Everything That Rises Must Converge, By Flannery O Connor
A struggle for personal identity can take on many forms and varies from person to person. But, the authenticity of a struggle is very key component. It determines if a struggle for identity is significant and has a purpose. It can be seen through the short story “Everything That Rises Must Converge,” by Flannery O’Connor, and also in the play Knyum. The main characters in both stories, Julian and Guy, respectively, each have their own personal struggles for identity in which they attempt to pursue and achieve in. Guy is a Cambodian-American expresses his struggle to show his true identity of combining both American, Western culture and his Cambodian heritage. Julian is currently living with his mother impoverished, and believes that he should
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In a time of rapid change, Julian is stuck with a job selling typewriters, not making enough money to support himself. In comparison, Guy is working the night shift at a hotel in New York City. They have both graduated college, with Julian “going to only a third-rate education” (5) and Guy having “two unemployable degrees.” (11) Both Julian and Guy dream of becoming a writer one day in their future, but are currently stuck to their present situation where they are not making a good amount of money. But Julian and Guy are not only related by their financial issues. Their past heritage and cultural way of life still is within reach to both of them, through their ties with family members. Guy’s parents “are immigrants, survivors of the genocide in Cambodia” (6). Julian’s mother had grown up before the African-American civil rights movement, which was taking place at the present time. Julian’s “great-grandfather was a former governor of state… [his] grandfather was a prosperous landowner… [his] great-grand-father had a plantation and two hundred slaves” (2). Consequently, both Julian and Guy are connected to their prior cultures, with the traditions and customs of the Old South for Julian, and the culture of Cambodian nationality for Guy. Many people, when Guy’s family moves to the U.S., oppress his culture and have racist attitudes. For each person’s struggle for identity, both Julian and Guy face numerous obstacles. But they each have separate and independent struggles that they must face to pursue their
In a time of rapid change, Julian is stuck with a job selling typewriters, not making enough money to support himself. In comparison, Guy is working the night shift at a hotel in New York City. They have both graduated college, with Julian “going to only a third-rate education” (5) and Guy having “two unemployable degrees.” (11) Both Julian and Guy dream of becoming a writer one day in their future, but are currently stuck to their present situation where they are not making a good amount of money. But Julian and Guy are not only related by their financial issues. Their past heritage and cultural way of life still is within reach to both of them, through their ties with family members. Guy’s parents “are immigrants, survivors of the genocide in Cambodia” (6). Julian’s mother had grown up before the African-American civil rights movement, which was taking place at the present time. Julian’s “great-grandfather was a former governor of state… [his] grandfather was a prosperous landowner… [his] great-grand-father had a plantation and two hundred slaves” (2). Consequently, both Julian and Guy are connected to their prior cultures, with the traditions and customs of the Old South for Julian, and the culture of Cambodian nationality for Guy. Many people, when Guy’s family moves to the U.S., oppress his culture and have racist attitudes. For each person’s struggle for identity, both Julian and Guy face numerous obstacles. But they each have separate and independent struggles that they must face to pursue their