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Some Student

Professor Tahir

English 110

Date

The Importance of Civility in the Pursuit of Social Change

In Flannery O’Conner’s short story “Everything That Rises Must Converge,” O’Connor

depicts the conflict between a conservative mother and a progressive son over their perspectives

on the end of segregation. Although the main character, Julian, has been brought up with the

same racist and superficial tendencies expressed throughout the story by his mother, his college

education has caused him to severely diverge. As a result of this difference in values, Julian

resents his mother and openly attempts to punish her for her inhumane beliefs, regardless of the

kindness she continues to shower him with. This generational discrepancy is used by O’Conner

to show the impacts of changing social values across America. However, the lack of gratitude

towards his mother that accompanies Julian’s toleration towards African Americans makes the

meaning of the story beyond the simple contrast between right and wrong. Through the negative

attitudes that accompany Julian’s morally righteous beliefs, O’Connor aims to show the

importance of civility in the pursuit of social change.

At the opening of the narrative, Julian’s mother is shown obsessing over the appearance

of her hat as she prepares to leave for her weight reduction class. This introduction of Julian’s

mother indicates to the reader that her character is superficially driven, one of the main ways in

which she contrasts with her son. After affirming her decision to wear the hat to her weight

reduction class, Julian’s mother begins to explain to Julian that he should have pride in his

identity, which can be ascertained from the fact that his “great-grand-father had a plantation and

Comment [1]: The introduction begins broadly and becomes more focused as it provides specific context for the thesis.

Comment [2]: The thesis is clear and expresses a focused argument about the story. It also indicates what elements of the story (characters and themes) the writer will focus on in the body of the essay.

Comment [3]: Clear and focused topic sentence that expresses the main idea of the paragraph.

two hundred slaves” (O’Connor 2). Then, when the two reach the bus stop, the mother shows

how important appearance is to her again by ostracizing Julian for his decision to remove his tie.

By exclaiming “[w]hy must you deliberately embarrass me?” in response to Julian’s

unprofessional look, it becomes clear that social class is the mother’s primary source of

satisfaction (O’Connor 3). Her value in public status in combination with her distaste for the

integration of whites and African Americans demonstrates that Julian’s mother is a symbol of

conservative America. As this symbol, the mother represents an aversion to societal progression

and a willingness to maintain the status quo of white dominance. Although, in the story’s setting

of the civil rights era, the general public is experiencing a shift in morality, Julian’s mother

resists this social wave. She is the embodiment of the white demographic that stands in the way

of African American equality.

In contrast to his mother’s overt resistance to social change, Julian represents the new

generation’s zealous embrace of this change. While his mother takes great pride in how she

appeared to others, Julian tries to stress to her that “true culture is in the mind” (O’ Connor 4).

To Julian, social status is irrelevant, and his self-worth comes from his education. As a result of

this disparity, Julian’s association with African Americans, who were considered in the setting of

the story as lower in status than whites, does not damage his self-image. In fact, Julian makes an

effort to show his acceptance of African American desegregation and does so by moving seats on

the bus to sit near an African American man. Not only does Julian not share the same values as

his mother, but he is repulsed by her inability to reject her conservative ideas. Instead of

contesting his mother’s prejudices through discourse, Julian demonstrates his disapproval

through refusal to communicate. When Julian’s mother mentions her “colored friends” out of an

attempt to appeal to her son, Julian simply ends the conversation by asking “will you for God’s

Comment [4]: Good integration of a quote for support.

Comment [5]: Clear and focused topic sentence. It’s clear that the main idea of the paragraph is that Julian represents a common attitude.

sake get off that subject?” (O’Connor 3). While his moral viewpoints alone would initially make

Julian the obvious favorite over his mother in the eyes of the reader, his distasteful attitude

makes this conclusion less likely.

Although the mother has egregious social outlooks, her generosity towards her son is a

redeeming character trait. The only thing Julian’s mother cares for more than her perception in

the eyes of others is the wellbeing of her son. A clear juxtaposition to her fixation over her hat is

that own “teeth had gone unfilled so that [Julian’s] could be straightened” (O’Connor 5). While

many aspects of the story point to the mother’s self-absorbed character, her sacrifices for her son

are a major exception. In addition, the mother offers constant encouragement to her son in

relation to his dreams of becoming a writer. Even though Julian does not yet have a job and

makes minimal money through selling typewriters, his mother is still proud of him. Julian makes

it obvious that he has no interest in fitting in with his family’s history of wealth and

capitalization of African American oppression, but this does not stop his mother from providing

for him and loving him. Julian’s mother is able to sperate political views from character value,

and by doing so, she maintains her affection for her son. Through this endearment for her son,

O’Connor show’s that one’s political views is not the most important aspect of defining a

character.

On the other hand, Julian is not able to make the distinction between politics and

character at all. Despite everything she has given him, Julian does not show gratitude since he is

blinded by his hatred for the views his mother embodies. Unable to hide his resentment, Julian

manifests his differences in perspective by purposely attempting to offend his mother. Both when

Julian decides to sit next to the African American man on the bus and when he removes his tie,

he is deliberately acting in a manner that he knows will anger his mother. Julian does not simply

Comment [6]: Here the student makes a point related to the main idea of the paragraph. To support that point, he provides a specific example.

Comment [7]: Clear and focused topic sentence.

Comment [8]: The concluding sentence summarizes the main idea/point of the paragraph.

Comment [9]: Topic sentence.

act according to his progressive social stance, but rather acts in spite of his mother’s

conservatism. While sitting in silence on the bus, Julian even begins to imagine “his mother

lying desperately ill and his being able to secure only a Negro doctor for her” (O’Connor). Julian

does not use his progressivism to promote healthy social change, but rather weaponizes it against

his mother. This tendency to act only out of a will to cause harm towards a person who shows

him nothing but kindness severely disgraces Julian’s character. Julian is not genuine in his

tolerance towards African Americans. If it were not for his mother’s conservatism and his

distaste for his mother, Julian would not be so intent on promoting social justice. In reality,

Julian’s sympathy towards the marginalized is not his primary focus, and accordingly, Julian

does not strive to convert his mother as much as he attempts to upset her. As a result, the

dichotomy between the mother and son becomes much more complicated than their differences

in perspectives.

Since Julian has such a hostile attitude, he is not able to form a bond with his mother that

would allow her to genuinely consider what he has to say. As a result, the mother does not take

his advice, and decides to give a young African American boy a penny. Unfortunately, this

generous gesture comes across as demeaning to the African American boy’s mother, causing her

to attack Julian’s mom with her purse. Despite Julian’s foresight that the woman would take

offense from his mother’s gift, Julian’s lack of civility shown throughout the entire narrative

causes his mother to ignore him when he has useful insight. Shortly after being struck by the

purse, Julian’s mother then “fell to the pavement” and became unconscious (O’Connor 10).

Since Julian decided to take a hostile approach in response to his differences with his mother, the

story ends with his mother’s implied death.

Comment [10]: References to specific parts of the story and use of a quote to develop the main idea.

Through this complication, O’Conner demonstrates the ineffectiveness of aggression

when attempting to create social change. Although Julian is the morally righteous character by

measure of modern standards, his inability to communicate with those who disagree with him

renders his moral perspectives useless. Without the ability to create widespread change, Julian’s

progressive beliefs are not helpful to the betterment of society. His mother’s death, which could

have been easily avoided, was caused by a hatred for different ideologies that left productive

conversation impossible. Without proper communication between opposing sides, neither side is

able to impact the other, and nothing positive is gained.

Comment [11]: The conclusion reiterates the main ideas of the essay and closes with commentary on the ideas in the story.