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Flannery O'Connor: Faith and Literature

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How can we see the life and faith of Flannery O'Connor in her short stories?

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Solution Summary

Flannery O'Connor's short stories are examined to demonstrate faith themes. Textual evidence is used.

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In "Revelation," I feel like O'Connor's strong Roman Catholic faith and sense of traditional values and manners permeate, especially through the character's symbolic name, "Mary Grace." In addition, the character of Ruby and her redundant references to God's goodness definitely echo the sentiments of O'Connor's faith. The title itself, "Revelation," also evokes the author's religious fervor.

The ending of the story is especially evocative as it summons a hell and heaven which stalk the protagonist. It also fits with O'Connor's literary preference to mix the religious with a strong sense of the grotesque: "She saw the streak as a vast swinging bridge extending upward from the earth through a field of living fire. Upon it a vast horde of souls were rumbling toward heaven [along with] battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and clapping and leaping like frogs."

I also detect strong evidence of the author's personal life as it also filters through the story since it deals with Southern ideologies. These worldviews also characterized O'Connor's life. For example, Ruby Turpin's demonstration of superiority, "like a monumental statue coming to life, "correlates with the setting and era of the author's life and upbringing. Ruby's militant Southern pride also aligns with O'Connor's upbringing and life as well in this story.

This limited worldview is expressed by her comments, ...

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