Major Issues
Author Links
Essay Questions

Major Issues

It is impossible to read Flannery O’Connor outside the context of the Christian theology that underlies her imagery, symbols, plots, and themes. Critics have identified a common pattern in O’Connor’s short stories, in which a proud, arrogant protagonist is brought to humility through a violent encounter with a stranger, or "outsider." The protagonist’s fall provides a "moment of grace" in which he or she might recognize the sin of self-pride and thus have a chance for salvation. Many scholars have commented on the bizarre and grotesque elements of O’Connor’s fiction, which have been traced to the Southern tall tale tradition. Others note the satirical humor and irony that pervade her work, and through which she shows up the spiritual degradation of modern life. One critic has labelled her work "Christian tragicomedy."

Author Links

Comforts of Home
This helpful gateway site provides a biography, online essays, links to other O’Connor sites, and the latest O’Connor news.

Flannery O’Connor:1925-1964
This bio-critical introduction examines O’Connor’s short, intense life, and draws attention to the religious, Southern gothic, and tragic-comic elements of her work.

Sojourners Magazine
This issue of Sojourners includes four articles on O’Connor’s work.

The Literature, Arts, and Medicine Database from New York University’s School of Medicine includes five O’Connor stories with medical annotations.