An "intellectual's" POV

This is kind of the first story where we get most of the story through the college educated character. I was convinced that this would be entirely through Mrs. Hopewell, but it does this very subtle shift to Hulga's story. I actually thought that Mrs. Freeman was going to be a major character, rather than a side character, and act kind of like Mrs. Shortley in The DP. This was brought up in the last class (I think Dana) that many of the evil characters in O'Connor's stories are overweight women. And the college educated, big girl was crazy. Hulga still fits the role of the bitter, rude intellectual that is going no where in life, but she still seems down to Earth a bit more (maybe because we see her side more?). Her wooden leg adds extra sympathy to her character, but makes her bitter and has frozen her in time to be a little girl.

The scene in the barn with Pointer had me very tense the entire time. I honestly thought he was going to rape her. Mainly because he pulled out the box that said "only to be used in prevention of disease" (i.e., condoms). When he finally took her leg, I actually let out a nervous laugh. Who would do something like that? Where is his pleasure in stealing women's artificial body parts? Obviously, it's some form of control, as is highlighted by the condoms and rape insinuation. But it's weird. The dynamic between religion and the characters in this story is much different from the others. He pushes his way into their home by making them at ease by being a good Christian, yet he ACTUALLY wins over the only Atheist in the house! Is it because he is simple? Hulga couldn't have really believed in him when he said he liked to have "serious thoughts." College graduates don't talk like that, from any time period. So what was his charm? Maybe she was happy that someone was attracted to her despite all her physical problems. Maybe it was their common condition. Maybe she thought she could manipulate him. That's how I saw it anyway. She really wanted to manipulate him into putting down the Bible and pick up another book but instead she got a lesson of her own. Even though she had all this higher learning, it still didn't erase all the stereotypes she had in her mind. She really wasn't any better or smarter than the country folk.