Everything That Rises Must Converges is one of my favorite Flannery stories. And what an excellent pairing with Jesus's passion narrative. I especially appreciate the way you've untangled prejudice from bigotry from racism. And offered your own confession of "son-like" behavior towards misogynistic artists. We lie to ourselves and God if we think we don't contain the sins of the son in us in some form. In my experience at least, I know how to identify it by my intense loathing reactions against particular behaviors in people. It's an over-the-top emotional response of "righteous" anger. Just like the son toward his mother. And it's so painful when I finally recognize it for what it is. Painful, but good. Grace.
I love all your notes on the story for the Catherine Project, too. Those are fantastic!! I keep hearing about the Catherine Project. It seems like something I'd really enjoy participating in one day. :)
Thank you, Shari! Additionally, I found it interesting how much some classmates really looked down on the mother. In some people’s minds, a racist like the mother is still irredeemable no matter what. I may have an outlier reading?
In this cultural "moment" you probably (sadly) do have an outlier reading--and I'm right there with you. I keep having similar experiences in literature classes where racism is a theme within the story, and there is no complexity or humanity allowed to the 'racist' person--they are irredeemable, hateful people and deserve every ill that comes to them. (Notice I said "a theme" and not "the theme," as there are always other themes often in addition to, or even underneath the "racist" one, as it is with Everything that Rises. But for some reason all these other things are engulfed by the "racism" theme.) It is so flat and dehumanizing. And also strange and confusing to me.
In excellent stories like Everything that Rises O'Connor is complicating the entire racist issue on multiple levels and offering us no opportunity to point the finger of judgement at anyone but ourselves--just as your "outlier" reading forced you, rightly (and me) to do. Any reading that doesn't do this, I think, is a profoundly short-sighted reading, and a tragic missed opportunity.
"He does not accept the healthy ordering of the universe where you honor your parents, even if you disagree with them. (There is always something to disagree with regarding one’s parents.)"
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that this is common now, given that just about every other healthy ordering of the universe has collapsed.
I haven't read much Flannery O'Conner, and I feel badly about it given she is both a fellow Georgian and a believer. My daughter went to Georgia College and still lives in Milledgeville, and I haven't yet made it to Andalusia. I had already set a goal to read more O'Conner this year, and your piece provides additional encouragement.
I read some Flannery in college; but I didn't enjoy her much. She's the kind of writer I've always felt: she's good, but she's a lot of work. I can read her for a class and appreciate her craft and her deep insights through the lens of discussion and piggybacking off of other people's better reading skills; but she's not a writer I will read for pleasure and when I read her on my own, I usually feel stuck. Maybe I need to reassess my reactions now in middle age. Maybe I'm a better reader now than I was then and maybe I will appreciate her more now. But probably still not an author I will read for pleasure. More for illumination and appreciation.
I thought I had read this story before, but reading your description, now I wonder if I really did. I think I will sit down and read it today. It feels really relevant and important. I will enjoy reading it through your eyes and with your insights, especially in the context of Jesus's passion and his parables.
It’s a really good story and it’s one that really speaks to today’s concerns regarding cancellation of people whose politics you don’t like. I know someone who passed a 1-car accident, but when she saw the bumper had a Trump sticker she was happy that the person got what they deserved. I found that uncharitable. I hate when anyone gets dehumanized — except the blind spot I mentioned.
Thank you for sharing this convergence of thoughts during Holy Week. I think I may need to separate Hugo’s personal life from his works now…yikes. I still love Les Miserables- sometimes a man’s work is better than his actions. I feel that way about Tolstoy too.
Yes. I think it’s really hard. Flaubert also. I muscled through Madame Bovary, but I had a super hard time knowing how he was as well.
With Tolstoy I had an easier time being okay with him because it seemed the end of his life was pretty miserable. Even so, I think my visceral reaction to some of these guys is irrational. This is the challenge of being merciful and charitable.
These reflections are encouraging, enlightening, and very helpful for Easter Sunday. At the Easter Vigil last night, I met one of the converts and had a good conversation, and I have just talked with by brother on the phone. Affection, mutual advice, good memories in spite of various difficulties over the years, and, of course, memories of O'Connor's works, "Everything That Rises" perhaps most of all, for Easter, and because i grew up in New York City, riding on bus and subway and meeting all sorts, occasional racists included. May our problems, political and others, not keep us from the convergence. Peace, Phil O'Mara
Thank you for this comment, Phil. I think after the pandemic there was so much for seclusion that my children (who are now 9, 12, 16, 19, 22) have a much harder time developing social skills, including how to talk to people who are different. I think O'Connor strikes on human nature's fear of difference. It feels like threat when it may just be misunderstanding or perhaps undeveloped philosophy. I took the T all the time when I was younger. I think there's something to be learned on subways in terms of knowing that we all come from different places but we belong to the same city and society. Easter blessings to you and yours!
A blessed Easter to you. I am amazed at and always learn much from your reflections. I read too fast and need to slow down to ponder. You are pursuing your passion and I see God's guidance and grace in your life's calling.
Thank you for your thoughtful reflection. That reminds me of Plato’s dialogue Euthyphro and the tension between a zeal for justice as one sees it and honoring one’s parents. I appreciate that your reflection takes the reader beyond the kind of one-sided activist zeal to deeper conversations about truth and virtue. After reading Les Miserables, and being moved by it, I then read about his appetite for younger and younger girls along with his Christ envy and his mass veneration and have not been able to read anything else by him, though I do revisit the musical. I’ve read a lot of Milosz’s poetry and found some of it compelling but maybe don’t know enough of the dirt on him. I want to read more Flannery now.
Flannery O’Connor is such a complex character herself regarding race, but she really challenges the reader to look into one’s self.
Victor Hugo is the man I have the hardest time with. I didn’t mention Flaubert, but he’s up there too. Miłosz‘s affairs are not as awful but there were a couple of poems where I had a hard time. One was extremely condescending toward a female poet, and the other was a very callous recalling of cheating on his wife. As a poet and a wife I was deeply offended to the point where I thought, I will read him because much of what he says is interesting and important, but I do not like him as a person.
We are all sinners. Some are worse than others. But I think as a woman, I feel unsafe in reading these men because it’s like a bait and switch. You admire someone’s work, but you then realize that they are the types of men who would take advantage of you or even perpetrate violence on you or other women you love. This feeling of mortal danger is the basis of many prejudices, including racism.
Everything That Rises Must Converges is one of my favorite Flannery stories. And what an excellent pairing with Jesus's passion narrative. I especially appreciate the way you've untangled prejudice from bigotry from racism. And offered your own confession of "son-like" behavior towards misogynistic artists. We lie to ourselves and God if we think we don't contain the sins of the son in us in some form. In my experience at least, I know how to identify it by my intense loathing reactions against particular behaviors in people. It's an over-the-top emotional response of "righteous" anger. Just like the son toward his mother. And it's so painful when I finally recognize it for what it is. Painful, but good. Grace.
I love all your notes on the story for the Catherine Project, too. Those are fantastic!! I keep hearing about the Catherine Project. It seems like something I'd really enjoy participating in one day. :)
Thank you, Shari! Additionally, I found it interesting how much some classmates really looked down on the mother. In some people’s minds, a racist like the mother is still irredeemable no matter what. I may have an outlier reading?
In this cultural "moment" you probably (sadly) do have an outlier reading--and I'm right there with you. I keep having similar experiences in literature classes where racism is a theme within the story, and there is no complexity or humanity allowed to the 'racist' person--they are irredeemable, hateful people and deserve every ill that comes to them. (Notice I said "a theme" and not "the theme," as there are always other themes often in addition to, or even underneath the "racist" one, as it is with Everything that Rises. But for some reason all these other things are engulfed by the "racism" theme.) It is so flat and dehumanizing. And also strange and confusing to me.
In excellent stories like Everything that Rises O'Connor is complicating the entire racist issue on multiple levels and offering us no opportunity to point the finger of judgement at anyone but ourselves--just as your "outlier" reading forced you, rightly (and me) to do. Any reading that doesn't do this, I think, is a profoundly short-sighted reading, and a tragic missed opportunity.
"He does not accept the healthy ordering of the universe where you honor your parents, even if you disagree with them. (There is always something to disagree with regarding one’s parents.)"
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that this is common now, given that just about every other healthy ordering of the universe has collapsed.
I haven't read much Flannery O'Conner, and I feel badly about it given she is both a fellow Georgian and a believer. My daughter went to Georgia College and still lives in Milledgeville, and I haven't yet made it to Andalusia. I had already set a goal to read more O'Conner this year, and your piece provides additional encouragement.
I read some Flannery in college; but I didn't enjoy her much. She's the kind of writer I've always felt: she's good, but she's a lot of work. I can read her for a class and appreciate her craft and her deep insights through the lens of discussion and piggybacking off of other people's better reading skills; but she's not a writer I will read for pleasure and when I read her on my own, I usually feel stuck. Maybe I need to reassess my reactions now in middle age. Maybe I'm a better reader now than I was then and maybe I will appreciate her more now. But probably still not an author I will read for pleasure. More for illumination and appreciation.
I thought I had read this story before, but reading your description, now I wonder if I really did. I think I will sit down and read it today. It feels really relevant and important. I will enjoy reading it through your eyes and with your insights, especially in the context of Jesus's passion and his parables.
It’s a really good story and it’s one that really speaks to today’s concerns regarding cancellation of people whose politics you don’t like. I know someone who passed a 1-car accident, but when she saw the bumper had a Trump sticker she was happy that the person got what they deserved. I found that uncharitable. I hate when anyone gets dehumanized — except the blind spot I mentioned.
Thank you for sharing this convergence of thoughts during Holy Week. I think I may need to separate Hugo’s personal life from his works now…yikes. I still love Les Miserables- sometimes a man’s work is better than his actions. I feel that way about Tolstoy too.
Yes. I think it’s really hard. Flaubert also. I muscled through Madame Bovary, but I had a super hard time knowing how he was as well.
With Tolstoy I had an easier time being okay with him because it seemed the end of his life was pretty miserable. Even so, I think my visceral reaction to some of these guys is irrational. This is the challenge of being merciful and charitable.
These reflections are encouraging, enlightening, and very helpful for Easter Sunday. At the Easter Vigil last night, I met one of the converts and had a good conversation, and I have just talked with by brother on the phone. Affection, mutual advice, good memories in spite of various difficulties over the years, and, of course, memories of O'Connor's works, "Everything That Rises" perhaps most of all, for Easter, and because i grew up in New York City, riding on bus and subway and meeting all sorts, occasional racists included. May our problems, political and others, not keep us from the convergence. Peace, Phil O'Mara
Thank you for this comment, Phil. I think after the pandemic there was so much for seclusion that my children (who are now 9, 12, 16, 19, 22) have a much harder time developing social skills, including how to talk to people who are different. I think O'Connor strikes on human nature's fear of difference. It feels like threat when it may just be misunderstanding or perhaps undeveloped philosophy. I took the T all the time when I was younger. I think there's something to be learned on subways in terms of knowing that we all come from different places but we belong to the same city and society. Easter blessings to you and yours!
Happy Easter to you my dear friend.
Easter blessings to you and yours, Matthew! ❤️
A blessed Easter to you. I am amazed at and always learn much from your reflections. I read too fast and need to slow down to ponder. You are pursuing your passion and I see God's guidance and grace in your life's calling.
Thank you, Diane! Have a blessed Easter season! ❤️❤️❤️
Thank you for your thoughtful reflection. That reminds me of Plato’s dialogue Euthyphro and the tension between a zeal for justice as one sees it and honoring one’s parents. I appreciate that your reflection takes the reader beyond the kind of one-sided activist zeal to deeper conversations about truth and virtue. After reading Les Miserables, and being moved by it, I then read about his appetite for younger and younger girls along with his Christ envy and his mass veneration and have not been able to read anything else by him, though I do revisit the musical. I’ve read a lot of Milosz’s poetry and found some of it compelling but maybe don’t know enough of the dirt on him. I want to read more Flannery now.
David,
Thank you for your thoughtful reply.
Flannery O’Connor is such a complex character herself regarding race, but she really challenges the reader to look into one’s self.
Victor Hugo is the man I have the hardest time with. I didn’t mention Flaubert, but he’s up there too. Miłosz‘s affairs are not as awful but there were a couple of poems where I had a hard time. One was extremely condescending toward a female poet, and the other was a very callous recalling of cheating on his wife. As a poet and a wife I was deeply offended to the point where I thought, I will read him because much of what he says is interesting and important, but I do not like him as a person.
We are all sinners. Some are worse than others. But I think as a woman, I feel unsafe in reading these men because it’s like a bait and switch. You admire someone’s work, but you then realize that they are the types of men who would take advantage of you or even perpetrate violence on you or other women you love. This feeling of mortal danger is the basis of many prejudices, including racism.