Transforming perspectives : aging, anger, and the environment in Margaret Laurence's The Stone Angel

Pavlína Studená

doi:10.5817/BSE2024-1-13

Transforming perspectives : aging, anger, and the environment in Margaret Laurence's The Stone Angel

Vol.50,No.1(2024)

Pavlína Studená

https://doi.org/10.5817/BSE2024-1-13

Stable URL (handle):
http://hdl.handle.net/11222.digilib/digilib.81084

PDF

Abstract

Margaret Laurence's The Stone Angel (1964) explores the process of aging as a time of reflection and self-discovery, marked by a reassessment of perspective and life values. This personal transformation juxtaposes the development of a renewed relation to nature, both literal and metaphorical. However, this transformative process is complicated by intergenerational divides, misunderstanding, and resistance to change. Mutual understanding between generations and acceptance of the idea of humans as part of nature are prerequisites for personal and societal growth. Significantly, the anger that often accompanies the necessary reassessment of values can be productively channelled as a driving force for positive change. Through the lens of Laurence's novel, the article demonstrates the potential for intergenerational understanding and cooperation to facilitate positive social change. It is not resistance but rather this mutual understanding that can be achieved at any age, offering the possibility of reconciliation at both personal and societal levels.

Keywords:
aging; anger; ecocriticism; intergenerational understanding; Margaret Laurence; human-nature relationship; reconciliation

Pages:
217–233

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