Perspective Reading Response

          In "The Function of Violence in O'Connor's Fiction," Claire Katz discusses how O'Connor uses violence "to reveal the need for grace in a world grotesque with transcendent context" (Katz 398). O'Connor uses violence to shatter the idea that "human nature is perfectible by its own efforts" (Katz 399). Thus, her main characters are often left powerless and recognize their dependence on Christ.

          Choose an O'Connor story, and explain how grace - the divine influence from God that redeems a person - is used in it to transform a character. 

           In “Revelation,” grace is used to transform Mrs. Turnpin. In the beginning, the reader gets to learn about how Mrs. Turnpin categorizes people. For example, in the waiting room, she stereotypes each person in her head, referring to one woman as “white-trash” (O’Connor 382). At night, Mrs. Turnpin occupies herself by “naming the classes of people” (O’Connor 383). The narrator tells the reader that she thinks “on the bottom of the heap were most colored people…then next to them…were the white-trash; then above them were the homeowners, and above them the home-and-land owner” (O’Connor 383). Even though Mrs. Tunpin shows kindness to all the different classes, it doesn’t come from the heart. For example, she says “I sure am tired of buttering up niggers, but you got to love em if you want em to work for you” (O’Connor 385). Mary Grace tells her “Go back to hell where you came from, you old wart hog” (O’Connor 389). Mrs. Turnpin struggles with this statement and confronts God and asks “Why me?” (O’Connor 393). She then has a vision where many people are rumbling toward heaven with the “white-trash,” “black niggers,” and “freaks and lunatics” leading the way while the people like Claud and herself are “bringing up the end” (O’Connor 394). After seeing this, Mrs. Turnpin “remained where she was, immobile” (O’Connor 395). The vision she has taught her that those who are last will be first and that everyone is seen as equal before God. God’s grace is meant for all people.