Classism And Lack Of Personal Awareness

There are numerous areas in both literary works where Julian and Cassio display blatant classism towards those around them. Cassio provides a fantastic example of classism when he says, “The Lieutenant is to be saved before the Ancient.” This is because of the belief that your positions in life were designated by God and therefore would be reflected in heaven as well. Cassio even exhibits anger and a determination to defend his honor when Roderigo corrects his manners. “A knave teach me duty? I’ll beat the knave into a twiggen bottle.” Cassio considers it to be ridiculous and insulting to be corrected by Roderigo, a lesser class of man. While Shakespeare’s Cassio displays unconcealed classism, Flannery O’Connor’s Julian is a more subdued example, as the majority of his classism is relegated to the judgements of others within his internal monologue. As his aggravation with his mother reaches its breaking point he verbalizes his classism by saying, “You haven’t the foggiest idea where you stand now or who you are.” Believing he is superior to his mother, Julian feels entitled to speak condescendingly to her on more than one occasion. He withdraws into his mind which is