Media Review Three
In his article, Jason Diamond shares one of Flannery O’Connor’s prayers, which she wrote during her stay at the University of Iowa anywhere between 1946-1947 when she experiences doubt in her writing capabilities (Diamond 3). In these prayers, Diamond says that O’Connor “wrote her thoughts and prayers, displaying the same kind of self-doubt we see in so many writers today, but balanced with an unwavering faith…” (Diamond 3). Although Diamond agrees that O’Connor’s works seem “dark” and her style reflects “Southern Gothic fiction”, he explains that she was “a deeply spiritual person…[whose] faith is embedded throughout her work” (Diamond 2). As a prelude to the prayer, Diamond shares his own admiration for the faith O’Connor …show more content…
First, God shows grace to Hulga by protecting her life during the shooting accident that causes her to lose her leg. Although Hulga needs to wear an artificial leg because of that experience, her predicament could have ended much worse. In addition, even though Hulga acts disrespectfully, rebelliously, and rudely towards others, God gives her a loving, caring, and supportive mother, Mrs. Hopewell. Although her mother notices that Hulga becomes “more like herself---bloated, rude, and squint-eyed” (O’Connor 487), Mrs. Hopewell “excused this attitude because of the leg” and never gives up on Hulga (O’Connor 485). Finally, God shows Grace to Hulga through her terrible experience with the dishonest bible salesman, Manley Pointer. Prior to the experience, Hulga “achieved blindness by an act of will and means to keep it” (O’Connor 484) by rejecting God, accepting atheism, and relying on her own Ph.D. to explain her life’s purpose and other people’s character. However, when she discovers through her shocking and terrible experience with Pointer how wrong her calculations of his character have been, it leads her to reconsider her faith in her own understanding. By placing people in Hulga’s life to challenge her pride in her own intelligence, God provides her with a second chance to turn away from her decision to rely on her own wisdom and turn to Him for guidance in her …show more content…
In the story, the grandmother, tells the criminal “I know you’re a good man…You could be honest too if you’d only try” (O’Connor 504, 506). When the Misfit shares his terrible experience at the penitentiary motivates him to lash out in revenge on others, he explains “It’s no real pleasure in life” (O’Connor 508). Through this statement, the Misfit shows how empty, purposeless, and hopeless his life feels. Experiencing internal turmoil, the man’s voice cracks as he tells her he would have been a different man if he witnessed Christ’s mighty works in person (O’Connor 508). Although the good-natured grandmother witnesses his evil in action, she never gives up hope that he could change. In fact, she tries to help the Misfit find a new life in Christ by encouragingly telling him “If you would pray...Jesus would help you” (O’Connor 507). Although the grandmother dies in the end, she definitely made the criminal contemplate his life and see the futility of it. In the end, he admits that doing wrong brings him no pleasure. Through the grandmother’s positive, Christian influence, God challenges the Misfit’s hopeless ways. Through his experience with the Grandmother, the Misfit may decide to consider accepting Christ and changing his ways. In the end, the Misfit shows potential for a turning point and change of heart in the
In his article, Jason Diamond shares one of Flannery O’Connor’s prayers, which she wrote during her stay at the University of Iowa anywhere between 1946-1947 when she experiences doubt in her writing capabilities (Diamond 3). In these prayers, Diamond says that O’Connor “wrote her thoughts and prayers, displaying the same kind of self-doubt we see in so many writers today, but balanced with an unwavering faith…” (Diamond 3). Although Diamond agrees that O’Connor’s works seem “dark” and her style reflects “Southern Gothic fiction”, he explains that she was “a deeply spiritual person…[whose] faith is embedded throughout her work” (Diamond 2). As a prelude to the prayer, Diamond shares his own admiration for the faith O’Connor …show more content…
First, God shows grace to Hulga by protecting her life during the shooting accident that causes her to lose her leg. Although Hulga needs to wear an artificial leg because of that experience, her predicament could have ended much worse. In addition, even though Hulga acts disrespectfully, rebelliously, and rudely towards others, God gives her a loving, caring, and supportive mother, Mrs. Hopewell. Although her mother notices that Hulga becomes “more like herself---bloated, rude, and squint-eyed” (O’Connor 487), Mrs. Hopewell “excused this attitude because of the leg” and never gives up on Hulga (O’Connor 485). Finally, God shows Grace to Hulga through her terrible experience with the dishonest bible salesman, Manley Pointer. Prior to the experience, Hulga “achieved blindness by an act of will and means to keep it” (O’Connor 484) by rejecting God, accepting atheism, and relying on her own Ph.D. to explain her life’s purpose and other people’s character. However, when she discovers through her shocking and terrible experience with Pointer how wrong her calculations of his character have been, it leads her to reconsider her faith in her own understanding. By placing people in Hulga’s life to challenge her pride in her own intelligence, God provides her with a second chance to turn away from her decision to rely on her own wisdom and turn to Him for guidance in her …show more content…
In the story, the grandmother, tells the criminal “I know you’re a good man…You could be honest too if you’d only try” (O’Connor 504, 506). When the Misfit shares his terrible experience at the penitentiary motivates him to lash out in revenge on others, he explains “It’s no real pleasure in life” (O’Connor 508). Through this statement, the Misfit shows how empty, purposeless, and hopeless his life feels. Experiencing internal turmoil, the man’s voice cracks as he tells her he would have been a different man if he witnessed Christ’s mighty works in person (O’Connor 508). Although the good-natured grandmother witnesses his evil in action, she never gives up hope that he could change. In fact, she tries to help the Misfit find a new life in Christ by encouragingly telling him “If you would pray...Jesus would help you” (O’Connor 507). Although the grandmother dies in the end, she definitely made the criminal contemplate his life and see the futility of it. In the end, he admits that doing wrong brings him no pleasure. Through the grandmother’s positive, Christian influence, God challenges the Misfit’s hopeless ways. Through his experience with the Grandmother, the Misfit may decide to consider accepting Christ and changing his ways. In the end, the Misfit shows potential for a turning point and change of heart in the