I am curious about the whole notion of Buddhism in this story. (I don't think we were able to talk about this the first go around, and I apologize if we did)
This is the first instance I can remember of O'Connor talking about a religion other than Christianity. Sure, she was Catholic, and we know she had a lot to say about Christian religions other than Catholicism, but what about religions other than Christianity? Can we tell anything about O'Connor's views through the words of her characters and her narrative voice, and is it wrong to even try?
Also, how does this Asian religion tie in to the big city? Is O'Connor making a statement on just how foreign and alienating the big city is by its incorporation of foreign Eastern religions?
3 comments:
Hmm... I had never thought about this. But it could definitely tie into the Orientalism, right? There was (and probably still is) a lot of fear/fascination with the Oriental. They were the favorite villains in many silent films even (Broken Blossoms is so beautifully tragic... and racist). But since "the East" is SO much different from the west, maybe that is why it is brought up? Many different kinds of Western religions are pretty similar, or at least have similar structures. But Eastern religions are literally foreign to us...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vedanta
Oh, Wikipedia; always there when I need you.
The talk that they go to is about Vedanta, the "self-realization by which one understands the true nature of reality."
In words like that, it seems that Asbury gets Vedanted as well as graced.
Wow, I hadn't thought of that. Good point. That does seem a bit metropolitan for O'Connor, and even out of time. Even though she was a contemporary of many writers we associate with modern writing, I think the tendency is to think of her as a classic writer. Aside from the car references, I could easily see her writing in the 1800s. But yeah, Buddhism was becoming part of the pop-culture zeitgeist in her time, so it would be curious to know her thoughts on that.
Post a Comment