Flannery O’Connor – Single Author Comparison Essay Sample
Flannery O’Connor – Single Author Comparison Essay Sample

Flannery O’Connor – Single Author Comparison Essay Sample

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In her two short narratives, "A Good Man Is Difficult to Find" and "Everything that Rises Must Converge," O'Connor showcases her unique voice as an author. She adopts a serious moral tone in both stories, setting the tone for the readers. Through the main characters, violent moments of self-realization bring the subject of race to life.

Her writing style is difficult to understand and does not give the reader much concrete information at first. However, subtle hints at the beginning suggest future events. Religion is not just a part of the story, but a defining characteristic of the main characters.

In analyzing these two plants by the writer in order to grasp O’Connor’s vision and character, we examine their similarities. Both stories take place in the South during the civil rights movement (1955 – 1965), which provides insight into the themes that may influen

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ce the narrative. This is evident in "A Good Man Is Difficult to Find".

O'Connor begins the narrative by stating that the grandma was not interested in going to Florida and instead wanted to visit her connections in east Tennessee. She made every effort to persuade Bailey to change his mind. This description portrays the grandma as a manipulative woman who is associated with people in Tennessee.

African Americans prioritized achieving equal rights over accompanying a person named Bailey on a trip to Tennessee instead of Florida. O’Connor skillfully develops the grandmother’s character with minimal words to foreshadow certain behavioral patterns later in the story. Similarly, in "Everything That Rises Must Converge," the author employs a comparable approach.

The first paragraph details Julian's mother as a woman who refused to ride the coaches alone at night

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due to integration. It also mentions that the reducing class was one of her few sources of enjoyment, which was deemed necessary for her health and provided free of charge.

She said that Julian should at least appreciate her, acknowledging all that she did for him (O'Connor. pg 400). Here.

The visual representation of the characters is strikingly similar. They both are Caucasian women with racist attitudes, who act as maternal figures during the civil rights movement. However, there are differences in their behavior. The grandmother in the first story is openly manipulative, whereas Julian's mother takes a self-righteous stance regarding her actions.

The opposing outcomes and narrative style in both narratives are crucial. One character, who is clearly manipulative, gets their just deserts, while another character, who acts self-righteous, might face consequences gradually or indirectly. Both short narratives use the third-person omniscient point of view, which is effective in presenting overarching stories that end with a twist.

So, the manner is crucial for conveying the subjects of the two narratives. Additionally, it helps in developing the plot. Both narratives share this unexpected ending and plot development. Darling. Sweetie.

Delay! She crumbled and fell to the pavement. He rushed forward and fell by her side, crying out "Mamma. Mamma!" (O'Connor).

Julian acknowledged that he had been excessively hard on his mother for her beliefs (pg 410). He focused solely on her racist behavior, which I believe had a greater impact on him than on his mother.

Julian's dissatisfaction with his mother's treatment of African-Americans caused him to express his anger indirectly. Race is a prevalent theme in "A Good Man Is Difficult to Find" and influences the characters' actions and behaviors. For

instance, the grandmother interrupts a conversation with her grandchild to comment, "Oh look at the cute little pickaninny" (O'Connor, [page number]).

On page 366, the writer further explores the grandmother's racial beliefs through the conversation. This can be seen in "Everything That Rises Must Converge" when Julian's mother's self-righteous actions reflect these beliefs.

The author's pride in her upbringing, with a great-grandfather who owned a plantation and slaves, is evident throughout the narrative. This pride seems to justify her racist comments and actions. Race is the main focus of the writer, as she consistently demonstrates how racist beliefs can lead to acts of violence.

O'Connor also employs race to establish a somber tone in her writing. It is clear that O'Connor felt strongly about racism and considered it an important subject. As a result, her stories are told with a tone that ensures the reader understands the gravity of the issue. In both narratives, characterization primarily relies on the characters' actions to convey their beliefs. At no point does O'Connor explicitly state that a particular character is racist.

By utilizing this method and allowing the character to speak, it becomes evident to the reader who the racist in the narrative is. The writer also employs other common word picture methods such as depicting the character's appearance and capturing the reactions of others.

She rarely reveals the thoughts of the character. It feels like you're just being taken along for the ride with O'Connor, similar to watching a movie without any internal monologues. The hidden agenda is laid bare as the film audience witnesses a sequence of events unfold, yet remains unaware of what the characters are not expressing verbally.

The use

of enunciation by O'Connor not only helped to define the characters in "A Good Man Is Difficult to Find" but also utilized phrases like "little niggas in the state don't have things like we do," which is the author's purpose. The aim was to portray authentic speech from people with similar beliefs, conveying the message uncomfortably. These narratives reflect O'Connor's passionate views. The sensitive and contentious issue of race is difficult to address without choosing sides, and elements of religion are intricately woven into the story, appearing at every opportunity.

The topic was central to her work, making it nearly impossible for readers to ignore the racist actions of the characters as they were being portrayed. Moreover, in "everything that rises must converge," she also depicted the consequences when individuals cannot overlook others' ignorant behavior from a broader standpoint. I believe that the dark styles of writing, along with the recurring themes of death and religion, have influenced her work due to her personal experiences.

Her daily struggle with Lupus brought her closer to death. This was reflected in the moments of self-realization experienced by the characters she wrote about, who often mirrored her own experiences of near-death or impending demise.

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