The Stone Angel

The Stone Angel 

by Margaret Laurence

June is Senior Citizens’ Month, a time where seniors are celebrated all across the nation. The City of Kawartha Lakes Public Library is also showing its support and appreciation for the many contributions this group has made to our great country by ensuring these citizens are respected and honoured in the community. The significant value of senior citizens in the community is strongly emphasized in the novel The Stone Angel by Margaret Laurence.

The book follows the life of Hagar Shipley, a 90-year-young lady in Manawaka, Manitoba. She is tenacious, querulous and feisty.  When she is threatened with being put in a nursing home, Hagar makes a bold move to preserve her independence and runs away to a house in Shadow Point. Throughout the story we learn about her life and the experiences that made her the woman she became. The novel also shows the changing roles of women over the course of almost a century, offering a female – but not a feminist – perspective on contemporary life. Hagar looks at the choices that she made as well as the consequences that she faced.

Hagar reflects on the obstacles that she faced and surmised “Pride was my wilderness and the demon that lead me there was fear.” Her dignity is a prevalent theme throughout the novel, as Hagar often recalls feelings of pride, or when she thought it had been lost. Another theme is the journey of life, as Hagar is a great reminder of the value of seniors and their important contributions to society. Dylan Thomas’ poem “Do not go gentle into that good night” is well integrated into the story as Hagar fights against the effects of dementia. How does Hagar see her life after given the chance to reflect upon everything? How would you see your life? Would you regret the decisions you have made?

The Stone Angel is a staple in every list of the greatest Canadian novels of all time because of the strong character of Hagar Shipley and important lessons that she shares. However, in 1987, the book came under attack from a parents group in Peterborough and the Kawartha Lakes region.  After a board committee was set up to review the challenge, the school board refused to remove the books from the curriculum. It is still a part of the education system as part of the grade twelve curriculum in many schools.

Margaret Laurence is one of Canada's most esteemed and beloved writers. She is best known for her Manawaka novels – The Stone Angel, A Jest of God, The Fire Dwellers and The Diviners – which are all considered classics of Canadian literature. She was also a founder of the Writers' Trust of Canada, a non-profit literary organization that encourages Canada's writing community.

Senior citizens are an important part of a community’s demographic. They have faced plenty of challenges from which we can learn as a society. Winston Churchill said that “Those that fail to learn from history, are doomed to repeat it”. What better way to learn from the past than to listen, and learn from people who have the experience? Take some time this month and listen to some of the stories and experiences of our local senior citizens – they are golden.