“Everything That Rises Must Converge”: Stay True to Yourself, yet Acknowledge Others
There are many times one will hear parents saying “I raised you better than that”, or “you’ve just lost your way”. However, the situation usually proves to be the exact opposite. Self-identity is something we form ourselves. Sadly, our parents and upbringings can influence our true beliefs and hinder us from achieving what we want. My mother was raised by her parents who were raised in a society where racism was prevalent. My grandparents and mother didn't challenge the beliefs of their parents or society and, instead, adopted them as their own. However, my aunt, who was raised just the same as my mother, isn’t racist at all; these siblings represent how one …show more content…
The narrative’s main character, Julian, represents O’Connor’s belief that one can decide to become their own person rather than a mere byproduct of their upbringing; whereas Julian’s mother, whose self-identity was significantly influenced by her upbringing, caused her to be the latter. According to Philip Mendes and others, “the national out-of-home care standards introduced in December 2010” in Australia “... emphasizes that family relationships play an important role in the development of personal identity and a sense of belonging”. This source discusses studies that were conducted in Australia that proved that our families really shape who we are, whether it be positively or negatively. Flannery O'Connor’s short narrative "Everything That Rises Must Converge" shines light on how our self-identity is developed and influenced by our upbringing. Although the narrative dates back to the mid-twentieth century, these self-identity issues still exist today and will …show more content…
By contrast, the absence of such contact is believed to foster stereotyping, prejudice, and ill will toward these groups” (qtd. in C. Christopher, et al.). Thus, studies like this suggest that when people are raised like Julian and have no contact with different races, their ability to form their own perceptions of people other races is immensely hindered. When parents and/or society condition their children to stay away from other races or ethnicities and punish them for interacting with them, the children fear negative reinforcement. By not believing any of the views that the twentieth-century society and his mother taught him, Julian represents how one can decide to become their own person rather than a mere byproduct of their upbringing. In one scene, when they’re riding the bus, Julian takes his tie off and his mother sees it as degrading to his appearance. When he puts it back on he sarcastically says “Restored to my class,”, followed by “True culture is in the mind, the mind,”, symbolizing the main idea O’Connor is trying to convey: do as you please, and don’t worry about harsh judgement from others (3-4). Julian tends to withdraw “... into the inner compartment of
There are many times one will hear parents saying “I raised you better than that”, or “you’ve just lost your way”. However, the situation usually proves to be the exact opposite. Self-identity is something we form ourselves. Sadly, our parents and upbringings can influence our true beliefs and hinder us from achieving what we want. My mother was raised by her parents who were raised in a society where racism was prevalent. My grandparents and mother didn't challenge the beliefs of their parents or society and, instead, adopted them as their own. However, my aunt, who was raised just the same as my mother, isn’t racist at all; these siblings represent how one …show more content…
The narrative’s main character, Julian, represents O’Connor’s belief that one can decide to become their own person rather than a mere byproduct of their upbringing; whereas Julian’s mother, whose self-identity was significantly influenced by her upbringing, caused her to be the latter. According to Philip Mendes and others, “the national out-of-home care standards introduced in December 2010” in Australia “... emphasizes that family relationships play an important role in the development of personal identity and a sense of belonging”. This source discusses studies that were conducted in Australia that proved that our families really shape who we are, whether it be positively or negatively. Flannery O'Connor’s short narrative "Everything That Rises Must Converge" shines light on how our self-identity is developed and influenced by our upbringing. Although the narrative dates back to the mid-twentieth century, these self-identity issues still exist today and will …show more content…
By contrast, the absence of such contact is believed to foster stereotyping, prejudice, and ill will toward these groups” (qtd. in C. Christopher, et al.). Thus, studies like this suggest that when people are raised like Julian and have no contact with different races, their ability to form their own perceptions of people other races is immensely hindered. When parents and/or society condition their children to stay away from other races or ethnicities and punish them for interacting with them, the children fear negative reinforcement. By not believing any of the views that the twentieth-century society and his mother taught him, Julian represents how one can decide to become their own person rather than a mere byproduct of their upbringing. In one scene, when they’re riding the bus, Julian takes his tie off and his mother sees it as degrading to his appearance. When he puts it back on he sarcastically says “Restored to my class,”, followed by “True culture is in the mind, the mind,”, symbolizing the main idea O’Connor is trying to convey: do as you please, and don’t worry about harsh judgement from others (3-4). Julian tends to withdraw “... into the inner compartment of