Walk Two Moons Judgments
by Alekos Dermetzis
Summary
Sharon Creech's novel Walk Two Moons is about a 13-year-old girl named Sal who goes on a six day trip across the country to Lewiston, Idaho to visit her mom with her grandparents. While driving across the country Sal tells a story about her memories with her good friend Phoebe.
Thesis Statement
Throughout the novel Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech uses judgements to teach the reader a lesson about judging people too quickly.
Judgement #1 made about Mrs. Cadaver
In the novel Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech many judgments are made by the 13-year-old character Salamanca and her best friend, Phoebe. The first time the two girls make an important judgment was when they believed that Phoebe's neighbor, Mrs. Cadaver, was a crazy murderer who killed her husband and buried him in her backyard. "'That night, as I lay in bed, I thought about Mrs. Cadaver, and I wanted that she capable of killing her husband and chopping him into pieces and burying him in the backyard."'(Creech 32). Throughout the book the two girls believed this until Mr. Birkway said that his sister's husband died in a car accident. "'But she didn't murder him,' Mr. Birkway said 'her husband died when a drunk driver rammed into his car."'(Creech 218). This shows how Sal and Phoebe judged Mrs. Cadaver of being a murderer. By using judgments, Sharon Creech shows the moral of not judging people at first sight.
Judgment #2 made about Mr. Birkway
The final judgement Sal and Phoebe make is thinking that Mr. Birkway was Mrs. Cadaver's accomplice in the killing of her husband."'Maybe Mr. Birkway helped her chop up her husband and bury him and maybe they were getting worried and decided to disguise the spot with a rhododendron bush.'"(Creech 86). "'He disappeared into the garage and returned with two shovels Then he and Mrs. Cadaver gouged and prodded and tunnelled around in the dirt until the poor old rhododendron hopped onto its side.'" (Creech 56). The truth is that Mr. Birkway is actually Mrs. Cadaver's twin brother who is helping her with her backyard. Many other judgments have been made in the novel, but I chose the most crucial judgments that kept the reader reading.