"The Displaced Person"

The ending of “The Displaced Person” seems to come to a definite conclusion more than O’Conner’s other short stories. The way in which O’Conner explains Mrs. Shortley’s obesity and her physiological stress right before she leaves Mrs. McIntyre’s farm prefaces her quick death. The same is true for Mrs. McIntyre’s rapidly declining health and her eventual inability to get out of bed. I also expected Mr. Shortley to leave the farm after Mr. Guizac is killed because of his clear opposition against the Pole. Either Mr. Shortley feels guilt because of the comments he made or he is worried that people might say he had a part in the foreigner’s death. Finally, the priest continues to see Mrs. McIntyre once a week and feeds her peacock, which he has had a fondness for from the onset of the story.

I liked this story because, while O’Conner focuses on the discrimination of the Americans, she remains true to the notion that most people do not change in regard to ideals deeply instilled during their lifetimes. I think that Mrs. McIntyre was possibly struggling with her “more obligations” to keep Mr. Guizac as a worker. However, I am also convinced that she had more trouble firing him because he is the best worker she has ever had. She is forced to look at the worth of her other employees and I like the strain that is created in her character as a result.