Hagar Shipley character in stone angel by Margaret Laurence as an iconic survivor. Discuss ways in the novel where she demonstrates those character as an iconic survivor with references to the book.
Hagar is the narrator of The Stone Angel and the events of the story unfold through her eyes. Hagar is from a small Canadian prairie town called Manawaka; she is the daughter of a wealthy shop owner, Jason Currie. In her old age, Hagar has outlived her husband and her son John. When she discovers that her son Marvin and her daughter-in-law plan to put her into a nursing home, she runs away into the woods.
The titular angel can be seen as a representation of Hagar, her stony rigidity, and her tendency to suppress her emotions as a way to have power over others. Hagar's tragic flaw is pride: she believes herself to be superior to everyone she encounters and isn't afraid to show it. She is often impatient and judgmental with even those trying to help her, such as the nurses or minister, and she often assumes the worst in other people, continually casting herself as the victim. It is only through old age and losing control of her physical abilities that Hagar begins to show an inkling of humility, softening her lifelong coldness and recognizing that life without love is not worth anything.
