The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence Essay Example

In her novel The Stone Angel, Margaret Laurence uses the stone angel monument to embody the qualities of Hagar . Over the course of the novel, Hagar reflects back on the memories that have made up her life. Hagar's loneliness and depression are self induced and brought on by her pride, lack of emotion, stubbornness and the ignorance which she has towards anyone's opinion but her own. The qualities of Hagar are identical with those possessed by the stone angel monument and paralleled by Laurence many times throughout the novel. The angel was certainly not a suitable statue to mark the death of Mrs. Currie as it was uncharacteristic of her. The statue of the angel is a more fitting representation of Hagar's father Jason Currie and hence suits Hagar because her personality was undoubtedly inherited from her father. The pride inherited from her father causes her much trouble throughout life as it seems to be the main root of her problems. Hagar's lack of emotion is also consistent with the characteristics of the stone angel. Her inability to show true emotion effects her a lot later in life and is the main reason she is unable to keep a relationship. Hagar's stubbornness can also be connected to the stone angel monument in the sense that the Angel never moves and is also very set in its ways. The Stone Angel monument was created without eyes. Hagar is also blind in the sense that she is ignorant to the opinions and thoughts of others. The above qualities are shared by Hagar and the Stone angel, and are in essence the reason behind Hagar's never-ending escape from family and her problems.

One of the most dominant emotions shown in The Stone Angel is pride. Pride is a sense of one's own proper dignity or value. Most of Hager's loneliness comes from her belief that she is socially above everyone else, regardless of what happens to her. This pride is inherited from her father who is very proud of his social standing and openly flaunts it. The Stone angel monument is a