Hagar’s Search for Identity In the past history has demonstrated that we as human beings have a strong desire to find oneselves identity . This often fuels a search for truth and knowledge in order to better understand oneself, as seen in Margaret Laurence’s novel The Stone Angel. Throughout the novel, Laurence illustrates Hagar Shipley’s, lifelong journey of unscrambling her inner problems, in order to find her true identity. Hagar’s search for identity consists of three main stages throughout the novel, each equally important to her search. She undergoes the “guilt” stage, but it is not until Hagar is nearing the end of her long life that she enters the “wilderness” stage and then finally the “reality” stage. After a lifetime of searching, Hagar Shipley was successful in finding and accepting her true identity. Hagar undergoes the “guilt” stage as both her birth and childhood were marked by tragedy and death. Early in the novel, Hagar reveals that her mother died at her birth as well as retells the events of her older brother Dan’s death. It is important at this point to point out that although there is a sense of tragedy for both their deaths, but the real tragedy is Hagar felt guilty connecting to the deaths. When Hagar’s older brother Matt tells Hagar that their dying brother Dan misses the love of their dead mother, Hagar reflects “Matt was almost apologetic, as though he felt he ought to tell me he didn’t blame me for her dying when in his heart he really did” (24). Whether Matt truly did blame Hagar for his mother’s death or not, Hagar still believes that he does and his statement makes her feel guilty. Matt then requests that Hagar pretend to be their dead mother to comfort Dan, in which Hagar refuses to do. “I was crying, shaken by torments he never even suspected, wanting above all else to do the things he asked but unable to do it” (25) she reflects. Hagar realizes the guilt she feels over the death of their mother and is not able to pretend to be the woman she never knew. Later on Dan dies, adding another death for Hagar to feel guilty about as she was unable to comfort him. Hagar’s childhood growing up was different in the sense that she was bombarded with guilt over the tragic deaths of family members throughout the “guilt” stage of her search for identity. Hagar experiences the “wilderness” stage, which is the longest stage in her search for identity. At the beginning of stage Hagar has a distorted image of herself due to her father and the amount of pride he instills on her. This can be seen early on in the novel when she describes herself walking down the street she says, “strutting the board sidewalk like a pint-sized peacock, resplendent, haughty, hoity-toity, Jason Currie’s black-haired daughter” (6). By stating this is demonstrates how she thinks she can “strut” down the street simply because she is Jason Currie’s daughter. It is not until most of her life has passed her by that Hagar enters into the part of the “wilderness” stage that she realizes he pride is her downfall and strives for independence. As an elderly woman, Hager finds herself dependent on her eldest son Marvin, and his wife, Doris. After finding out that Marvin and Doris are planning on putting her in an old age home, she decides to take a step towards independence. Hagar enters into the “wilderness” she chooses to separate herself from society. While Hagar is at Shadow Point she begins an internal religious search. After reflecting again on her past she states that she is the same Hagar in a different place as she still finds herself not able to pray to God. Hagar later encounters a man named Murray who shares stories of his own life and guilt which leads to Hagar revealing how John died, something that caused her a lot of pain. Hagar acknowledges that, “I can’t change what’s happened to me in my life, or make what’s not occurred take place. But I can’t say I like it, or accept it, or believe it’s for the best” (160). Although Hagar has not yet come to accept herself or her actions, she begins put her pride aside and realize she is not always right. After that Marvin finds Hagar in the wild and she is brought to the hospital due to the fact that is she physically deteriorating fast under her own care. Hagar being taken out of the wild symbolizes the end of her “wilderness” stage of her search for indenity. Finally, after a lifetime of searching and suffering Hagar enters the “reality” stage. Her first epiphany occurs when the priest Mr. Troy’s starts singing of a prayer she once knew. Hagar realizes that all her life she’s wanted to sing and rejoice but she forced herself not to because she didn’t want to look improper. Hagar then states, “Pride was my wilderness, and the demon that led me there was fear. I was alone, never anything else and never free for I carried my chains within me, and they spread out from me and shackled all I touched” (292).This is a really big step for Hagar because it shows she acknowledges her biggest flaw which is her pride. When Marvin comes to visit Hagar in the hospital, Hagar realizes how desperately Marvin always wanted her affection and blessing. She then puts her pride aside and lies to Marvin by telling him he was always a better son then John. Hagar realizes that “The dead don’t bear a grudge nor seek a blessing. The dead do not rest uneasy. Only the living” (304). She accepts that her death is imminent and that once she is dead she will not rest uneasy from this lie. Hagar’s search for identity is completed with her acceptance of her tragic flaw and the coming to terms with her death.
Hagar Shipley’s search for identity was a lifelong adventure which ended with her finding self-understanding and self acceptance. Hagar’s search consisted of three equally important stages. She was able to overcome a guilt filled childhood, be filled with self pride as her greatest flaw and accept the idea of her impending death. By all this happening it is clear that Hagar Shipley successfully searched and found her identity. (1,079)

Work Cited
Laurence, Margaret. The Stone Angel. Toronto: The Canadian Publishers, 1988. Print