The Stone Angel: Hagar Shipley as a Survivor Jelena Vidovic 12th Grade

Survivalism is a trait commonly found amongst Canadians, perhaps it is in part due to the harsh winters, or the history of peacekeeping Canada proudly boasts. Whatever the reason may be, the notion of survivalism is a commonly observed theme throughout Canadian literature. The novel Stone Angel, written by Margaret Laurence, is a particularly fitting example of this. Stone Angel follows a stubborn ninety-year-old Manitoban woman named Hagar Shipley through her continual deterioration. A deterioration caused by an unknown illness - supposedly, a form of Alzheimer’s disease. In the novel, Hagar has been displayed as a cold woman. However, beyond this surface-level observation, Hagar is revealed to be a woman of many complexities. This is, in turn, a result of enduring challenges that seem to follow her throughout her life. Hagar struggles to figure out her place as a woman, her independence and ultimately, who she is as a person. These challenges lead Hagar through a life of survivalism, which is often misjudged as a life of bitterness.

Hagar was born into the Currie family, a family that held much importance in the town of Manawaka, Manitoba. Hagar’s mother passed away in the process of birthing Hagar, which left her father in...