“Pride is a tricky, glorious, double-edged sword, - Providing both strength and vulnerability to the human spirit”

Margaret Laurence was a foundational figure in Canadian literature during the latter half of the 20th century. Born on July 18,1926, In Neepawa, Manitoba, Laurence's full name was Jean Margaret Weymess, though she was commonly known as Peggy in her childhood. Her father was a solicitor, but tragedy struck early in Laurence's life with the death of her mother when she was only four years old, followed by her father's death from pneumonia when she was nine. She then moved to her maternal grandmother's home in Neepawa, where she lived until the age of 18 Laurence’s family had Scottish and Irish roots, with her Father's family being Scottish settlers in the district.

Laurence's literary work is not strictly autobiographical, but it often draws from her own 'experiences, including her youth, heritage, family life, and struggles in Manitoba. Her travels across Canada, Europe and Africa also influenced her writing particularly her experiences as a Canadian woman writer. Most of Laurence's novels are set in fictional town of Manawaka, with "The Stone Angle" being part of Manawaka series which consists of five novels.

The Manawaka series novels include:

1. "The Stone Angel" (1964)

2. "A Jest of God" (1966)

3. "The fire -Dwellers" (1969)

4. "The Diviners "(1974)

5. "A Bird in the House (1962)

Manawaka is a fictional Town set in the Canadian province of Manitoba, inspired by Laurence's real life hometown of Neepawa. "The Stone Angel" is the first novel in the Manawaka series, offering a glimpse into the lives of people in a prairie town in western Canada from the 19th century to the great depression and the Second World War.

The novel depicts the gradual decline of its protagonist, Hagar, a strong- willed woman who struggles to see beyond herself, remaining focused on her own perspective of the world. The narrative seamlessly blends past and present, portraying Hagar's prideful character as she rebellious about her rebellious youth and later experiences as a struggling mother. Margaret Laurence paints a vivid portrait of Hagar as a complex and multifaceted character, at times humorous, messy, and deeply moving. In "The Stone Angel" Laurence uses the statue of the stone angel to symbolize Hagar's family pride her inability to express emotions, and, her figurative blindness and ignorance, mirroring the stoic and unyielding nature of the statue itself.

David Stouck: “Stouck explores the novels themes of pride and self-dignity, highlighting Hagar's Struggle to assert herself in the face of societal expectations.”

This paper explores the themes of pride and self- dignity as depicted in the Characters of Hagar Shipley in Margaret Laurence's Novel, "The Stone Angeles. Through an analysis of Hagar’s Interactions, decisions, and inner struggles, this Paper delves into the complexities of Pride and self Respect in the face of societal expectations, personal challanges, and the quest for Identity. Hagar Shipley, the protagonist of "The Stone Angel," embodies a fierce Sense of pride and Self-dignity throughout her life.

This paper aims to examine the nuances of pride and self-respect in Hagar's character, Shedding light on the Intricacies of hot journey."

Such as Ralp waldo emerson says, "To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment."

Margaret Lawrence's Hagar is truly a character with two faces in her life: One in front of people, and another behind closed doors, which she always hide from others to Project her boldness and self-dependence. She holds the belief that if she shows her emotions and feelings to others, they will perceive her as weak and typical like other Women. This pride ultimate destroys her Personal relationships and impacts her entire life. The Consequences of her pride is that she lives alone and never find’s love, affection, care, or sympathy from anyone, despite desiring these things a famous proverb deeply. “Pride is the mask of one's own faults”. “The Stone Angel" is a famous Canadian novel by Margaret Laurence. The Novel is set in a small town of Lawrence's Imagination Called Manawaka. Manawaka Constitute a series of five Novels, with " The Stone Angel”  being the first of this series. The protagonist of the novel is Hagar, who was born in the late 19th Century in a Prairie town in Canada. Hagar is the daughter of a Prosperous and ambitious Merchant. Despite being highly educated and well- mannered, Hagar is a proud woman. Due to her pride, she destroys her relationships. "The stone Angel is carefully organized Novel.

“This Quotes gives the meaning of pride given by Thomas Merton," pride makes us artificial and humility makes us real”.

The Novels begins with a reference to the Stone Angel that once stood over the cemetery where the narrator's mother was buried. The Stone Angel was erected in the memory of narrator’s mother, who had died after giving birth to a daughter, Hagar. The Narrator of the novel told that Hagar’s father, had brought the Angel from Italy at a considerable expense, and it was made of pure white marble. The Stone Angel served as a symbol of pride to mark her resting place and to proclaim his dynasty, as he fancied, for eternity. Here quote the novel focuses on the life of Hagar shipley, with the central theme being pride. Hagar the protagonist, is 90-year-old woman, and the entire Story centers on the three stages of her life: girlhood, and youth, and old age.

Hagar is filled with pride throughout her life. Even her childhood, she had been a proud girl.  The Pride gave her strength to face the problems of life. Hagar‎ standing strong when her father, Jasson currie, beat her in her childhood, Her Pride and firm determination didn't allow her to cry in front of her father, because she thinks that crying is the sigh of weakness and she says “I would not let him see my cry, I was so engaged."

Lorraine M.york: York examines the novel's exploration of gender and power dynamics Particularly in the context of Hagar's relationships with the men in her life. She argues that Hagar's struggle for autonomy and self-Identity is emblematic of the broader societal challenges faced by women in patriarchal societies."

Hagar is a loveable daughter of Jason curie. Her father liked her very much. Because she followed him in all the ways. Her Father sends her to education. When she comes back to her father after university education Jason Currie Says to Hagar “you are a credit to me”.

Jason curie loved Hagar too much. Hagar can't tolerate too much pressure of father love. She thinks that her father loves her for his own benefit. The narrator explain that in a patriarchy society, men perspective women as their possessions and expect them to conform to male desires. Women are used by men for their own benefit. In the Novel, the writer portrays a similar situation in which Hagar feels like a credit card for her father. She believes her father love for her is not a selfless love, which entails caring for a person without any cost it seems Hagar is like a possession to her father, used to earn project due to the extra burden of his love. Hagar wanted to escape from her father's house. One day she meets Mr. Bram in a party, a handsome and good-looking man. Hagar attracted to him, Hagan's father wanted a rich business–man, handsome, well mannered person for Hagar. But Bram never had any idea about business. He was not a man of bargaining; he was a simple, untrained in the ways of shrewd business. Bram had his own rustic ways of doing things: he wanted to make brave like him.

She married Bram because he enjoyed everything that went against the rules of Hagar's family. Hagar, at 24 years old, chose Bram as her life partner despite - him being 14 years older than her and not a perfect match in many ways. Without her father's consent, Hagar wanted to live free from all the boundaries imposed on her by her father's love and the rules of family. She chose Bram as her life Partner because he relished everything that contradicted the norms of Hagar’s Family. Despite being 14 years older than her and not an Ideal match in many respects, Hagar,‎ at 24, Married him, against her father's wishes. She sought to break free from the constraints of familial rules and paternal affection.

However, their relationship quickly deteriorated due to Hagar's pride. Soon, she realized that Bram was hot a suitable life partner for her; he was not a perfect match.

Bram was not adept in communication, he was well aware that his mannerism and way of speaking might not be to Hagar’s liking, but he remained indifferent to it all.

Hagar can adjust with her husband due to her extreme pride and self-Respect. Hagar belongs to a rich family and is nurtured by well mannered cultural codes. She does not like her husband to be uncultured, although she tries to change his behavior and manners. Bram remains the same before and after marriage. Hagar is insulted as an “egg woman" by her friend's daughter, and she feels extremely ashamed. She decides to leave her husband and lead a peaceful life. Hagar works as a Housekeeper in Mr. Oatley's house, earning her living with sincerity and receiving recognition for her honorable service. She almost succeeds in her aim to live a Peaceful life. Wanting to be free and Independent, showing her firmness and boldness. She never wants to return to her father and brother's home, aiming to maintain her pride as she did as a child. Hagar traces her problem with motherhood back to her pride. Her mother was physically weak and died when Hagar was only four. Hagar views motherhood as weak and submissive, and her pride doesn’t allow her to become a mother. When Marvin goes to serve in the First World War, the takes leave from Hagar, but her pride prevents her from showing emotions, and she speaks "Practically. Though Hagar loves John more than Marvin, she does not cry at his death.

Margaret Laurence portrays Hagar as a character unable to show her emotions and feelings throughout her life, even to closet to her as a Scholar says "our self-respect and tracks our Choices. Every time we act harmony with our authentic self and our heart, we earn our respect”. She lacks Communication with her loved ones and believes herself to be Indispensable. Hagar refuses her son's proposal to sell the house because she knows it would mean going to silver threads an old people nursing home. She is emotionally attached to her house, where she has spent almost her entire life, and she faces her deteriorating physical Condition with pride, feeling like a burden to her son and daughter, in law. Her pride is unwavering and firm. Pride significantly, Impacts her relationships, life style, and social interactions with both people outside her family and within. She inherits this trait from her father, who like her is a hard working and successful businessman. Her father’s resilience and self-reliance, demonstrated by his refusal to seek help from others, serve as a model for Hagar. He is esteemed in society for his Independent Spirit and Hagar aspires to a similar reputation.

The Influence of pride on Hagar's life is, evident from the outset, as seen in her determination to lead a self-sufficient and respected life.

Hagar’s Pride and stubbornness was the root Cause of her ruined relationship, loneliness, and lack of love in her life. She acknowledges that her pride destroyed her relationship with her father. “In the end, all we have is our pride and self dignity, standing tall midst the trials and tribulations of life.

Her decision to marry a rustic man without her father's consent further strained their bond. Similarly, her stubbornness led to the deterioration of her relationship with her brother. Hagar Considered herself better educated and more refined than her brother, viewing him as Incompetent and unfit for business due to his Lack of Sharpness Compared to her own.

Pride and self-dignity prevented Hagar from living with her husband. Throughout her life ‘she avoided relationships due to her pride, Stubbornness, and strong-willed behavior. Despite being Inherently brave, Hagar feared the Prospect of being admitted to nursing homes. When her son Marvin and Daughter-in-law Doris Consider take of her at Siverthreads, She feels uncomfortable, her heart racing like a berserk bird.

Pride ultimately contributes to the death of her son, John. Hagar’s excessive pride prevents her openly expressing her 'emotions, love, and affection towards her son. She conceals his feelings, fearing Societal Judgment and being labeled as label weak. Her Son John on loved Arlene, a girl from a lower caste. Due to the difference in social status, Hagar disapproved of their relationship and forbade them from marrying. Despite Hagar's objection John brought Arlene home to Stay However Hagar's pride prevented her from allowing Arlene to stay, and she refused. Tragically, both John and Arlene were killed in an accident it was only then that Hagar realized if she had compromised, perhaps they would be alive. Sadly, it was too late for Hagar to recognize that her pride had led to the destruction of their happiness.

On the death of her son, she was unable to show her emotions. The title of the novel relates to Hagar's Condition; Hagar is emotionally blind and has no tears ‎‫in her eyes. The stone Angel is, a symbol of motherhood, stands rigid and emotionless, unable to shed a single tear upon the death of her son. She is like a frozen Stone. This image of Hagar reminds me of the poem " The Pines of Tears" by Alexander Pushkin”.

In the poem, the speaker, a lover is unable to express his feelings and sadness for this beloved upon hearing of her son's death, Hagar shows no tears. Both Hagar and the lover face the same problem. John's death was unexpected for her, she was suffering from a serious disease and had been instructed to stay in bed.

However, Hagar remains the proud woman she has always been. When a Nurse sees her trying to get to the washroom on her own, she offers to help, but Hagar refuses, insisting that she can manage. Hagar always prioritize her life and pride above all else.

A. Primary sources:

The Stone Angel (Novel)

1. Toronto, McClelland & Stewart. 1964. 308 page

2. London Macmillan. 1964.

3. New York. Knopf. 1964.

A jest Of God [Novel]

4. Toronto. McClelland & Stewart. 1966. 240 pages.

5. Published as Rachel, Rachel by popular library. New York. 1966

6. Title of the feminist work, written collaboratively by Helen cixous, Madeleine Gagnon, And Annie Lecher, published by UGE 10/8, Paris, 1977

B. secondary Sources:

7. Buss, Helen m. mother and Daughter Relationships in the Madawaska works of Margaret Lawrence’s Victoria: Victoria up, 1985.

8. Lifeline: Marian Engel's writing. Montreal and Kingston: Mc Gill-Queen's Up, 1995.

9. Margaret Laurence: Critical reflections, edited and with an Introduction by David stains-