She seems to be more of an ornament to him, someone who will look good on his arm, rather then someone who he lives without out of love for her person. Just as those who cared not at all about her carved the stone angel in a distant place, so does this woman seem to have existed with a man who seems not to have cared much about her. Through this description of the stone angel, we are able to see what the main character parents were like, and though she never knew her mother, this has obviously had a large effect on her. We glimpse into her father's personality, a semi-cold man who uses even his wife's death for personal advancement and pride.
The second thing we learn of is the setting of this novel, which ends up being the childhood setting of the main character. We learn that there are distinct seasons, the angels "wings in winter were pitted by the snow, and in the summer by the brown grit." We know they lived in a small town, Manawaka, and that this was a long time ago. "She was the first, the largest and certainly the costliest." This again tells us not only about the setting, that it was a long time ago in the past, but also again brings up the circumstances she was bought under. We learn enough in this paragraph to learn where at least part of the story will take place.
We then begin learning about the personality of our main character, Hagar. Hagar speaks of the woman Regina, who was "now forgotten in Manawaka." However Hagar compares this woman's fate to her own " . . . I, Hagar, am doubtless forgotten." We are able to see that a long time has passed since 1886 when Regina died, and also that Hagar has moved away from this town, and not left anyone really there (such as relations) who would truly remember her. Hagar tells us that she "always felt she [Regina] had only herself to blame, for she was a flimsy, gutless creature, bland as egg custard . . ." However, Hagar never again compares this description to herself, providing our first insight into her character, that she does not truly see who she is, that she believes she is above others.
"The Stone Angel," by Margaret Laurence, is a novel written through the eyes of Hagar, the ninety year old protagonist who battles with a constant fear of being forgotten in her remaining years of life. ... Steven and Tina play a subtle, but powerful role in "The Stone Angel," as their relationship with Hagar are critical to her revelations during her last years of life. ...
The Way The Plot Develops The Meaning Of The Title In The Stone Angel In The Stone Angel, Margaret Lawrence portrays a woman attempting to understanding herself and her life. ... These characteristics and those of the stone angel, which was made of stone, was erected out of pride, and has no eyes, are strikingly similar. ... At this point Hagar realizes that her heart is made of stone, and that she has been hard and has never opened up to anyone, like the stone angel. ... Hagars blindness is comparable to the stone angel because the stone angel never had any eyes ...
Can we become angels? ... What is the origin of angels? ... Can we become angels? ... Angels rolled away the stone from the front of the tomb. ... This angel" final words here close the door on angel worship he says, "Worship God." ...
The Stone Angel As I began reading The Stone Angel I didn't think I would be able to enjoy the novel just because it is not really the type of book I would read. ... And I think the whole purpose of the stone angel in the graveyard is the one thing that never really changed through out Hagar's life it just remained constant, looking over things....
Margaret Laurence's, The Stone Angel is a powerful journey of the life of a 90-year-old woman . ... Angel is a compelling journey seen through the eyes of a woman nearing the end of her life. ... The Stone Angel is an excellent example of the realism and compassion present in all of Margaret Laurence's writing. ...
Hagar Shipley is the metaphorical stone angel of the novel. ... (The Stone Angel, 57) She fears that Marvin and Doris merely want her house and things in the house. ... (The Stone Angel, 242) At this point she became an emotionless, inanimate object. ... (The Stone Angel, 87) Hagar comes to pride herself on her self-restraint and emotionless ness. ... As a result she turns out to be just as hard and unyielding as the stone angel itself. ...
Biblical Archetypes in The Stone Angel In many great novels, the author alludes to religious annotations or other fictional and non-fictional works to increase the overall dramatic effect. ... In The Stone Angel, Margaret Laurence's characters refer time again to religious proverbs and Biblical stories. ... Margaret Laurence takes an article out of the Bible about an Egyptian bondwoman named Hagar, and uses her as the archetype for Hagar Shipley in The Stone Angel. ... Taking a look at The Stone Angel, we can see how Margaret Laurence plays skilfully with her symbolism. ... The p...
In The Stone Angel, Margaret Lawrence portrays a woman attempting to understanding herself and her life. ... These characteristics and those of the stone angel, which was made of stone, was erected out of pride, and has no eyes, are strikingly similar. ... At this point Hagar realizes that her heart is made of stone, and that she has been hard and has never opened up to anyone, like the stone angel. ... Hagar's blindness is comparable to the stone angel because the stone angel never had any eyes carved into it. ... These characteristics revealed through out the story describ...
