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Everything That Rises Must Converge Flannery O Connor

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Recommended: Racial discrimination during civil rights movement

In the short story “Everything That Rises Must Converge” by Flannery O’Connor, there are numerous ways in which you can interpret the storyline and what it encompasses. O’Connor utilizes the story to reflect on the life of black and white people of the early 1960’s, the midst of the civil rights movement. In the short story, she presents a white woman, Mrs. Chestny, who is depicted not only as a mother but also as a racist. She has a son who is at odds with her opinions and views of how their lives are meant to be lived in a diverse society. It is not until an additional black mother and son duo enter the story that things start to get more controversial. However, the most controversial part was the relationship that was built between Mrs. Chestny and Carver, the little boy. In Flannery …show more content…

Chestny and Carver provide insight into a harmonious exchange amidst a racially hostile environment, giving in to the notion that true culture comes from the heart, and the concept of convergence has the ability to become relevant in respect to different generations in society. O’Connor presents the mother as a racist unwilling to admit that she is a racist. Instead, she is depicted as someone who has a sense of superiority over others and believes it is right to accept this notion. She is characterized as someone who, at the start of the story, is sure of who she is and her place in society; she looks down upon anyone, including her own son, who is unsure of who they are. However, it is good to make note that Mrs. Chestny is over the age of fifty, and she is a woman derived from a different time in history; where racism and inequality were a norm that were perceived as something righteous and unchanging. However, there are now two generations after her that

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