Flannery O’Connor is one of the most contradictory authors in the history of American literature. The topics of her works vary from racism and disability to the old-fashioned religious narratives (Mambrol). Despite such a variety of directions, she successfully managed to develop a number of characteristics attributed solely to her pieces. Thus, the main characters are usually Christian women who change their views over time, and the instilled values are related to family and community life in the first place (Mambrol; Wheeler). However, the most important feature of all her stories, plays, and poems is the central place of her home in Milledgeville, GA as the setting. The use of this symbol in O’Connor’s works to describe different events is conditional upon the author’s desire to transmit personal experience, particularly in the area of religious beliefs.
The significance of this place is primarily defined by the role it played in her short life. O’Connor suffered from lupus, and her condition did not allow her to leave home, where she was writing her stories and even a few novels (Mambrol). Consequently, this symbol became essential for all the pieces created by this author. In her literary works, she examines all the phenomena through the lens of this notion while reflecting on human virtue and vice. O’Connor also uses it to emphasize the importance of communication between people at different levels for their well-being (Wheeler). In addition, home is viewed as a link between physical and spiritual, which she considers important for living in accordance with Christian teachings (Wheeler). Therefore, the use of her home in Milledgeville is connected to the desire to present her personal perspective on appropriateness with regard to religion.
One of the examples confirming this stance is the story “The Lame Shall Enter First,” in which her home plays the role of a mirror reflecting spiritual and material aspects of human life. The author narrates about a man named Sheppard who has everything for salvation but continues to ignore it and, consequently, makes a series of improper decisions (Wheeler). Thus, he neglects his son while helping another boy and claims that material goods are what he should think about to improve his life (Wheeler). In the end, the main character cannot admit that he is the one who needs to be saved. The symbol of home in this piece allows readers to see the inappropriateness of a shift towards the physical manifestation, whereas they should focus on spirituality.
Another story in which the author’s home is critical for interpreting the meaning is “The Enduring Chill.” This work is also used by O’Connor as a means of transmitting her views on the link between natural and supernatural, which is expressed through this symbol. The main character, Asbury Fox, does not believe in anything he cannot directly experience, and this misconception leads to his inability to appreciate his surroundings from a spiritual perspective (Wheeler). For him, home is also merely material possessions rather than a place where one can heal.
In conclusion, the inclusion of the symbol of her home in the stories of Flannery O’Connor is conditional upon the author’s desire to present the spiritual aspect of life. Thus, she uses it to demonstrate the significance of one’s attention to the phenomena which people cannot see while they guide their lives. In other words, O’Connor attempted to include this setting in the stories to show her perceptions of religion and the need to live in compliance with Christian laws for ultimate salvation.
References
Mambrol, Nasrullah. “Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s Stories.” Literary Theory and Criticism, 2020.
Wheeler, Barbara. ” Flannery O’Connor, Women, and the Home.” Dappled Things. n.d.Web.