TheStoneAngel MargaretLaurence

ChapterOne
1. Insharingherrecollectionsofthestoneangel,Hagarrevealsmuchinformation
aboutherowncharacteraswellasthatofherfather(34).Explain.
2. Explainhowthecontrastingcemeteryflowersaresymbolicofthestruggle
betweenwildernessandcivilization(45)
3. HagarsfathersaidtoAuntieDoll,Smartasawhip,sheis,thatone.Ifonly
shedbeen(14).Whatdoeshemean(provideotherevidencetosupportyour
answer)?
4. Hagarsays,Iregretted thathedsiredushere(15).WhatdoesScotland
havetooffer,fromHagarsperspective,thattheCanadianprairielacks?
5. OfferanexplanationofthemeetingbetweenJasonCurrieandLottieDriesers
mother(18)aswellasthecommentshemadeafterherdeath.
6. WhatdidMattdowiththemoneyhemanagedtosave?Explainwhy.
7. HowdidHagarfeelaboutherbrother,Dan?Whywassheunabletodowhat
MattaskedofherwhenDanwasdying?
8. PreparetwosetsofcharactersketchesofMarvinandDoris:onebasedonHagars
depictionsanotherbasedonanobjectiveonlookerspointofview.
9. Whodoyoufeelmoresympathetictoward:Marvin,Doris,orHagar?Explain.

ChapterTwo
1. HowdoesHagardescribeMr.Troy,Dorisminister(bespecific)?
2. BrieflyexplainHagarsreferencetoherselfasPharaohsdaughter(43).
3. Hagarremembersreturningtoherfatherssquarebrickpalace[withits]backto
thehillwherehismonumentstood,moredeartohimthanthebroodmarewho
laybeneath(43).Basedonwhatweknow,sofar,ofJasonCurrie,areHagars
commentsaccurate?Inansweringthisquestion,youmustpayparticularattention
tothewordssquarebrickpalace,hismonument,andbroodmare.
4. ProvideevidencetoshowthatJasonCurrieintendedHagartobeanother
monumenttohisgreatness.

5. DescribeBramShipley.TrytoexplainwhyHagarmarriedhim.
6. HowdomembersofHagarsfamilyreacttohermarriage?
7. InterpretBramsgiftofacutglassdecanterwithasilvertop(51).Whatishis
intent?Whatisherresponsetothegift,andhowdoeshefeelasaresult?
8. ExplainhowBramandHagardifferintheirapproachtothephysicalsideoftheir
relationship.
ChapterThree
1. ThedoctorreferstoHagaras"younglady"(91).ExplainHagar'sreactiontothis.
Howdoesherreactioncoincidewithwhathasalreadybeenrevealedabouther
character?
2. WhatdoesHagarrevealaboutherfeelingsinthelastlineofchapterthree?How
doesthisshowhergrowingvulnerability?
3. ProvideevidencetoshowthatHagarisbiasedagainstMarvinfrombirth.
4. ExplainhowthefollowingmaybeinterpretedasametaphorforHagar:"IfIhad
thewingsofanangel/Oreventhewingsofacrow/IwouldflytothetopofT.
Eaton's/Andspitonthepeoplebelow"(106).Providethreeotherexamples
whereHagarisportrayedsimilarly.
5. SpeculatehowHagarandBram'srelationshipcouldhavebeenchangedhadBram
soughtcomfortfromhiswifethenightofSoldier'sdeath.

Chapter Four
1. ExplainwhyHagarcouldnotexpressherfeelingstoMarvinwhenhewasleaving
forwar.Howwasthismomentreminiscentofherfailuretocommunicatewith
BramafterSoldiersdeath?
2. WhydidBramthinkitnecessarytoapologizetoHagaraftersex?Howaretheir
feelingsaboutthephysicalsideoftheirrelationshipsimilar?Howarethey
dissimilar?
3. WhyisHagarsofussyaboutJohnshabitsofspeech?
4. HowhaveMarvinsattemptstopleaseHagarcontinuedfromchildhoodto
adulthood?Provideexamplesofhiseffortsandofherresponsetothem.

5. WhattypeofstatementwasHagarmakingwhenshewalkedoutoftheCurrie
storewithBram?Whyweretheyneverseentogetherpubliclyagain?
Chapter Five
1. ProvidethreeexamplesofHagarsinabilitytoexpressherfeelingstomembersof
herfamily. Discussthecommonalitiesbetweentheseoccasions.
2. WhatisironicaboutHagarbecomingahousekeeper?Explainindetail.
3. DiscussinwhatwaysJohnsnewfriendsaresimilartoHagarschildhoodfriends.
WhywouldJohnassociatewithsuchpeople?
4. AnalysetheregressionofHagarsrelationshipwithJohn.
5. WhentoldthatsheandJohnareleavinghim,Bramreactsbyadvisingherto
hardboilafeweggsforthetrip.WhyhasHagarconfrontedBraminsteadof
leavingduringthenight,andcouldadifferentreactionfromhimhavechanged
things?
Chapter Six
1. ExplainhowHagarsfear,asshelayaloneatnightinthefishcannery(162),
revealsalatentappreciationofBram.
2. InwhatwayshasJohnchangedsincehisreturnhome?Howhashisrelationship
withBramchanged?
3. ExplaintheintendedironyinHagarswordswhenshediscoverswhathas
happenedtoJohnsknife(177).
4. SpeculatewhyHagargoeshometoBramwhenshelearnsheissick.
5. Johnaspirestopleasehisfather,whereasMarvinhasalwaystriedtoplease
Hagar.Indetail,explaintheironyinthis.
6. WhydidntHagarbelieveJohnwhenhesaidsomedrunk(180)pushedoverthe
stoneangel?WhoismostlikelytohavedoneitJohnorBram?Explain.
7. WhatdidJohnmeanwhenhesaidthattheCurriesandShipleyswereonly
differentsidesofthesamecoin(184)?
8. Explainthesymbolismofthestoneangelscurrentstate.
9. Whatisthesignificance,toHagar,ofburyingBramintheCurriefamilyplot?

10. WhatistheironyinHagarbeingmistakenforBramsfirstwife,Clara?
Chapter Seven
1. WhywasHagarsodefensivewhensheheardJesscallJohn,Johnnie?Explain.
2. WhatdoesHagarmeanwhenshesays,Takewarningmygirl.Youllbesorry
(188)?ProvideexamplesofHagardistancingherselffrommeninherlife.
3. UnlikeHagar,Johnexpresseshisfeelingseasily.Explainhowhelearnedtobeso
open.
4. HowdoJohnsactionsinthischaptermirrorhisfathersactionsofyearsgoneby?
Givespecificexamples.
5. HowcanHagarbelikenedtotheAncientMariner?
6. ExplainindetailwhatHagarmeanswhenshesays,Theycratemeupinthecar
anddelivermelikeaparcelofoldclothestothatplace(185).
7. Why,somanyyearslater,doesHagarstillremembertheincidentwithLottieand
thebabychicks? WhydoesLottienot?Whatdoesthisrevealabouteachoftheir
characters?
8. IndetailexplainwhyJohnvisitsJessratherthanHagarwhenhewantstotalk
abouttheirfather.
9. HowisHagarsargumentwithJohnaboutLottiereminiscentoftheargumentshe
hadyearsagowithherownfather?HowdoesthisrevealmoreofHagarstrue
character?
10. Aftersex,JohnandArlenemakesupperlikekidsinaplayhouse(209).From
Hagarspointofview,characterizetheirrelationship.
ChapterEight
1. DiscusstheimportanceofJohnsrevelationtoHagar:Marvwasyourboybut
youneversawthat(237).
2. HowistheepisodewithHagarandtheseagull partofalargerpatternofeventsin
thestory(forexample:LottieskillingofthechicksDansdeath)?
3. Explainthemeaningofthequote,Idhadsomanythingstosaytohim,somany
thingstoputtorights(243).WhatdoyouthinkHagarhadwantedtosayto
John?

4. WhatisthepointinbringingthecharacterofMurrayF.Leesintothenovel?
Explainyourreasoning.
5. ExplainhowHagarsviewpointonhersonscharacterhaschangedsincehis
death.
6. Rereadpage218.WillMarvineverbeabletopleasehismother?Explain.
7. ExplainHagarsrangeofemotionswhenshefirstencountersMurrayF.Lees
(2201.
8. Explaintheforeshadowingoftheseagullsarrival (Abirdinthehousemeansa
deathinthehouse217).
9. WhatdoesHagarmeanby[h]emighthavebeenkilledorsaved.Whosto
know(244)?
ChapterNine
1. WhydoesHagarletMrs.JardinebelievethatJohnwasherhusbandsname?
2. Impulsively,hardlyknowingwhatImdoing,Ireachoutandtouchhiswrist
(253).Foronce,Hagarexpresses,connects,andforgives.Restatewhathas
happenedbetweenHagarandMurrayLees.IshetheonlymantowhomHagar
hasbeenabletorelate?Explain.
3. GivespecificexamplesofHagarsdeterioration(focusonhertimeinthe
hospital).
4. WhywoulditbeunfairforDoristodiebeforeHagar?
5. ExplainhowHagarsimpulsetopardonMurrayLees(252)isoutofcharacter.
6. DoesHagarscharacterundergoanysignificantchangesoverthecourseofher
hospitalstay?Explainyouropinion,usingexamplesforsupport.

ChapterTen
1. WhydoesMarvincallhismotheraholyterror(304)?Howdoesthismakeher
feel?
2. WhydoesHagarbecomeangrywhenMarvinfinallymoveshertoaprivateroom
(282)?

3. ByintroducingMurrayLeestothestory,MargaretLaurenceisabletohaveHagar
revealnewhuesofhercharactertothereader.IsSandraWongscharactermeant
tofunctionsimilarlyasavehicleforHagarsselfdiscovery?
4. ExplainwhyyouthinkHagariseagertogetawayfromtheShipleyplacewhen
sheisonvacationwithMarvinandDoris.
5. AreDorismotivesforbringingMr.TroytoseeHagarselfish?Explain.
6. DoyouthinkMarvinacceptsHagarsliethathehasalwaysbeenabettersonthan
John?
7. ExplainwhatHagarfindsoutaboutherselfwhenshelistenstoMr.Troys
singing?
8. Hagardoesnotgogentleintothatgoodnight.Explain.