Summary of Everything that Rises must Converge
About the author
Flannery O’Connor (march 25,1995-august 3,1964) was an
American novelist, short story
writer, and essayist. Her
works are usually set in the rural
American South. She usually write about alienation
and the relationship between the individual
and God.
After
graduating from Georgia state college for women in 1945, she studied creative
writing at the University of Iowa writer’s workshop. She inherited a disease called
lupus erythematous from her father which eventually proved fatal. She was
disabled for a decade due to this disease.
Background of the story Everything that Rises must Converge
The story is
about Julian and his mother. Julian’s mother is very racist and she doesn’t like black people. Julian doesn’t like his mother’s view
towards black people. Julian tries to change his mother's attitude towards Black People. In this story, Julian takes his mother to a
weight-reducing class every Wednesday. The story takes place on one of these
trips.
Characters in Everything that Rises must Converge
1) Julian: Julian is a recent college graduate.
After finishing his college education, he has come to live with his mother. Julian
wants to be a writer. Recently, Julian is selling typewriters. He doesn’t like
his mother because she hates Negros.
2) Julian’s mother: Julian’s mother is a descendent (सन्तति) of a very rich slave-owning family. Since she was grown in aristocratic family, she has a strong hatred towards black people. She raised her son by herself. She has a blood pressure problem so she has to go
to a weight-reducing class every
Wednesday night. Julian takes her to her class. She is afraid to go to the weight
reducing classes of her own in a public bus because she fears that the black people may harm her.
3) Carver’s mother: Craver’s mother is a black woman who boards the bus Julian
and Julian’s mother are riding. She wears the same hat Julian’s mother is wearing. She doesn’t like when her son
talks with white people and doesn’t appreciate any gifts from them.
4) Carver: Craver is a boy who boards the bus
with his mother. He is a playful boy. Carver’s mother doesn’t like carver
playing with Julian’s mother.
5) A well-dressed black man: The well-dressed black man is a
fashionable black passenger on the bus with whom Julian tries to start a
conversation. The well-dressed man shows no interest to talk with Julian.
The theme of the story Everything that Rises must Converge
This story
talks about racism, family, different beliefs of different people, the
generation gap, the culture of the society.
Summary in one sentence: This story is about a son who wants
her mother to treat black and white equally.
Main Summary of Everything that Rises must Converge
The story
opens with Julian’s mother getting ready to go for her weekly weight reducing
class to manage her blood pressure. Julian was waiting for his mother to get
ready. Julian’s mother started getting ready. She was looking at the expensive that she had bought
and wondering whether she should wear it or not. Julian tells her to wear the hat so that they could start their trip quickly.
Julian’s mother eventually wears the hat and they move towards the bus stop.
Julian was disgusted about the neighborhood they were living in. He thinks that
he will buy a house in a good neighborhood someday. Julian and his mother start
to talk while walking. They both start to have a conversation about slavery and
poverty. She tells Julian to realize who he truly is. She wants to remind him
of his forefathers. Julian shows no interest
to go back to his ancestors for his identity.
Julian’s
mother, then, talks about her family history. She starts to talk about her
grandfather. She tells Julian about how rich they were. She talks about the
mansion. Julian pretends that he doesn’t like the mansion but secretly wishes
that he got a chance to live in the mansion.
They both
get to the bus stop. Just to annoy his mother, Julian takes his tie off. His
mother doesn’t like that so she tells him to wear it. She tells Julian that he
looks like a thug. The bus comes to the stop and Julian and his mother get on
the bus. They sit together next to a
thin woman. Julian’s mother is relieved
to find out that there is no black man on the bus. Julian isn’t happy about it
as he had made a plan to sit aside a Negro to annoy his mother.
Julian’s
mother started talking with the other white women on the bus. She finds out
everyone shares the same thought about the Negros as her i.e. Negros are not
good at all. Julian was reading a newspaper beside her. Julian starts to think
about all the hardships his mother has gone through to make sure he has a good
education.
At the next
stop, a well-dressed black man boards the bus. The black man sits beside the
woman but the woman goes further. Julian decides to sit beside him to make his
mother angry. Julian tries to start a conversation with the black man but he
seems uninterested. Julian asks for a lighter from him but realizes that he
doesn’t have a cigarette on him and there is a no smoking sign. Julian returns
the lighter. The man seems annoyed at him.
Julian
starts to think about the various ways he could change his mother's mind. He
thinks that he can bring a black man to dinner. He thinks to bring a black
doctor to treat her. He starts to think about his inability to make any black
friends.
At the next
stop, Craver and his mother enter the bus. Julian feels something similar when
he looks at Craver’s mother. He realizes that his mother and Craver’s mother
are wearing the same hat. Craver sits beside Julian. Julian’s mother and Craver’s
mother sits beside Julian. Julian has a feeling that they both have swapped
their sons. Julian’s mother starts playing with Craver. She thinks all children
are cute. Craver’s mother doesn’t like Craver playing with Julian’s mother so
she scolds Craver. Julian notices that their stop is coming near so Julian
pulls a rope to inform the driver. Craver’s mother also pulls the rope. Julian
realizes that all four of them are getting off at the same stop. Julian is
worried that his mother might try to give a penny to Craver. Julian thinks
about how will Craver’s mother react to the gesture.
All four of them get off the bus. Despite multiple warnings from Julian, his mother gives Craver a penny. Craver’s mother doesn’t like it so she hits Julian’s mother and walks off. Julian’s mother was in shock. Julian starts to scold his mother but doesn’t realize her face. When Julian tries to grab her she asks him to call her grandfather. Julian realizes she is having a stroke and starts to ask for help. Julian’s mother collapses on the ground. Julian cries for help. Julian is overwhelmed by his guilt.
