diff --git a/lib/mongoid/enum.rb b/lib/mongoid/enum.rb
index 19b78b1..20dc37e 100644
--- a/lib/mongoid/enum.rb
+++ b/lib/mongoid/enum.rb
@@ -14,10 +14,10 @@ module Mongoid
         set_values_constant name, values
 
         create_field field_name, options
-        alias_attribute name, field_name
 
         create_validations field_name, values, options
         define_value_scopes_and_accessors field_name, values, options
+        define_field_accessor name, field_name, options
       end
 
       private
@@ -42,9 +42,10 @@ module Mongoid
 
       def create_validations(field_name, values, options)
         if options[:multiple] && options[:validate]
-          validates field_name, :'mongoid/enum/validators/multiple' => { :in => values, :allow_nil => !options[:required] }
+          validates field_name, :'mongoid/enum/validators/multiple' => { :in => values.map(&:to_sym), :allow_nil => !options[:required] }
+        #FIXME: Shouldn't this be `elsif options[:validate]` ???
         elsif validate
-          validates field_name, :inclusion => {:in => values}, :allow_nil => !options[:required]
+          validates field_name, :inclusion => {:in => values.map(&:to_sym)}, :allow_nil => !options[:required]
         end
       end
 
@@ -60,6 +61,24 @@ module Mongoid
         end
       end
 
+      def define_field_accessor(name, field_name, options)
+        if options[:multiple]
+          define_array_field_accessor name, field_name
+        else
+          define_string_field_accessor name, field_name
+        end
+      end
+
+      def define_array_field_accessor(name, field_name)
+        class_eval "def #{name}=(vals) self.write_attribute(:#{field_name}, Array(vals).compact.map(&:to_sym)) end"
+        class_eval "def #{name}() self.read_attribute(:#{field_name}) end"
+      end
+
+      def define_string_field_accessor(name, field_name)
+        class_eval "def #{name}=(val) self.write_attribute(:#{field_name}, val && val.to_sym || nil) end"
+        class_eval "def #{name}() self.read_attribute(:#{field_name}) end"
+      end
+
       def define_array_accessor(field_name, value)
         class_eval "def #{value}?() self.#{field_name}.include?(:#{value}) end"
         class_eval "def #{value}!() update_attributes! :#{field_name} => (self.#{field_name} || []) + [:#{value}] end"
diff --git a/spec/mongoid/enum_spec.rb b/spec/mongoid/enum_spec.rb
index 4139e1d..5bd9c3c 100644
--- a/spec/mongoid/enum_spec.rb
+++ b/spec/mongoid/enum_spec.rb
@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@ describe Mongoid::Enum do
     it "is aliased" do
       expect(instance).to respond_to alias_name
       expect(instance).to respond_to :"#{alias_name}="
-      expect(instance).to respond_to :"#{alias_name}?"
+      expect(instance).to respond_to :"#{alias_name}"
     end
 
     describe "type" do
@@ -92,6 +92,18 @@ describe Mongoid::Enum do
 
   describe "accessors" do
     context "when singular" do
+      describe "setter" do
+        it "accepts strings" do
+          instance.status = 'banned'
+          expect(instance.status).to eq :banned
+        end
+
+        it "accepts symbols" do
+          instance.status = :banned
+          expect(instance.status).to eq :banned
+        end
+      end
+
       describe "{{value}}!" do
         it "sets the value" do
           instance.save
@@ -119,6 +131,33 @@ describe Mongoid::Enum do
     end
 
     context "when multiple" do
+      describe "setter" do
+        it "accepts strings" do
+          instance.roles = "author"
+          expect(instance.roles).to eq [:author]
+        end
+
+        it "accepts symbols" do
+          instance.roles = :author
+          expect(instance.roles).to eq [:author]
+        end
+
+        it "accepts arrays of strings" do
+          instance.roles = ['author', 'editor']
+          instance.save
+          puts instance.errors.full_messages
+          instance.reload
+          expect(instance.roles).to include(:author)
+          expect(instance.roles).to include(:editor)
+        end
+
+        it "accepts arrays of symbols"  do
+          instance.roles = [:author, :editor]
+          expect(instance.roles).to include(:author)
+          expect(instance.roles).to include(:editor)
+        end
+      end
+
       describe "{{value}}!" do
         context "when field is nil" do
           it "creates an array containing the value" do