Flannery O Connor Revelation Analysis

Did she have a Revelation? In the short story “Revelation” written by Flannery O’Connor, Mrs. Turpin is a very judgmental woman who is at the doctor’s office with her husband, Claud. While they are in the waiting room waiting to be called back, Mrs. Turpin strikes up a conversation with other people who are in the waiting room and judges everyone in the room silently in her head. The main lady whom Turpin is speaking to is there with her daughter who is in college and suffering from seizures. The young women has a seizure in the waiting room and accidentally throws a book which hits Turpin in the head. Throughout the story, O’Connor uses many symbols along with character development to show, the theme of religion during the 1960s.
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When O’Conner first introduces the audience to Mary Grace she uses her mother who mutters, “‘the lady asked you a question, Mary Grace’” (360). The name of the girl who throws a book at Mrs. Turpin being Mary Grace is a symbol of religion because, Mary is the name of Jesus’ mother and Grace is forgiveness that is provided through Mary’s son Jesus. Mary Grace being the name of the girl who hit Mrs. Turpin with the book alludes to the reader that Mrs. Turpin should forgive the girl for hitting her as well as change her ways when it comes to judging people based on their looks. After Mary Grace had her seizure, she woke up, looked at Mrs. Turpin and said “Go back to hell where you came from, you old wart hog” (362). This statement made by Mary Grace is another symbol of religion because there is a part in the bible that talks about demons being in hogs. This once again reiterates the theme of religion and how Mrs. Turpin may claim to be a Christian, but the way she thinks and acts proves that she has some twisted views of how a Christian should act. Throughout the character development of Mary Grace O’Conner uses what she says along with her name to reintegrate the theme of