Walk Two Moons
By Sharon Creech
Summary
Thesis: Judgements
Characters in the novel decide to misjudge people frequently, because they aren't, "Walking two moons in their moccasins." These characters fail to see pass their own judgements on others. As the story progresses, these judgements are later proven wrong.
Mrs.Cadaver
In spite of their misjudgments, Mrs.Cadaver was able to show the truth and clear Phoebe and Sal's hypothesis'. "Her husband died when a drunk driver rammer into his car" (218). Although Mr. Birkway was the one who said this, Sal and Pheobe understood if they had only listened to Mrs.Cadaver she could've easily explained this herself. She didn't kill Mr.Cadaver, but saw him die in the hospital. In addition, Sal was proven wrong about Mrs.Cadaver's relationship towards her father, "He's holding on to me because I was with your mother and held her hand in her last moments" (271). She was helping Salamanca's father cope with his wife's death. All in all, Mrs.Cadaver was the opposite person other characters claim her to be.
Mrs.Winterbottom
if Mrs.Winterbottom confessed sooner, the whole family would've known she was tired of being the perfect mother, "She was talking about being respectable and maybe how Mr.Winterbottom would never forgive her, but she was tired of being so respectable" (247). She wasn't the plain and simple mother they knew at all, "The first one was Mrs.Winterbottom looked different. She looked magnificent, but she did not look like Phoebe's mother" (245-246). Despite her past personality, Mrs.Winterbottom had the courage to tell her family how she truly feels.
Mike Bickle
Unlike the two previous women, Mike Bickle never had the option to fully explain himself. Phoebe and Sal avoided him at all costs due to their own assumptions. "Phoebe was certain that the young man was going to ambush us" (45). The two children just met the boy, and had only thought of the worst- a lunatic. Mike's timidness wasn't reassuring either, "The young man was wearing a black t-shirt and blue jeans, and his hands were stuffed into his pockets. He seemed nervous." (42). Another alarming assumption was later witnessed by Sal and Phoebe, "On the bench was Phoebe's mother, and she was kissing the lunatic" (235). These judgements are significant because they present people's first thoughts about Mike upon the his actions, without questioning why he did them in the first place.
On the contrary of Sal's and Phoebe's judgements, Mike is revealed to be Mrs.Winterbottom's son. "Mrs.Winterbottom said-Mike is my son." (248). Without doubt, it diminishes the lunatic theory, because no son would kidnap his mother, but rather visit her instead. This explains why Mike was so nervous, because he was visiting his mother's house for the first time. Seeing that she is his mother, Mrs.Winterbottom was allowed to kiss Mike on the cheek. This fact alone proves Mike Bickle had only wanted to see his biological mother, but never chance to tell Phoebe and Sal. He was blocked by their towering judgements, and broke through those assumptions.