Transcript Revelation

Revelation
By: Flannery
O’Connor
About the author…
Born in Savannah, Georgia in the year 1964, Flannery
O’Connor was an only child to her Catholic parents. At the
age of 13, her father became sick from lupus (an
incurable blood disease) and the O’Connor family moved
to Milledgeville, Georgia. However, in 1941, Flannery’s
father died from his disease and this devastated
Flannery. Little was it known that lupus was a hereditary
disease that Flannery would soon be diagnosed with. One
year from the death of her father, Flannery graduated
from high school and transitioned into Georgia State
College for Women; here she wrote many stories for the
literary magazine until she graduated. O’Connor was soon
granted a fellowship to the Writer’s Workshop at the
University of Iowa where she worked diligently to
produce her first story, Accent, as well as earn a master
of fine arts degree. Her stories dovetailed life in the
rural South with her Catholic beliefs. She later moved
to New York at the age of 22 but in 1950, O’Connor was
diagnosed with lupus, the same disease that killed her
father. She soon moved back to Georgia where she could
be treated and permanently lived on her mother’s
residence located on a farm in Milledgeville. From then
on, O’Connor was successful with writing short stories
and even raising peacocks. Fighting lupus for fourteen
years, Flannery O’Connor died in 1964 at the age of 39.
Throughout her short life, O’Connor wrote a total of 32
short stories and two novels, Wise Blood and The Violent
Bear it Away.
"Whenever I’m asked why
Southern writers particularly
have a penchant for writing
about freaks, I say it is
because we are still able to
recognize one."
–Flannery O’Connor
Literary Terms:
•
•
•
•
•
•
allegory -- the literal content or story of a work that stands
for abstract ideas, suggesting a parallel, deeper, symbolic sense;
an extended metaphor; story which represents an idea or belief;
can be religious or political.
point of view -- perspective in which something is observed or
related: first person, second person, third person
dialogue -- verbal exchange between two or more characters
setting -- time, location, and otherwise atmosphere in which a
story takes place; initiates the main backdrop and mood for a
story
characterization --development of characters in a narrative
climax -- the decisive moment; turning point; point of highest
tension or drama
Selected Quotes:
If Jesus had said to her before he made her, “There’s only two places available
for you. You can either be a nigger or white-trash...” (378).
“...you had to have certain things before you could know certain things” (380).
“He had made her herself and given her a little of everything. Jesus, thank you!”
(382).
“Go back to hell where you came from, you old wart hog” (385).
“...but what she heard were the voices of the souls climbing upward into the
starry field and shouting hallelujah” (390).
Pick 3 of the 7 questions to answer.
1. Is the title, Revelation, appropriate for this story? In
what way?
2. Do you think that Mrs. Turpin’s actions and behavior
towards her husband define her own character? Explain.
3. Why does Mary Grace attack Mrs. Turpin in the
doctor’s office?
4. How does the background gospel music on the radio
contribute to this story? Explain your reasoning.
5. What points of view are utilized? Why does this add to
the context of the story? How could the story be
different if other points of view were used?
6.Where does the climax in this story occur? Why do you
think so?
7. What importance do Claud and the other patients in
the office have, excluding Mary Grace, her mother, and
Mrs. Turpin?