Reader’s Response
The short story “The River” by Flannery O’Connor raises many interesting points about faith and religion. Through its use of symbolism, it tries to discreetly, yet powerfully, discuss how ignorance can mislead people in their faith. This made me think about how little I comprehend about the knowledge I hold. Overall, it was an enjoyable story, as it made me work hard to fully grasp all the intricacies present in the text.
The story affected me because it made me realize how often I do not think beyond the simple meaning. When I read stories, I often read without pausing to think about what I am reading. I can state the major plot points, but I cannot describe literary devices such as symbolism and foreshadowing. In the same way, Bevel does not comprehend the deeper meaning behind the river. All he knows is that the river is the place where the …show more content…
Even though I usually dislike stories where I have to go back to reread many times to understand the content, I enjoyed this story because it made me feel like a detective. I had to work backwards, trying to figure out why Bevel committed suicide. When I first read the suicide of Bevel, I was confused as to why he went to the river by himself, seemingly to drown himself. However, after reading the story multiple times, I finally grasped the true meaning of the story. Even though Bevel lives in a world where the people around him are corrupted, he is still pure and naive, and so he goes to the river, thinking that it will actually bring him to the Kingdom of Christ. The River artfully uses symbolism to stimulate the reader’s intellect. Flannery O'Connor wanted the reader to think deeply to comprehend the story. Instead of stating the message outright, she hides it behind a layer of abstraction, in order to make the story more memorable. It forced me to think hard about the story and its message, and it made me realize how much I had to gain by reading her
The short story “The River” by Flannery O’Connor raises many interesting points about faith and religion. Through its use of symbolism, it tries to discreetly, yet powerfully, discuss how ignorance can mislead people in their faith. This made me think about how little I comprehend about the knowledge I hold. Overall, it was an enjoyable story, as it made me work hard to fully grasp all the intricacies present in the text.
The story affected me because it made me realize how often I do not think beyond the simple meaning. When I read stories, I often read without pausing to think about what I am reading. I can state the major plot points, but I cannot describe literary devices such as symbolism and foreshadowing. In the same way, Bevel does not comprehend the deeper meaning behind the river. All he knows is that the river is the place where the …show more content…
Even though I usually dislike stories where I have to go back to reread many times to understand the content, I enjoyed this story because it made me feel like a detective. I had to work backwards, trying to figure out why Bevel committed suicide. When I first read the suicide of Bevel, I was confused as to why he went to the river by himself, seemingly to drown himself. However, after reading the story multiple times, I finally grasped the true meaning of the story. Even though Bevel lives in a world where the people around him are corrupted, he is still pure and naive, and so he goes to the river, thinking that it will actually bring him to the Kingdom of Christ. The River artfully uses symbolism to stimulate the reader’s intellect. Flannery O'Connor wanted the reader to think deeply to comprehend the story. Instead of stating the message outright, she hides it behind a layer of abstraction, in order to make the story more memorable. It forced me to think hard about the story and its message, and it made me realize how much I had to gain by reading her