The Character of Marvin Shipley in the Novel Stone Angel

Marvin Shipley is a very interesting character in Margaret Laurence's novel, The Stone Angel. The story is written from the point of view of Hagar Shipley, who is Marvin's mother. We see Marvin as he is portrayed through his mother's eyes. Hagar never loved her son much and it is possible her view of him is bias because of this. In this novel Marvin Shipley is portrayed to us as being timid, reserved, weak and …

…Marvin, there's no call to be rude." (Laurence, pg. 95) Marvin is portrayed to us here as an ignorant, unmannered man. Marvin Shipley, Hagar's son, in the novel, The Stone Angel, by Margaret Laurence, is a very shy, conservative, weak and ignorant man. Throughout the novel we are shown many sides of the character of Marvin Shipley. To understand Marvin's full character you must read the novel, but these are Marvin's main characteristics we are shown.