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How Does The Mariner View The Albatross As An Omen

Decent Essays

Module 15 Assignment: Hagar and the Ancient Mariner – Alison Heuchan
Mariner Questions:
1. In lines 10-11, how is the Ancient Mariner portrayed?
In lines 10-11, the Ancient Mariner is called a “grey-beard lune”. This portrays him as old and crazy.
2. What kind of symbolism surrounds the white Albatross? (see 63-66)
The white Albatross is likened to being “a Christian soul”, which caused the sailors to hail “it in God’s name”. The Albatross is acting as a symbol of Christian morality. It represents serenity and faith.
3. How does the Mariner view the Albatross as an omen? (67-70)
The Mariner views the Albatross as an omen because it seemed to cause the ice to “split with a thunder-fit” and a “good south wind”, both of which allowed the Mariner’s …show more content…

The physical stone angel “used to stand” “above the town, on the hill brow”. The angel was purchased by Hagar’s father “in pride to mark” her mother’s “bones”. The angel “was doubly blind, not only stone but unendowed with even a pretense of sight. Whoever carved her had left the eyeballs blank”. (p. 3) The grandeur of the stone angel is demonstrative of the pride that is held within Hagar’s family. At the same time, its lack of eyes is symbolic of Hagar’s blindness towards the emotions of others. It hints towards her inability to …show more content…

However, Hagar pushes her away, and due to pride, resolves that she will not “cry in front of strangers”. (p. 242) Just as she let her pride prevent her from doing so many things in life, she lets it prevent her from shedding tears for her dead son. She will not accept the comfort of others for fear of appearing weak. Even when she is finally alone, she still cannot cry. She feels as though she has been “transformed to stone”. (p. 243) She is afraid to feel guilt over John’s death, and so chooses to block out all emotions and feel nothing at all. This is demonstrative of the theme of pride in The Stone Angel. It portrays how pride can get in the way of processing large events in a person’s life.
5. While she is in the hospital near the end of the novel, Mr. Troy visits. He is surprised that she asks him to sing a version of the doxology. When he does, she reacts very emotionally. Explain her revelation as she listens to Mr. Troy's

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