Enduring Chill: Continuation of the Blame your Mother Conversation

I think we might have discussed this a little the first time that we discussed "Enduring Chill" but I have noticed a connection between Asbury and Hulga. Both individuals enjoy creating tension between themselves and their mothers. Asbury and Hulga annoy their parents through their actions and their speech, which seem to be solely executed for this purpose. This connection really sticks out to me because both children are lacking a father figure. I am not quite sure what is being done here, but I cannot recall any other children who are as focused on blaming their mother and lacking a father figure.

"He" and deformity

I loved reading "He" again. I am glad that we brought up the theme of deformity again in class because it is a reoccuring theme throughout the works. I love the way that O'Connor often omits the persepectives of those that have mental/physical disabilities. This is true in "Holiday," "the River" and "He". While the reader is disconnected from what the individual is going through, he or she is still connected to these characters through their moments of extreme emotion. In these three stories I have felt overwhelming pity for these characters because the world seems to forget about them while the reader is forced to follow their stories. These stories also include a "normal" individual who becomes struck or exceedingly concerned by the forgotten person. In "The River," this individual is the man who tries to save Bevel at the end of the story. In "Holiday," the protagonist becomes fascinated by the servant girl and in the end takes action to include her in the rest of the family's activities. The mother in "He" also becomes obsessed with trying to treat Bevel equally. As readers, we are able to sympathize with these "normal" individuals and see a bit of our own anxiousness when we are confronted by deformity or our desire to save/help people with disabilities. I love that O'Connor and Porter are able to bring this out in the reader.

Bevel & Innocence

I was interested in a comment that was made on Wednesday about the innocence of children in O'Connor's works and how the idea of their innocence is questioned. I agree that in literary works, the young are often portrayed as incapable of evil or of morally questionable thoughts. In some of her works, children's innocence is highlighed through their misunderstanding of certain religious or cultural concepts. However, I also was struck by some of Bevel's actions, such as outright lying about his name and stealing Mrs. Conin's prized family bible. O'Connor never attempts to tell us why he does these things. I think she is playing with the idea of his innocence because we do not get a "cute" explanation of a childish misunderstanding for his actions, the same as we do in other pieces.

Gender/Sexuality in Maria C.

I wanted to post some of the questions that I am going to ask tomorrow so you guys can think over them while reading "Maria Concepcion". I am interested on how gender and sexuality are constructed in this story. I am trying to figure out what Porter is trying to do with the women in this story and want to explore what it means to be female in Mexico (vs. the United States). I find that there seems to be a stark difference between Maria Rosa and Maria Concepcion. While Maria Rosa has more "freedom" in her love/sex life, she ends up dead at the end of the story. She is young and opinionated and risks her life by going to war. Maria Concepcion is holding up the norms that are expected of her as a wife and religious woman, but she becomes a murderer. As a murderer, Maria is protected by the mother of her victim and the community, even though she slowly has distanced herself from her friends. She is unable to have her own child, and takes Maria Rosa's child and treats it as her own. Both women desire a man who is cowardly, vain, and lazy. I am not sure what to make out of all of these things, so hopefully this helps you guys to get thinking about the ideas that are presented.

Maria Concepcion

On reading "Maria Concepcion" a second time, I am struck by the concealment of Maria's emotions. Even at the begining of the story when her thoughts on Givens are revealed, these opinions are almost glossed over. The whole story seems to revolve around everyone else in the story even though she is such a central character and the title is her name. I will put together some questions that deal more closely with questions from my topic, however I did notice Porter's ommision of Maria's inner feelings beyond her breakdown.

More research

I found a great article titled, "Flannery O'Connon's 'Fourth Dimension': The Role of Sexuality in Her Fiction" by D.G. Kehl. Apparently, O'Connor deleted overtly sexual scenes in various short stories. She did this in "The Violent Bear it Away" and in "The Enduring Chill". Kehl argues that she probably did this because they did not serve her aesthetic purpose. I guess the lack of sexuality/sensuality that I noticed in O'Connor's works might be founded.

Sexuality/Sensuality in Porter and O'Connor

I have started researching various critical essays/articles for this week but I still have a lot to do. I am thinking about writing on how sexuality/sensuality is expressed in various stories. I am also interested in how different female characters are sexualized. For example the protagonist in "Flowering Judas," the Maria Rosa in "Maria Concepcion," Hulga in "Good Country People," one of the German daughters in "Holiday", and Amy in "Old Mortality". I am wondering whether or not to do a comparison of these concepts as portrayed by Porter versus O'Connor. I think that Porter takes a much more sensual approach in these stories, while O'Conner seems to distort sexuality. I am interested in the lack of sexuality in most of the short stories. The two authors seem much more interested with violence than they do with senusuality/sexuality, which I find strange because of their experience with different men. I have found two websites that list various criticism on the two authors and I have made a list of some that might relate to my topic. I will need to research if the absense is due to sexuality being a taboo topic at the time. Also, another direction that I might be headed in is the relation of sensuality to individuals that are considered to be the Other (ie: Mexico stories/German daughter/physically handicapped). As I said in class, I need to head to the library to seek out the actual essays and to do more research.

O'Connor Letter to Louise Abbot

In this letter, O'Connor talks about what she calls "local institutions", or retirement homes for the elderly in her area. This letter reminded me a lot of the institutions for the mentally retarded that we had discussed earlier. It provides insight into the time period and how little communities cared about those who were mentally disabled or old. It is on page 1091.

O'Conner letter to Maryat Lee

I found a great excerpt from one of O'Connor's letters that deals with writing about other people/cultures. In her letter to Maryat Lee (pg 1094-95), O'Connor talks about her friend who is attempting to write a novel about blacks in New York. This little portion reminded me of "The Enduring Chill". Porter refers to her friend searching for blacks to interview, and notes that maybe they can "scout up a few" if he comes back to New York.

Sentimentality

In response to Porter's definition of sentimentality, I would like to defend my critique of "Pale Horse, Pale Rider". I understand that people experience love and I think that writing about it can be well done. However, I do believe that Porter is portraying this love story as overly dramatic and unrealistic (and I am not solely referring to the scene in which Miranda asks for Adam to proclaim his love to her). I cannot help but feel like Porter is just trying to get the reader to cry, using some of the very same techniques that are used in popular “low” literature today. Yes, I know people tend to find relationships in times of desperation, and that these feelings can be emphasized because of the situation.

I do feel like Porter does not write about “new” love very often, so why in this story? Why in this way? To me, her description of love is 2-dimentional. Miranda finds Adam handsome (She makes several referrals to his blond hair and nice looking frame) and sweet, and besides having to experience the war together, there is no real substance there. And of course, the only hindrance to their relationship is the war/sickness. Why does Porter make everything about the relationship perfect besides the war? Why didn’t Porter go for something less sentimental, less ideal, and more realistic? I mean wouldn’t it be interesting if the reader were pushed to think about Adam in a more complicated light? Sorry if this makes anyone mad, but I feel like I have seen/read better portrayals of “new” love.

Letter: Flannery O'Connor to William Sessions (p. 1043)

I was very interested in Flannery O'Connor's letter to William Sessions dated 27 September, 1957 (p. 1043). In the letter she talks about the censorship of books that have been labeled obscene. She comes at the topic from a fairly objective point of view, which surprised me. I can imagine that some of her short stories might have been labeled obscene as well, and that she might be against such outlooks. She also mentions the moral code or conventions that determine what is classified as obscene: “There was a hearing and it turned out the gentlemen had read only the obscene parts; asked when something was obscene they said it was obscene when it couldn’t be read before a lady” (p. 1044). I found two things really interesting about this quote. Firstly, O’Connor emphasizes that a member of the counsel had not read the piece as a whole, and was solely condemning it on the basis of certain sections. This sort of piece-meal way of looking at a work is not as popular today, in which many works are judged by their overall message. Secondly, she notes the relation of the censorship code to social norms, in which, women are presumed to read only materials that are deemed “fit” for them.

Loss of the Body in PHPR

While reading PHPR I saw a very distinct similarity between Miranda’s thought process and Granny Weatherall’s thought process. Both characters become less aware of time, see people in the room almost float around them, and are almost in a delirious state “babbling nonsense”. In addition to this I found that Porter became focused on the disintegration of Miranda’s body. Here are some examples:
“The body is a curious monster, no place to live in” (313).
“[Miranda was] no longer aware of the members of her own body” (310).
“…she opened her eyes and saw pale light through a course white cloth over her face, knew that the smell of death was her own body, and struggled to lift her hand” (312).
I wonder why Porter chooses to focus on the loss of Miranda’s bodily functions. I think this work relates to some of Flannery O’Conner’s works which also focus on this loss.

Porter the Woman writer

I think what Michelle says about the short story having a romance aspect goes along with what was mentioned in class about Porter writing like a women (whereas Flannery writes more like a man). While reading the story, I could not help but think how whiny and overly romantic the writing and focus of the piece is. Porter emphasizes Miranda's yearning to be with Adam outside of the time and place of the war. Miranda is always fretting about getting to see Adam and worries a lot about how she looks. The themes actually reminded me a lot of Hemingway's story, A Farewell to Arms. I especially find the relationship of Miranda and Adam similar to the relationship between Henry and Catherine. Of course, the main difference would be in the style of writing, however both women are portrayed as semi-whiny and weak (at least to me). What do you guys think?

Miranda the tight-rope walker?

I was interested in Miranda’s inability to pick a profession. As a girl she wants to be a jockey, and then a tight-rope walker, and as a young adult she wants to be an air-pilot. Miranda, it seems, has always been running away from conventions for women, much like Amy. Both women seem to be avoiding conventional roles (mother, caretaker, ect…). Amy avoids marriage, and wishes that instead of a husband she would rather have a dancing companion for the rest of her years. Miranda avoids traditional female jobs, and when she does marry, she does not consider it to be a life-long partnership. Both women prefer to be independent. What do you guys think of this parallel between the two girls?

Final Thoughts TVBA

I really took the ending of the story to mean that Tarwater has transformed into an evil monster. It is almost as if he is going to prey on the "sleeping" city dwellers. From what we know psychopathic killers often have been subjected to assualt or rape, have parental or familiar figures missing in their young childhood, and often believe strongly in perverted or skewed doctrines (I think at one point in class we talked about how the bad people in these short stories often take certain good beliefs to extremes, making them evil). I am left at the end of this story feeling like I do not know who Tarwater is, what he is capable of doing, or his motives in doing anything that he does. I do know, however that he has been through a lot, has violent tendencies, and is able to justify murder with very random logic.

Pick One Already!

I was also extremely confused by "Judgment Day". I was having a lot of trouble telling the past from the present-- maybe this was a technique that was supposed to imitate an old person's trouble with separating memory and reality (or the beginning phases of Alzheimer’s).

I almost feel as though O'Conner thought the template of this story could lend itself well to both stories. However, I felt as though there might have been a creativity problem. There were undeniable similarities down to the detail of the daughters' husbands being gone multiple days of the week. I did feel slightly let down by the fact that I had to read two almost identical stories that dealt with similar themes. I wonder which story worked better or provoked more feelings in the reader. I think O’Conner could have chosen one of the stories. What do you guys think? I personally liked “The Geranium” better because I was less confused and I loved the reaction of the man in the window when he tells the father to mind his own business and that he would not ask twice—adding insult to injury after all that has happened to him. Also, I like that the beginning does not start from the father’s most desperate moment, which is the case in “Judgment Day”. The father in “The Geranium” does not cry until the end, and his crying is mixed with the conversation about the flower with the man across the alley, whereas the father in “Judgment Day” is crying from the outset and has also written a suicide note.

"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.

Why Mexico?

I sympathize with Vince’s questioning why Laura is in Mexico. I find it strange that Laura has, for no stated reason come to a strange country, and finds herself unable to leave: “Uninvited she has promised herself to this place; she can no longer imagine herself as living in another country, and there is no pleasure in remembering her life before she came here” (93). Laura seems to have disconnected herself from her past, yet she mentions that she learned to ride horses in Arizona even though her gentleman friend does not ask her where she learned to ride. I think Laura likes her anonymity in Mexico. She has the ability to walk wherever she wants because she has no connections, which also allows her to be connected to everyone. I wonder if Porter, who calls herself an expatriate, is relating what it means to have forgotten or decided to leave behind where one comes from and to live wandering from place to place without any real motives or obligations.

Also, I find it interesting that Porter emphasizes, again, the gluttony of her character Braggioni. I think that Porter is once again alluding to Diego Rivera, who is also very politically motivated, and considered an important leader. Other similarities include that Braggioni is insulted by Laura when she is not willing to sleep with him. Also, he indulges in American perfumes, women, and food.

"The Martyr" title

I was confused as the title of “The Martyr”. I do not get why Ruben calls himself a martyr to love when he has sacrificed nothing. Usually when I picture a martyr I think of someone who has given up something of great importance, like leaving a family, or even giving up ones life, for a cause that he or she truly believes in. The term also has strong links to religion. I think Ruben is stretching the use of this concept. I think he wallows in his own self-pity and he chooses to indulge in food. Obviously, when he uses the term he is trying to hold his resignation from work and reality with high regard. I think that Porter might be making fun of artists who believe that their work relies heavily on a muse, or something outside of themselves. Or perhaps she is making a comment on the arrogance of many artists in general.

Ghost References in "The Artificial Nigger"

Did anyone else notice the weird allusions/references to ghosts in this story? I do not know what to make of the strange appearance of ghostly descriptions and faces or the sometimes eerie tone. I was expecting the ghost references to lead somewhere; however, they seem to be isolated in occurrence and never culminate into any meaning that I can decipher.

For example, when Nelson and Mr. Head are waiting for the train O’Conner employs a ghostly simile: “Both the old man and the child stared ahead as if they were awaiting an apparition” (252). Also, when the two get on the train they sit next to a man who is described as having, “a pale ghost-like face” (253). In fact, the words “pale ghost-like face” are repeated two times in this paragraph. Later on during the train ride, Nelson starts to look out the window of the train but he stops because, “the face in the window stared out at him, gray but distinct (258). Nelson is called back to this moment when he is walking through the black neighborhood: “The sneering ghost he had seen in the train window and all the foreboding feelings he had on the way returned to him…” (262). No more similes or references to ghosts are made after this. I do not know what O’Conner is trying to do here other than create an uncanny tone. Maybe I caught on to something that is not supposed to be significant, but I felt as though her continual use of ghost references might lead somewhere.