Summary Of Revelations By Flannery O Connor

Short Story Analysis on Revelations Author and essayist Flannery O’Connor in her short story, “Revelations,” published in New York in 1964 addresses the topic of social status and prejudice in the South. Throughout the story, the author gives hew own outlook on prejudice and the affects it has on other people. Revelations tells the story of several groups of people waiting in a doctor's waiting room. The story is told from the perspective of a woman named Mrs. Turpin who passes judgment upon the African Americans, impoverished and uneducated people, and other residents of the town that are waiting beside her. The author uses a variety of rhetorical appeals to emphasize the themes of christian values and southern morales. Through her use

The constant tension between the college student in the waiting room, Mary Grace, and Mrs. Turpin evokes a sense of disdain and insecurity with her readers. While they both were sitting in the doctor's waiting room, Mrs. Turpin indicates that Mary Grace kept looking at her as if she "knew her in some intense and personal way, beyond time and place and condition" (O’Connor). It was as if the girl knew and disliked Mrs. Turpin her entire life. The tension between these characters reaches its pinnacle when the college girl unexpectedly throws a book titled “Human Development” at Mrs. Turpin’s face and quickly runs across the room to choke her. This act of sudden violence depicts a theme of surprise in the story. Mrs. Turpin does not understand why the girl hated her and what prompted her to be so violent. Mrs. Turpin legitimately believes that she is a good person and is appalled at the prospect of somebody not liking her. Her rude gestures and remarks throughout the story contributed to this violent outrage. Also, Mary Wilson is epilepic and has little control over her actions. This incident creates sympathy among the readers towards Mary Grace. It shows us the effects prejudice has on other people. The book that was thrown at Mrs. Turpin is a symbol in the story. It symbolizes hope for the human race. Shortly after Mrs. Turpin gets hit by the book, she waits for an explanation “holding her breath,

In the story, there are two different conflicts that take place. In the beginning, there is a minor conflit between Mrs. Turpin and a “white trashy” woman. Mrs. Turpin believes that she is a higher class than the white trashy woman. She regards the woman as unintelligent and stupid when she interrupts her conversation in the waiting room. Later on, the main conflict is established between a teenage girl and Mrs. Turpin. Throughout the story, this conflict builds up as they exchange negative gestures and rude facial expressions. The situation escalates when the teenage girl throws a book at Mrs. Turpin and attacks her. All of these conflicts provide the story with an unhappy ending. At the end of the story, Mrs. Turpin can’t comprehend why she is not liked. She does not realize that she is very egotitistical and self-centered. When she reflects on the comments that were said to her when she was in the waiting room, she repeatedly asks herself questions. “How am I a hog?” and “exactly how am I like them?” (O’Connor). These questions that she cannot answer puts her into a state of grief and