How Do You Study Oconnors “Everything That Rises Must Converge”?
Flannery O’Connor’s “Everything That Rises Must Converge” was published in the short-story collection of the same name in 1965. It gives the account of an old white woman and her adult son and their conflict with a newly-integrated South. This guide will give you some ideas on how to study and analyze “Everything That Rises Must Converge.” Pay attention to the information given concerning Julian and Mrs. Chestny’s family history, personal history and social status. This will give you an idea how the characters see themselves and the world. Look at how Mrs. Chestny reacts to the blacks on the bus and what she says about them. Then note how Julian reacts to blacks on the bus and what he thinks about them. Note how the blacks on the bus respond to Julian and Mrs. Chestny and what they think about the mother and son. Think about why Julian behaves as he does on the bus and why he’s provoking his mother. His “fantasy” is also connected to his motives for angering Mrs. Chestny. Pay attention
