Character Analysis: The Jilting Of Granny Weatherall

In the Jilting of Granny Weatherall the main character Granny Weatherall is not at first perceived as being all that normal. It becomes more apparent that she needs help when she says she does not need a doctor at all and is perfectly fine on her own. That in its self is a big hint that Granny needs the help she is neglecting. Given that she is old it is not surprising that she thinks she can do things on her own still. In the Short story she is portrayed as this old school women who has been through it all, so it makes sense for her to feel entitled to be the self-sufficient and providing women she once was. Although she might not seem to be a prime candidate for someone who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, she certainly possesses characteristics of this mental disorder. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is defined as “a pervasive pattern of preoccupation with orderliness, perfectionism, and mental interpersonal control, at the expense of flexibility, openness, and efficiency, beginning by early adulthood” (American Psychiatric Association 678). Granny Weatherall’s actions in this short story prove that she has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder and she shows characteristics such as always having things done her way and getting

This part in particular shows a great characteristic of someone who has Obsessive Compulsive Disorder. She took her time going through the observations she made and notices that her daughter is whispering with Doctor Harry only after a cycle of other thoughts. This enraged Granny Weatherall because Cornelia’s kindness and attentiveness annoyed her. Granny Weatherall thought that Cornelia, her daughter, was so tactful and good that she wanted to spank her for it and even imagined herself doing so. Of course being in the positon she is in she can no longer spank her kids, this is just another thing Granny Weatherall cannot control