Wise Blood Synopsis

Mary Flannery O’ Connor is an American writer and essayist. She is widely known for her Southern Gothic style of writing and her used of gnarled characters in her stories. O’Connor is also famed for her twists in her stories, she usually leaves hints towards the stories’ direction in the form of foreshadowing and this is what gives O’Connor’s writing much merit and influence.

From the start of independence, the question of career selection has stumbled teens across the globe. Whether the outcome be based on the amount of money, the location, or even the very few who find their true passion, no one has a definitive idea on what they will pursue at an early age. Richard Van Camp’s main character, Leo, is faced with this same dilemma. Van Camp's short story, “The Strongest Blood”, explores the use of symbolism, brought through by money, the conflicts in which influence career decision, and the use of pathos to evoke an emotional connection to the reality of the world.

In the 19th century, the Southern Gothic genre quickly became popular after Edgar Allen Poe poems in the 18th century. Most writings were formed around the Civil War era, which plays an enormous part in the tone and setting in Southern Gothic writing styles. (O’Connell 63) Southern Gothic writing elements consist of “horror, romance and psychological and domestic dramas” (63). The setting of Southern Gothic was always dingy and dark which explains the tone of most southern states at this time. Southern Gothic writing styles were known to be grotesque, violent and gloomy with dark psychological twists that were to be carried on into the 20th century. There can also be other ways to exercise Southern Gothic styles like including strange events, paranormal elements and representing history in an almost comical approach. (63) There are some authors who have written very influential Southern Gothic style literature, such as A Rose for Emily by William Faulkner, A Good Man is Hard to Find and Good Country People by Flannery O’Conner.

In his play Where the Blood Mixes, Kevin Loring casts light on the rippling effects of the trauma caused by residential schools on generations of Indigenous peoples in the twenty first century. Loring's play, which is set in the twenty first century, illuminates the present-day legacy of residential schools and residential school survivors. Loring strives not to minimize the experiences of residential school survivors, but to reconstruct how residential school survivors are viewed and represented. Loring achieves this task through his depiction of characters that are sad but loving and funny people with hobbies, people who are not consumed with and defined by their residential school experiences but continue to feel its painful

Living in poverty with "slut" painted on her reputation, her children’s future begins to look dim. Hester takes chances with opportunity’s to receive help from Doctor, social services, her children’s fathers and her only friend. The play circles around Hester’s interactions with the other characters ' and their stories (confessions). Each of character has had an involvement with Hester 's struggling predicament and yet each character only ruminates at helping themselves instead of the woman that’s helped them all. The modern-day play In the Blood by Suzan-Lori Parks exposes the hypocrisy and prejudice of the privileged members of society toward the less privileged. The play shows that the richest and most respected people in society are not always worthy of the status they are accorded.

The Strongest Blood tells the story of two cousins in an Indigenous setting, living in the Northwest Territories. Anyone who has read The Strongest Blood knows how it centers in on the teachings of Indigenous peoples and the struggles and conflicts that they face involving their land, spiritual beliefs, and economy. Van Camp’s extensive use of literary techniques directs the spotlight on the two major themes of Indigeneity, and economical conflict while creating an interesting environment for the reader.

Just like any other kid would, Hughes listens and believes word-for-word what his aunt tells him: "She said you could see and hear and feel Jesus in your soul." (181) This naivete is characteristic of youths of that age group. After all, he "heard a great many old people say the same thing" (181) and it seemed to him "they ought to know" (181). With all the hype and anticipation surrounding this event, Hughes is certain something is bound to happen. His disappointment is manifested when he does not literally see Jesus. From what he has been told, Hughes is expecting to see a human incarnation of Jesus. He is actually more than just expecting to see him; he badly wants to be saved! Seeing Westley give up so carelessly, triggers an awkward feeling inside of Hughes. The thought that Jesus is not going to show up after all is starting to grow. That leads him to eventually give up and join Westley in lying. It is only at night that he comes to the realization that he was fooled. All the stories and preaching he heard were just fabulations. He wanted to see Jesus, but Jesus did not come at his rescue. His perception changed because he went from being an innocent child to someone who has acquired the personal experience to make his own judgements.

“Could I change it if I wanted, can I rise above the flood? / Will it wash out in the water, or is it always in the blood?” (Mayer). A question posed by the artist John Mayer holds true for the characters in Flannery O’Connor’s most famous novel, Wise Blood. In this novel, O’Connor paints a picture of a small town in the heart of the Bible Belt and the internal struggle of its inhabitants. The protagonist, Hazel Motes, procures a twisted version of the Gospel and evangelizes to those who are made to believe they are lost. Yet, according to the teachings of Haze, this picture that humans are inherently sinful and in need of saving is false. In this novel, Flannery O’Connor uses inanimate objects to show the attempts of Haze to replace what he knows to be true. Enoch Emory, on the other hand, struggles with a curse he believes he was born with – wise blood. The prevalent themes of symbolism and imagery in Flannery O’Connor’s Wise Blood represent the inner battle between spirituality and the human nature of rebellion.

Later in the night he cried; his aunt told his uncle that he was crying because of the Holy Ghost in his life; when instead he was crying because he questioned if God existed or not for he did not come for him when he was on the bench with the other children. He didn’t believe there was a Jesus anymore.

Flannery O’Conner, a Gothic literature writer, has written several short stories throughout her life. Among these stories, two of them being A Good Man is Hard to Find and Good Country People, she has included some of the most fleshed out and grotesque characters I have ever read. O’Conner brings her characters to life throughout her writing in near flawless and subtle detail with ironic humor. For example, O’Conner makes skillful use of ironic names for her characters. The titles and names such as grandmother, the misfit, Joy/Hulga, and the bible salesman are used ironically. These subtle characterizations help guide the reader to the final, and often times ironic, conclusions all her characters deserve.

Flannery O'Connor used a very different type of southern gothic writing style. Her writing had an unexpected turn of events and cliffhangers making the readers have to think about what the ending would be like. Two of her stories "Good Country People" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find" both display O'Conners religious Catholic background. At the end, the turn of events for these stories is drastic, for example, in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" the Grandmother gets shot dead. While in "Good Country People" Joy loses her dignity, pride, and faith in men. They both change a great deal when abandoned hopeless.

Flannery O’Connor was born on March 25, 1925, in Savannah, Georgia. She was an American writer. O’Connor wrote two novels and 32 short stories in her life time. She was a southern writer who wrote in Southern Gothic style. In the Article, Female Gothic Fiction Carolyn E. Megan asks Dorothy Allison what Southern Gothic is to her and she responded with, “It’s a lyrical tradition. Language. Iconoclastic, outrageous as hell, leveled with humor. Yankees do it, but Southerners do it more. It’s the grotesque.”(Bailey 1) Later she was asked who one of her role models was and she stated that Flannery O’Connor was one she could relate to. One of O’Connor’s stronger works was “Good Country People” which was published in 1955.

Southern gothic is a type of literature that focuses on the harsh conflicts of violence and racism, which is observed in the perspective of black and white individuals. Some of the most familiar southern authors are William Faulkner, Flannery O’Connor, and Cormac McCarthy. One author in particular, Flannery O’Connor, is a remarkable author, who directly reflects upon southern grotesque within her two short stories, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and “Revelation.” These two short stories are very similar to each other, which is why I believe that O’Connor often writes with violent characters to expose real violence in the world while tying them in with a particular spiritual insight.

Southern Gothic literature has rooted itself in American culture and created several classic short stories that have pushed literary boundaries and minds. Among the most influential of these Southern Gothic stories is “A Rose for Emily”, by William Faulkner; “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, and “Good Country People”, both by Flannery O’Connor. After first discussing what characteristics make up the genre of Southern Gothic, each of these stories will be evaluated and discussed in terms of what makes each of them a prime example of Southern Gothic literature.

A Regional Genre: Southern Gothic American Literature was shaped in part by the traditions of the Southern Gothic Literature genre by granting outsiders an inside look into the South. This genre of literature includes concepts of unrequited love, being an outsider, class, race, and social structure, violence, and good vs. evil. Stories like “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, “The Possibility of Evil” by Shirley Jackson, and “A Rose for Emily” by William Faulkner are all examples of the southern gothic writing style. The traits of this genre are clearly portrayed through the characters of the stories, their lifestyle molded by their location, and their actions. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, tells of a family who all gets murdered at the hands of an escaped felon after The Grandmother had unintentionally led them all to him.