Judgements in Walk Two Moons
By Isabel Jones
Summary of the Novel
Sharon Creech's novel Walk Two Moons focuses on a 13 year-old girl named Sal. While on a trip to Lewiston, Idaho with her grandparents to find her mother, Sal tells the interesting story of Phoebe Winterbottom, Ben, and the lunatic.
Thesis
Throughout the novel Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech uses judgements to teach the reader not to jump to conclusions until you've walked two moons in someone else's moccasins.
1st Judgement:
One of the judgements made by Sal and Phoebe is a judgment towards Margaret Cadaver or also known as Mrs. Cadaver. The first time this judgement is made is when Sal and Phoebe were walking back to Sal's house one night "Do you know what i think? i think maybe she killed Mr. Cadaver and chopped him up and buried him in the backyard," said Phoebe. (Creech 32). Another time a judgement is made towards Mrs. Cadaver is when Phoebe told Sal the meaning behind the last name Cadaver. "First there's that name: Cadaver. You know what cadaver means? It means dead body." (Creech 22, 23). Phoebe and Sal were right about one thing, Mr Cadaver is dead but, he was killed in a car crash when a drunk driver rammed into is car. Mrs. Cadaver is a nurse and she was on duty when her husband was brought in. Mrs. Cadaver's last name does mean ''dead body'', but she's not an axe murdered she's just a nurse. These judgements are used to tell the reader to never jump to conclusions about a person before you walk two moons in their moccasins.
2nd Judgement:
Another one of the judgements made by Phobe and Sal is towards Mike Bickle. The first time this judgement is made towards him is when he mysteriously appears at the Winterbottom's front door. "Sal do you detect any signs of lunacy? There doesn't appear to be any place he could hide a gun. His jeans are really tight. Maybe he has a knife tucked into his socks," said Phoebe. (Creech 43). A second time a judgment is brought up towards Mike Bickle is when Phoebe thought he kidnapped her mother. "I'm serious," Phoebe said. Maybe the lunatic came in the house and dragged her off."(Creech 76). Although Mike's appearance was mysterious, he wasn't a lunatic. Mike Bickle is actually Mrs. Winterbottom's son and was actually just looking for his mother. Mrs. Winterbottom had Mike before she had met Mr. Winterbottom and had her current family. Mike also didn't drag Mrs. Winterbottom off, she just went with Mike for a couple days to get to know her son better and to bond with him. These judgements are used to let the reader know never to judge a person until you've walked two moons in their moccasins.