between her stubborn resolve and the fear and disorientation brought on by her age.

             She is strong, independent, proud and never shows her true emotions. These are.

             impressions when we meet Hagar Shipley in the novel. Margaret Laurence, who wrote.

             The Stone Angel, is one of the greatest authors in Canada. This is her story about a.

             woman's life told through her recollections at the age of ninety. Though she remembers.

             her past with details, she has trouble with what is happening in the present.

             In The Stone Angel, by Margaret Laurence, Hagar is no different. When she faces the.

             reality of the implications of growing old she is faced with a journey, not one of her.

             choice but one of destiny. Through her journey Hagar goes through the five different.

             stages leading up towards death: denial, anger, bargaining, depression and finally.

             acceptance. The novel demonstrates each of Hagar's steps along the difficult journey of.

             death which is frightening and intimidating but also inevitable. When Hagar is first faced.

             with the truth that she is getting old and not going to be around much longer, her first.

             reaction is one of denial. Hagar cannot believe that this is happening to her. In her mind.

             she more or less associates death as a horrible nightmare of which she will eventually.

             wake up and everything will be a dream and life will return back to normal. Hagar's.

             denial can be seen when she describes herself: "Because I cannot remember doing it.

             nor yet recall definitely not doing it.I become flustered" (Laurence, 30). Hagar's.

             greatest difficulty is that her memory is failing her and this infuriates her more than.

             anything else but it also allows her to create an illusion that everything will be fine.

             Hagar makes herself believe that this cannot be happening: "Then, terribly, I perceive the.

             tears, my own they must be although they have sprung so unbidden I feel they are like the.

             incontinent wetness of the infirm. Trickling, they taunt down my face.