Judgements in Walk Two Moons
by Sari Khleif
Summary of Novel
Sharon Creech's novel, Walk Two Moons, is about a 13 year-old girl named Sal, who tells a story to her grandparents about Pheobe (Sal's friend), her disappearing mother, and lunatic. She tells the story while her, and her grandparents are traveling across the country towards Lewiston, Idaho, to visit her mother's grave.
Thesis statement
Throughout the novel, Sharon Creech uses judgements to teach the reader that you have to understand someone, walk two moons in their moccasins, before you judge them
Judgement #1: Mrs. Cadaver
One judgement made, was toward Mrs. Cadaver, Pheobe's neighbor. Pheobe and Sal thought, since Mr. Cadaver isn't around, that Mrs. Cadaver killed Mr. Cadaver. "I think maybe she killed Mr. Cadaver, and chopped him up, and buried him in the backyard." (Creech pg.32). This judgement was wrong, because the girls later found out the truth, when their English teacher, Mr. Birkway, showed up at Pheobe's house. "But she didn't murder him...her husband died when a drunk driver rammed into his car..." (Creech pg.218).
Judgement #2: Mike Bickle
Another judgement made is about the character Mike Bickle. After a stranger shows up at Pheobe's house, and asks for Ms. Winterbottom, Pheobe immediately assumes the stranger is a lunatic. "Do you detect any signs of lunacy." (Creech pg.43). This judgement was also wrong, because the truth about Mike Bickle, is that he's not a lunatic, and the Winterbottoms, and Sal found out who he really is when Mrs. Winterbottom, Pheobe's mom, returned with Mike after her disappearance. "This is my son...it was before I met you, and I had to give him up for adoption..." (Creech pg.235)