Queer Theory for O’Connor’s Everything That Rise Must Converge

In almost a couple of strokes, O’Connor sketched out the family conflict between mother and son. The author also outlined the problem of the era, the break-in consciousness, and fear of incomprehensible changes. The story is dedicated to family relations that stifle, like shackles that pull to the ground. This topic has always aroused the reader’s interest, but not all authors can present these painful points well.

O’Connor seems to be putting pressure on the pain points of his audience, touching on very personal aspects of people’s lives. The feeling of an impending finale, instead of tragic chords, leads to some thoughts. To study the problem of the work, the queer theory can be applied, which assumes that the gender and sexual orientation of an individual are determined not by the biological sex but by the socio-cultural environment and upbringing.

Works Cited

Evans, Robert C. The Critical Reception of Flannery O’Connor, 1952-2017: “Searchers and Discoverers.” Boydell & Brewer, 2018.

This source provides an overview of numerous articles critical of Flannery O’Connor from 1952-to 2017. This shows how the changes in the writer’s critique reflected more significant changes both in society and in various critical approaches. This work is valuable because it can help to look at the author’s work from different angles. The opinions of critics of various times contribute to a better understanding of O’Connor’s literature and vision. The work also allows us to fully assess O’Connor’s contribution to American short fiction, considering her work in the context of the development of the genre and criticism in American literature.

Halley, Janet, and Andrew Parker, eds. After Sex? On Writing Since Queer Theory. Duke University Press, 2020.

In this source, the authors offer personal reflections on the history, achievements, potential, and limitations of queer theory. They explore the purpose of this theory and the extent to which it relates to the sex and sexuality of the individual. The concept of queer appeared in the artistic environment in the second half of the last century, in the wake of a radical renewal of the languages of science and language, which actively borrowed new concepts from fiction and everyday life (Halley and Andrew 21). This source is valuable as it considers queer theory from various aspects, not only social but also, for example, political. The authors also explore the interaction of theory with issues of transnationality and globalization. The study will be helpful in this paper as it will give a complete understanding of queer theory. In turn, understanding this concept will help to interpret O’Connor’s work better.

Kessler, Edward. Flannery O’Connor and the Language of Apocalypse. Princeton University Press, 2017.

This work shows how Flannery O’Connor uses repetitive figures of speech to transform or recreate the external world. The author explores the features of the writer’s works and how they can influence the formation of the author’s style and reputation. A seemingly harmless story is transformed by the author into something challenging, luring the reader’s attention. The characteristic transition from a story novel to a novel in which the story is subordinated to the psychological disclosure of characters, the study of the oddities of human nature is one of the main features of the author. The book will help in a better understanding of the writer’s work. With Flannery O’Connor and the Language of Apocalypse’s help, it can be understood how O’Connor created her works and why she used specific means of expression.