| Author | |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: Nov 19 2005 at 7:51am | IP Logged
|
 |
|
Any y'all read (and more importantly, maybe) understand/like Flannery O'Connor? A couple of ladies and I are getting together in a couple of weeks to discuss her short story: "The Life You Save May be Your Own". Well, I read it and just don't get it! Now, I've read her letters, The Habit of Being -- but I still don't get her stories.... 
My friend did send this link The Dark Side of the Cross and I'm sure she's good. What am I missing? Any hints, advice or suggestions?
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Rachel May
Forum All-Star
Joined: June 24 2005
Location: Kansas
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2057
|
| Posted: Nov 19 2005 at 10:31am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Ha1 Glad I'm not the only one. I read A Good Man is Hard to Find in college and went, "huh?" A friend has been recommending a book of her letters, but I don't know.
__________________
Rachel
Thomas and Anthony (10), Maria (8), Charles (6), Cecilia (5), James (3), and Joseph (1)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
momwise
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2005
Location: Colorado
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1914
|
| Posted: Nov 19 2005 at 9:40pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Our book club read Wise Blood and watched the movie a couple of years ago. It was difficult. We struggled a bit but used some commentaries and with some discussion we really could see some where some of the satire was coming from. That doesn't mean we liked it. Well, one of our ladies did, one hated it more than anything she'd ever read (she wouldn't come to the movie night  ) and the rest of us were not ready to go out and try another one. She satirizes Southern protestant culture ( Wise Blood is about a fundamentalist street preacher). Check google.com for articles about the story you read and see if that helps
__________________
Gwen...wife for 30 years, mom of 7, grandma of 3.....
"If you want equal justice for all and true freedom and lasting peace, then America, defend life." JPII
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Caryn
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 07 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 22
|
| Posted: Nov 20 2005 at 12:54pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Good luck with O'Connor . I just pre-read "Everything That Rises Must Converge" a few months ago before reading it with my teenage dd, and found it so dark and sad that I made my dh listen to it (why do we do that?) We decided to skip it for our dd.
I can't find anything inspiring in O'Connor's work, and don't know if it's just my own ignorance, but I haven't had time to educate myself more about her--at least not yet 
Sorry to be of no help,
Caryn
__________________
Caryn (dh Rob, 18 years; dd Emmy, 16 years)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cay Gibson
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5193
|
| Posted: Nov 20 2005 at 4:10pm | IP Logged
|
|
|
Caryn wrote:
I can't find anything inspiring in O'Connor's work, and don't know if it's just my own ignorance, but I haven't had time to educate myself more about her--at least not yet
|
|
|
Caryn,
Don't worry about being ignorant when reading O'Connor's work. I've been reading and studying her this past year. She is a hard read. I had to join in an eloop discussion to understand her work.
Remember, she was writing for backwoods Protestant readers who needed a *kick in the pants* to see and understand Christianity around them.
Her work was not written for gentle, church-going, Catholic people like ourselves. Studying the author first and then her work, teaches us a lot about the anti-Christian world around us and the reasons why they think and act the way they do.
Why would we want to learn about the way anti-Christians think? Because, in doing so, we can better understand how to reach out to them. To meet a person halfway, you have to know where they're coming from.
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Caryn
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 07 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 22
|
| Posted: Nov 21 2005 at 4:40am | IP Logged
|
|
|
<Remember, she was writing for backwoods Protestant readers who needed a *kick in the pants* to see and understand Christianity around them.>
Thanks, Cay! That might explain the hard edge to the stories-at the end of the story, I just thought that no one was redeemed, and now the mom was gone, and what was the point?
I might try to read her again after a break. Maybe in the New Year, if it's a sunny day
Caryn
__________________
Caryn (dh Rob, 18 years; dd Emmy, 16 years)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Cay Gibson
Forum All-Star
Joined: July 16 2005
Location: Louisiana
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5193
|
| Posted: Nov 29 2005 at 9:08am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Caryn,
Read this article:
The Art of Flannery O'Connor
__________________
Cay Gibson
"There are 49 states, then there is Louisiana." ~ Chef Emeril
wife to Mark '86
mom to 5
Cajun Cottage Under the Oaks
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: Nov 29 2005 at 9:20am | IP Logged
|
|
|
I also noticed a book in the Winter Ignatius Press catalog -- it's actually from Ave Maria University's press arm, Sapientia Press. Written by Dr. Regis Martin, the book is called Flannery O'Connor: Unmasking the Devil. It sounds good altho it's only 66 pages!
I have read some things online and it reminds me a bit of the "emperor's new clothes" -- only those who understand her, understand her and it seems many nod assent but don't really understand her....just my $.02!
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Caryn
Forum Rookie
Joined: April 07 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 22
|
| Posted: Nov 30 2005 at 4:51am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Cay and Mary,
Thanks for the resources. I just downloaded the article to read, and I'll add the book to my "want to read" list. That book title definitely grabbed my attention!
Caryn
__________________
Caryn (dh Rob, 18 years; dd Emmy, 16 years)
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Kelly
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 21 2005
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 1211
|
| Posted: Nov 30 2005 at 8:19am | IP Logged
|
|
|
She IS on the convoluted side, but her book of letters is very good. Maybe I'm wierd, but I found them very entertaining and droll, though I haven't read the whole book. I loved her short-story, "King of the Birds". I think I'd have a teenager read that more than her other stuff, not so sad and morose.
That 66 page book sounds interesting. Its shortness sounds like a virtue!
Kelly in FL
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
kingvozzo
Forum All-Star
Joined: March 28 2005
Location: Maine
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 2653
|
| Posted: Nov 30 2005 at 8:58am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Mary G. wrote:
I have read some things online and it reminds me a bit of the "emperor's new clothes" -- only those who understand her, understand her and it seems many nod assent but don't really understand her....just my $.02! |
|
|
I haven't read any Flanery O'Conner, but I think a lot of "great" art, including literature is like the emporer's new clothes.
I was a lit major is college, and I think that literature that is so packed with symbolism and background that you need a play-by-play to even try to understand it is worthless. Symbolism is great, but I feel that it should add layers of meaning, not take the place of understanding what on earth the author is trying to convey!!
Ulyssess by Joyce is another example of the emporer's new clothes. I think it makes the academics feel superior when the "rabble" don't understand what's going on.
I think great lit demands more!
__________________
Noreen
Wife to Ed
Mom to 4 great kids and 10 sweet ones in Our Lady's arms
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
Mary G
Forum All-Star
Joined: Feb 07 2005
Location: Virginia
Online Status: Offline
Posts: 5790
|
| Posted: Nov 30 2005 at 9:11am | IP Logged
|
|
|
Noreen, I agree with you. Part of my problem with Miss O'Connor is the story I read was just weird and the only innocent in the story was the only one that something bad happened to -- all else got off "scot free". I just tend to like my stories a bit more uplifting -- some kind of redemption or repentance -- particularly if it's billed as "Catholic" with a capital C.
I should read more by her to see if Ieventually "catch on"...
Thanks to all for sharing your collective wisdom!
__________________
MaryG
3 boys (22, 12, 8)2 girls (20, 11)
my website that combines my schooling, hand-knits work, writing and everything else in one spot!
|
| Back to Top |
|
| |
4Real Forums : Book Club
Topic: Flannery O'Connor ?
