“The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by Flannery O’ConnorEQ: HOW DO FLANNERY’S CATHOLIC MOTIFS OF REDEMPTION AND SIN IMPACT HER SOUTHERN GOTHIC LITERATURE?

Southern Gothic

disturbing or eccentric characters: often from Southern aristocracy/plantation darkness of human nature voodoo sublime (extreme) emotions/situations ambivalent gender roles  time/place: decayed or derelict settings  grotesque situations sinister events relating to or coming from poverty, alienation, crime, and

violence South portrayed as dying, often by its own guilt or inflexibility to change

Traits of O’Connor:

Exaggeration or distortion, surreal

Bizarre characters

Shock (Audience is hostile to Christianity, so shock is the means of communication.)

Insular settings in South (rural, decaying, old farms, backwoods, dirt roads)

Violence

Comedy and tragedy mixed

Painful chaos

Resolutions that just aren’t!

Salvation or redemption

A horrible world (in need of redemption or salvation)

Passive victims

Helplessness

Original sin or evil

What is Shiflet’s epiphany?(his moment of realization, opportunity for salvation)

He realizes his whole life has been one pattern of selfishness: the life you save may be your own (title & 1021 – after he leaves Lucynel; manipulation & car).

He has a pattern of rejection of salvation: the holy and heavenly life (Lucynel’s colors & “she’s an angel of gawd” (1021 – describing Lucynel & 1022 – describing his mother).

Though he has embraced life (green car that can take him places), that pattern has left him “lonely” (1021 & 1022).

He tries to communicate that realization to a younger version of himself: the hitchhiker. (He had dropped off the other “hitchhiker,” Lucynel, someone he picked up and intended to dump.)

He condemns his actions and the world (“the rottenness of the world was about to engulf him”), but he does not turn back to get Lucynel. He rejects salvation.

He knows this pattern will destroy him (“the turnip had descended over the sun and . . . Crouched behind the car” (1023).

Art Walk through O’Connor’s Art

Gallery

“American Gothic” by Wood

Surrealism

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“The Scream” by Munch

“Time” by Salvador Dali

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“The Son of Man” by Magritte

So what is surrealism?

Surrealism:

A movement in art and literature that flourished in the early twentieth century. 

Aimed at expressing imaginative dreams and visions free from conscious rational control.

Symbolic Artistic Larger than life (unrealistic) Irrational Ambiguity (unclear)

Surrealism in Story

Colors Shapes: “a triangular door she had made of her hair” (1016) Exaggerated characters (bizarre) Shapes: “the sun [circle]. . . Balancing itself on the peak of a

small mountain [angle]” (1013) Events are nightmarish: Odd hitchhiker throwing himself out of

car while moving Shape: Turnip shape chasing him (1023) Sound: Thunder “guffawing” at him, or laughing (1023) Sight: “fantastic raindrops, like tin-can tops” (1023)

Tomorrow’s Essays (3):

Pick 1 of the 2: Write 1 paragraph. Explain how “The Devil & Daniel Webster” is a Faustian legend. Explain the Washington Irving’s purpose in writing “The Devil & Tom

Walker” and how he communicates his theme.

Pick 1 of the 2: Write 1 paragraph. Explain how O’Connor’s story is surrealistic. Include at least 5 traits

with examples from the story. Explain the theme of O’Connor’s story and how she communicates it.

All have to do this: Write 4 paragraphs (intro, Am. Goth., S. Goth., & conclus.). Explain how American Gothic differs from Southern Gothic and give

examples from the stories of at least five traits.