Human nature is a very peculiar subject. When examining aspects of our lives, some things may seem unexplainable. In Flannery O’Connor’s short story, Parker’s Back, human nature is extensively explored. It is surveyed a way that allows the reader to comprehend the idea of transforming one’s self in reaction to their environment. In this instance, it is in a social environment. In the story, the main character, Parker, transformations in a way that directly correlates to his surroundings and how he reacts to them. He does in the hope of being accepted and loved. This is achieved by changing his attitude, his physical character, and moral ethics.
Throughout the short story, Parker's Back, the reader can observe a change in the protagonist,
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The character of Obadiah ‘Parker’ Elihue shows this particularly well when exploring the topic of ones physical change in response to those around them, and the positive and negative effects can appear as a result. As Parker’s life continues, it is show that he changed his physical state to please others and make him more likable. “He found out that tattoos were attractive to the kind of girls he liked but who had never liked him before (131).” This quote shows how we, as human beings, want to be loved. Parker demonstrates this by getting his tattoos because he thinks people will like him more. This shows precisely how transformation can come as a response to those who we surround ourselves with and the effect others have on us. As Parker’s life progresses, it seems that after changing himself so much to be liked by others, in this case with getting tattoos, consequences arise and end up being him looking sheepish and lacking self control because of the unimaginable amount of ink on his body. O'Connor truly shows, through the main character, Parker, that people do change in response to others and in the long term view, the results may be exceptional or