Everything That Rises Must Converge Summary
In “Everything That Rises Must Converge” Flannery O’Connor took great attention in the details of the story which help take the reader on an emotional roller coaster. She presents Julian’s mother as nostalgic for the antebellum days of living on a plantation maintained by slaves and a time when her family name garnered respect. Tired of listening to his mother’s repeated rants of a time well past, Julian resorts to name calling and belittling her. While it appears that O’Connor uses symbols and imagery to show Julian’s mothers inability to adjust to a post-integration society, more importantly they reveal Julian’s fake liberal sentiment. Julian’s mother sees the changes around her but believes that by adhering to the old traditions and customs
…show more content…
Instead of giving them names she provided each with a descriptive appearance such as “a woman with protruding teeth and long yellowing hair” or “the owner of the red and white canvas sandals” (O’Connor 4). Along with physical objects, O’Connor uses skin color as another means of showing how Julian’s mother judged on outward appearance. This was apparent from the beginning when integration of the busses was the reason Julian had to accompany his mother to the class. Then in one breath she affectionately recalled a childhood memory referencing “the old darky who was my nurse, Caroline” and shortly afterward she got on the bus she stated “I see we have the bus to ourselves” referring to there being no black passengers on board (O’Connor 3, 4). Not even a suit and a briefcase could breech the color barrier observed by Julian’s mother as observed when a well-dressed African American man entered the bus. After he sits a white female passenger moves away and Julian’s mother indicates her approval. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that by all definitions Julian’s Mother is a racist but her racism doesn’t appear malicious. Instead, she appears to be someone extremely proud of her aristocratic heritage and her actions seem more of deep-rooted habit than of malice because she “can be gracious to anyone” because she knows who she is (O’Connor
Instead of giving them names she provided each with a descriptive appearance such as “a woman with protruding teeth and long yellowing hair” or “the owner of the red and white canvas sandals” (O’Connor 4). Along with physical objects, O’Connor uses skin color as another means of showing how Julian’s mother judged on outward appearance. This was apparent from the beginning when integration of the busses was the reason Julian had to accompany his mother to the class. Then in one breath she affectionately recalled a childhood memory referencing “the old darky who was my nurse, Caroline” and shortly afterward she got on the bus she stated “I see we have the bus to ourselves” referring to there being no black passengers on board (O’Connor 3, 4). Not even a suit and a briefcase could breech the color barrier observed by Julian’s mother as observed when a well-dressed African American man entered the bus. After he sits a white female passenger moves away and Julian’s mother indicates her approval. There is no doubt in anyone’s mind that by all definitions Julian’s Mother is a racist but her racism doesn’t appear malicious. Instead, she appears to be someone extremely proud of her aristocratic heritage and her actions seem more of deep-rooted habit than of malice because she “can be gracious to anyone” because she knows who she is (O’Connor