Ruby Turpin's Character Traits and Development in the Story Revelation by Flannery O'Connor.
When reading southern authors, those unaccustomed to the culture of the south may be uncomfortable, shocked, or even offended by the derogatory use of language in their works. We find this "folksy" use of slang terms and labels in the work Revelation by Flannery O'Conner.
Verbiage and nomenclature are in constant change in American English language and what may be considered offensive today may have been the accepted form during the time and in the place where it was written. Even at the end of the story Mrs. Turpin continues the use of these descriptive nouns, perhaps because she has no other terms to use. Her growth is revealed more in her thoughtful attitude than in her choice of words.
To understand the use of derogatory labels in the short story Revelation by Flannery O'Connor one must view their timing and context. She was born in 1925 in Savannah, Georgia and her life began shortly after the slow wind down of reconstruction in the southern states. The loss of the Civil War and the plundering of the South by unscrupulous Carpet Baggers left a foul taste in the mouths of most of the common southern people. Attitudes and mores in the South were slow to change and are changing still today. "Her stories are populated with misfits and fanatics from the American South and often address issues of violence and faith." (Answers)
Her character Mrs. Turpin is full of arrogance, malice, and prejudice but she does not seem aware of these traits until her moment of clarity in the pig parlor that resulted from the violent confrontation in the doctor's office. Suddenly she is able to see past her narrow world view and receive a glimpse into the afterlife that awaits us all.
Throughout the entire story we can see that Mrs. Turpin thinks of herself as a Christian and a spiritual being. This is emphatically stated when she confronts her maker five paragraphs from the end of the narrative. She works on the premise that she is deserving of her place in life and grateful that she has not been placed lower and in the realm of niggers and white trash, or to the even worse, the place reserved for the trashy niggers. For her, being what and where she is can be attributed to divine providence, and for that she is genuinely grateful.
She attends church and believes her inclusion in the like-minded congregation buys her the privilege of having "a little of everything" and to be blessed with a partner in life, her husband Claud. Her belief in God is rewarded with a vision of what is to be for her and all the collected niggers, white trash, planters and businessmen.
"Finally, in the last scene, Mrs. Turpin is washing down her hogs in the fading sunlight and erupts in a new prayer, no longer that of the Pharisee, but that of Job." (Black Cordelias). She is made to understand that all God's children are destined for heaven regardless of race, social standing, or state of sanity after their sins, vanity, and virtues are stripped away. She has come to this realization via violence and hatred at the hands of the pimpled faced, ugly girl who, through her veil of contempt, has seen Ruby as she truly is. Her faith, arrogance, and prejudice humble her but at the same time elevates her to a place of understanding she may have never attained without the outburst of a lunatic. Her world has been shaken and the gift of a lesson has been given. If she takes it to heart or not it is a matter of her own choice.
Echoes of the attitudes held by Ruby are still with us today. Even in a "post racial" America that has elected a black President, an undercurrent of arrogance, malice, and prejudice are easily exposed if we scratch away the thin veneer of political correctness that surrounds so many of our daily interactions. It appears even in the rhetoric of well meaning individuals who have recently referred to our current President as "light skinned" and "well spoken." These back handed compliments show how deeply the prejudices of the past slip through Mrs. Turpin into our modern culture in a way that is surely not meant to be hurtful, yet someone is always in the wings to make hay of these comments and attach negative connotations that were not felt or intended. These petty, critical actions demonstrate that we are not yet beyond divisive use of our prejudicial history. The need to apologize for something unfelt and unintended shows the degree of progress we have made. It is a shame that our society has yet to experience the revelation that profoundly changed Ruby Turpin. It seems our culture would benefit from being slapped down by an ugly, pimple faced girl and give us the gift of an outsider's view of our own attitudes.
Works Cited
Answers.com. 10 01 2010
http://www.answers.com/topic/flannery-o-connor
The Black Cordelias.com. 10 01 2010
http://theblackcordelias.wordpress.com/2008/11/01/2379/
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