Ninety-year-old Hagar Shipley, the restless, crotchety, and proud protagonist, most memorable character who reveals what it's like to be very old, physically frail, dependent on others, and tormented by the memories of the past. Her pride destroyed her relationship with her father, brother and husband. The death of her son John and her stubbornness caused her marriage to dissolve. Her oldest son Marvin to be unhappy, her daughter-in-law's frustration, and her own death. Because of Hagar’s overwhelming pride it became the reason she could not show love nor affection to those around her. From an early age she refused to show emotion because she became to proud to let anyone see her weakness. Her father made sure that she had a backbone and that she took after him. Over her childhood she continued to build a between her emotions. With her pride had gotten in the way of her son's happiness and after the death of her favourite son she was unable to show any emotions. It was to late for her to change anything. Stubbornness was the cause of an unhappy family and it caused her to not be able to find true love. Her father and brother disliked the her husband from the time he started to show his face around. After her marriage to Bram (husband) her father and brother stopped speaking to her. As Hagar got older she need more care/ Hagar's daughter-in-law, Doris was trying to help but Hagar was unwilling to let anyone help her. She wanted to be left alone. Even her oldest son wanted to help and talk some sense into her but nothing worked. When Doris and Marvin suggested putting Hagar in an old age home, she refused to go. Her stubbornness and refusal to compromise caused frustration for Doris and Marvin. Her stubbornness was what killed her in the end.