abstract iii

Acknowledgement iv

Table of Contents v

Chapter One: Introduction 1
Looking For the Past 3
Emplotment and Unreliability 7
Juxtaposition of Texts and the Symbol of Quilting 9
Conclusion 16
Chapter Two: Juxtaposition of Texts 18
Constructed Imagination and Memory 19
Differences 21
Textual Dialogue---Profession, Class, and Gender 24
Ideological Construction 33
Chapter Three: The Symbol of Quilting 38
Natalie Zemon Davis’ Culture of Storytelling 39
Practice of Storytelling: Journalist, Susanna Moodie, Kenneth MacKenzie 43
Practice of Storytelling: Grace Marks 47
Practice of Storytelling: Margaret Atwood 56
Chapter Four: Conclusion 58
Works Cited 64

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