The Stone Angel

Through out the novel “The Stone Angel”, Hagar’s pride manifests itself in her apparent hatred of weakness, poor self-awareness and inability to love; however, because Laurence tells the story from Hagar’s point of view, the reader sees that she does in fact feel compassion, humility and love, but restrains these feelings behind a stoic, unbending exterior. The progress of the novel is Hagar’s progress toward the expression of these emotions.

Hagar is full of pride and fear from early childhood. At the age of six Hagar is already over whelmed with pride:
“There was I, strutting the board sidewalk like a pint-sized peacock, resplendent, haughty, hoity-toity, Jason Currie’s black-haired daughter” (pg 6)

Hagar has such vast thoughts about herself. She considers herself very stylish and

appealing. When something doesn’t go right Hagar becomes weak and full of fear.

As a young child Hagar believes that showing emotions is a sign of weakness. On one oc...