In Flannery O’Connor’s perspective, O.E. Parker is an unwilling agent of spiritual grace who cannot understand what is happening to him until he is beaten and rejected by his wife, Sarah Ruth. Throughout the story, Parker gets a tattoo of Christ on his back. Many who read this story believe Parker has defiled his body by placing a tattoo of a sacred image on his back. Parker displays what he wants to change and become religious; however, his wife does not give him a benefit of the doubt and denounces him. Although Parker displays numerous tattoos on his body, he shows his wife that he wants to be a man of faith. Thus, O'Connor's story relies on the ultimate unity of beauty with goodness and grace with O.E. Parker. Sarah Ruth views Parker’s
