The great twentieth-century writer Flannery O’Connor
is famous for the bizarre and unpredictable characters
that 1 populates their novels and short stories. Although
these characters are often disagreeable and off-putting
as individuals, O’Connor deftly uses the contrast of their
eccentric personalities to develop a subtle comedic tone.
The introductory pages of O’Connor’s 1952 novel Wise
Blood, 2 in which—the author constructs a conversation
on a train between Mrs. Wally Bee Hitchcock and Hazel
Motes, provide an excellent example of this technique at
work.
Mrs. Hitchcock’s first line of dialogue, although
indirect, captures the essence of her personality: seated
opposite Motes on the train, Mrs. Hitchcock observes that
“the early evening like this was the prettiest time of day and
she asked him if he didn’t think so too.” The word “and”
signals the quick progression from one superficial comment
to another, a habit that defines this character; oblivious to
the silence with which her initial conversational attempts
3 were met, she blithely keeps talking. Considered
4 and evaluated in isolation and without taking her
context into account, Mrs. Hitchcock’s persistence would
be more abrasive than amusing. But we are entertained
by her chattiness precisely because her travel companion
is so tight-lipped. 5 It would be difficult to overstate the
importance of setting in O’Connor’s writing.
[1] Compared to Mrs. Hitchcock’s verbose observation
on the weather, 6 Motes’ attitude is markedly succinct:
“I got to go see the porter.” [2] The terse, clipped speech
pattern signals his irritation. [3] As she waxes eloquent,
her companion waxes short-tempered. [4] The contrast
between their personalities becomes steadily more
pronounced. [5] The alternating pattern of a lengthy, self-
absorbed description and a terse comment continues until
Motes finally interrupts her outright: the only way to stem
the tide that is Mrs. Hitchcock is 7 the abandonment of
silence and enter the conversation. 8
The comedic contrast between these two characters
exemplifies a technique that is central to O’Connor’s
writing. 9 Individually, neither Mrs. Hitchcock nor
Hazel Motes is likeable or even 10 someone you’d want
to hang out with. However, when we are entertained by
their conversation, we begin to become attached to them,
and even if we don’t admire them, it is difficult not to be
interested in their fates. The genius of O’Connor’s comedic
style is that it 11 allows us to see how her personal history
influenced her writing.
is famous for the bizarre and unpredictable characters
that 1 populates their novels and short stories. Although
these characters are often disagreeable and off-putting
as individuals, O’Connor deftly uses the contrast of their
eccentric personalities to develop a subtle comedic tone.
The introductory pages of O’Connor’s 1952 novel Wise
Blood, 2 in which—the author constructs a conversation
on a train between Mrs. Wally Bee Hitchcock and Hazel
Motes, provide an excellent example of this technique at
work.
Mrs. Hitchcock’s first line of dialogue, although
indirect, captures the essence of her personality: seated
opposite Motes on the train, Mrs. Hitchcock observes that
“the early evening like this was the prettiest time of day and
she asked him if he didn’t think so too.” The word “and”
signals the quick progression from one superficial comment
to another, a habit that defines this character; oblivious to
the silence with which her initial conversational attempts
3 were met, she blithely keeps talking. Considered
4 and evaluated in isolation and without taking her
context into account, Mrs. Hitchcock’s persistence would
be more abrasive than amusing. But we are entertained
by her chattiness precisely because her travel companion
is so tight-lipped. 5 It would be difficult to overstate the
importance of setting in O’Connor’s writing.
[1] Compared to Mrs. Hitchcock’s verbose observation
on the weather, 6 Motes’ attitude is markedly succinct:
“I got to go see the porter.” [2] The terse, clipped speech
pattern signals his irritation. [3] As she waxes eloquent,
her companion waxes short-tempered. [4] The contrast
between their personalities becomes steadily more
pronounced. [5] The alternating pattern of a lengthy, self-
absorbed description and a terse comment continues until
Motes finally interrupts her outright: the only way to stem
the tide that is Mrs. Hitchcock is 7 the abandonment of
silence and enter the conversation. 8
The comedic contrast between these two characters
exemplifies a technique that is central to O’Connor’s
writing. 9 Individually, neither Mrs. Hitchcock nor
Hazel Motes is likeable or even 10 someone you’d want
to hang out with. However, when we are entertained by
their conversation, we begin to become attached to them,
and even if we don’t admire them, it is difficult not to be
interested in their fates. The genius of O’Connor’s comedic
style is that it 11 allows us to see how her personal history
influenced her writing.