Dissertations and Theses @ UNI
Availability
Open Access Thesis
Keywords
O'Connor, Flannery; O'Connor, Flannery; Salvation in literature;
Abstract
The thesis for which this serves as an abstract consists of a critical investigation of the concept of salvation as seen in the fiction of Flannery O'Connor. To the casual reader, O'Connor's stories provide entertainment, but on more careful perusal, the reader perceives a certain pattern in each story which points to the attainment of salvation. O'Connor is a Catholic writer who enjoys a universal appeal because of the concepts with which she deals . The desire for salvation is not limited to any one religion; rather, the concept of a spiritual existence after death is espoused by many religions. Because of these factors O'Connor's vision of salvation is shared by many. This thesis also explores O 'Connor' Is concept of grace and how it leads to salvation. The characters in her stories are usually guilty of the sin of pride--the greatest sin of all, as viewed by O'Connor. Before they can receive grace which will ultimately lead to their salvation, they must become humble. At the moment this occurs within a character, there is also a sudden change of events or a reversal. In our daily existence there are numerous opportunities for grace, and this thesis explores the various ways in which it occurs. The thesis also examines the role of violence in relation to grace. Violence, as presented by O'Connor, is not included simply for shock value, but, rather, violence is viewed as a necessity to jolt the main character back to reality so that he will be able to measure his spiritual life against the concrete reality of his everyday existence. O'Connor presents the sacraments as a means to salvation, and by partaking in the sacraments, man can strengthen his possibilities for salvation. The sacraments are a means by which man can "renew" his spirituality. The presence of the devil in our daily lives is also a concern of O'Connor's. To her the devil is a very real factor to be dealt with. Although he represents evil, O'Connor believes that evil can sometimes be used for good, and this concept is also explored. Just as she accepts the presence of the devil in a contemporary world, so, too, does O'Connor acknowledge the presence and necessity for prophets in a contemporary world. Although these characters are backwoods, fundamentalist preachers, never are they held up for ridicule. Even though the modern world regards them as radicals, O'Connor presents them in an aura of holiness. She conveys the feeling that in the end they will prevail. Through her fiction O'Connor brings readers to an awareness of a spiritual existence. By becoming humble and utilizing the many opportunities for grace, man can achieve salvation, which O'Connor considers to be the purpose of man's creation.
Year of Submission
1972
Degree Name
Master of Arts
Department
Department of English Language and Literature
First Advisor
George F. Day
Second Advisor
Keith McKean
Third Advisor
E. Russell TePaske
Date Original
1972
Object Description
1 PDF file (89 leaves)
Copyright
©1972 Janet Grant
Language
en
File Format
application/pdf
Recommended Citation
Grant, Janet, "The Concept of Salvation in the Fiction of Flannery O’Connor" (1972). Dissertations and Theses @ UNI. 2776.
https://scholarworks.uni.edu/etd/2776
Comments
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