Walk Two Moons
By: Sharon Creech
Summary:
While on a road trip with her grandparents to get closer to her mother, Salamonca Hiddle tells the story of Phoebe Winterbottom. Sal moves from Bybanks, Kentucky to Euclid, Ohio. She changes from life on a farm to a city life. While telling the story Sal realizes that she has a lot in common with Phoebe.
Thesis Statement: Judgements
Characters in Walk Two Moons, by Sharon Creech misjudge three main characters because they fail to "Walk two moon in their moccasins;" later, these misjudgements are proven wrong.
Mrs. cadaver
Mrs. Cadaver is misjudged a lot in the story because of her actions. Sal finds out that Phoebe does not know Margaret Cadaver well even though they are neighbors. Phoebe is knd of scared of Margaret. ";She scares me half to death,' Phoebe said. 'Why?' 'That's what i'm telling you,' she said. 'First there is that name: Cadaver. You know what cadaver means?' actually I did not" (Pg. 22)Phoebe is making judgements even though she does not know Mrs. Cadaver. When Margaret has Mr. Birkway did up a rhododendron bush in her backyard, Phoebe immediately jumps to conclusions."'Maybe there is something hidden under the bush,' Phoebe said. 'like what?' 'like Mr. Cadaver'" (Pg. 86) Phoebe is positive that Margaret Cadaver chopped up her husband and buried him somewhere. Later, Phoebe and Sal's judgements are proven wrong when they learn that she did not chop up her husband, but instead he died in a car crash. Margaret turns out to be a normal person.
Mike Bickle
Sal and Phoebe misjudge Mike frequently throughout the whole book. When Mike Bickle first confronts Sal and Phoebe when he is at their house, asking for Mrs. Winterbotom. Phoebe feels insecure when she opens the door and thinks he is going to hurt them. "Sal, do you detect any signs of lunacy? There doesn't appear to be any place he could he hiding a gun. His jeans are really tight. Maybe he has a knife tucked into his socks."(Pg. 43) Phoebe is jumping to conclusions and judging him because they are alone and Phoebe in paranoid. Phoebe has made Sal scared of the "lunatic" too. When they are walking home from the store and they hear running behind them. "'If we get our heads bashed in and that lunatic leaves us here on the sidewalk--' she said." (Pg. 64) All Phoebe and Sal can think about is the lunatic, they think that he is trying to kill them. In the end Sal and Phoebe's judgements turn out to be false and Mike Bickle turns out to be Mrs. Winterbottom's son, he never wanted to hurt them, only to find his real mother.
Mrs. Winterbottom
Mrs. Winterbottom is judged throughout the story by different characters. Phoebe and Sal go to the university to find Mike "the lunatic". They walk right in and find an unexpected surprise. " A young man and an older woman. They were holding hands. She turned to him and kissed his cheek. 'Phoebe-' on the bench was Phoebe's mother, and she was kissing the lunatic. Phoebe was stunned and angry" (Pg. 235-236) Phoebe is judging her mother because she thinks that she is in love with the "lunatic". When Mrs. Winterbottom returns home with Mike, her family has many thoughts and judgements. "' I'm more concerned that you couldn't-or wouldn't-tell me about any of this.' Mike sttod up. 'I knew it wouldn't work,' he said." (Pg. 249) this shows that Mr. Winterbottom was judging his wife because he couldn't believe that she never told him about Mike.
Conclusion:
In the beginning of the story, Mrs. Cadaver, Mike Bickle, and Mrs. Winterbottom were judged by their emotional and physical emotions. Later Phoebe & Sal learned to get to know people entirely before judging them. All of the characters that were judged turned out to be normal at the end, and this helped both girls learn about theirselves.