Thursday, February 11, 2016
Due Friday
Response to "Revelation"
1. What would you identify as the central message of this piece? What greater truth or profound thought is the author communicating? How do you know? Support your response with one direct quote from the reading.
The main idea, and Mrs. Turpin's Revelation, is that even what people consider to be basic human virtues are incomparable to God. When Mrs. Turpin is in the waiting room at the doctors, Mary Grace, an angry teenage girl, grabs her by the throat and throws her book at her. When Mrs. Turpin goes to confront her about it, she whispers "Go back to hell where you came from, you old wart hog," (O'Connor 272). When she gets back home she looks up to what seems to be a road to the sky formed by the setting sun rays. "There were whole companies of white-trash, clean for the first time in their lives, and bands of black n****** in white robes, and battalions of freaks and lunatics shouting and leaping and clapping like frogs. And bringing up the end of the procession was a tribe of people whom she recognized at once as those who, like herself and Claud, had always had a little of everything and the God-given wit to use it right." (O'Connor 280). In that part of the piece she is saying how she doesn't understand why all the "white-trash" people are in the front and trailing behind are the "well-rounded Christians" . That's where her revelation comes in.
ReplyDeleteThe underlying message of Revelation is that the quality of a person’s character cannot be classified by economic standing or race. Ruby Turpin is convinced that disposition is based upon occupation and education. As she ponders who she would be if she was someone other than herself. She said if she was forced to choose to be either “a nigger or white trash” she would say “All right, make me a nigger then-but that don’t mean a trashy one” (O’Connor 263.) This internal dispute continues throughout the piece when she discusses African Americans with the pleasant lady and the lady whom she nicknamed “white trash”. She explained “There’s a heap of things worse than a nigger. It’s all kinds of them just like it’s all kinds of us” (O’Connor 266.) She dictates physical attributes quintessential and completely disregards the character of others. Revelation offers an ethical lesson by exposing a moral conflict that is, unfortunately, very present in today’s society.
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ReplyDeleteI would identify the central message of Revelation as the classification of people. The author is communicating that it’s human nature to classify people into different categories. As soon as Ruby Turpin walks into the doctor's office she takes in her surroundings and starts subconsciously judging and labeling the people around her as ugly or white trash, ext. She doesn’t take the time to learn the names rather she refers to them as “White trash women” or ‘the ugly girl”. In one part she explains her thinking process about if she would rather be born black or white trash, it is obviously an internal struggle trying to come up with the answer. Finally she decides if she were that unlucky she would prefer to be born a black women, but only a classy one (this shows underlying racism). “She would have wiggled and squirmed and begged and pleaded but it would have been no use and finally she would have to say, “All right, make me a nigger then-but that don’t mean a trashy one.” And he would have to make me a neat clean respectable Negro women, herself but black.”
ReplyDeleteI would say the underlying message of Revelation is that character should not be judged based on social class or ethnicity. Rather, who they really are as people. Ruby Turpin is quick to judge. Ironically, Ruby is a very self conceded person. She doesn't learn names, she judges by appearance, which was evident in the waiting room. At one point in Revelation, Ruby Turpin says "You could never say anything intelligent to a nigger. You could talk at them but not with them" (O'Connor 277). This statement clearly exhibits her character. She has established a prejudice mentality, classifying people based on their social class, and appearance. I would like to think today we no longer have these issues in our society. Unfortunately this behavior still shines brightly in our world.
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ReplyDeleteThe central message of "Revelation" is classifying people into categories, and how everybody has their own ways of classifying people. However, the very first thing that Ruby Turpin does is labeling and classifying all of those around her. She would label people as "white trash women" and "the ugly girl". Most of the time all she would ever due is classify people into her own categories which would typically be based on their race. All of her classifications are very harsh and insulting though. For example, "All right, make me a nigger then--but that don't mean a trashy one" (O'Connor 262). Ruby Turpin only would classify people by their appearance and did not care at all for the personality and character that they had. She also explains about how she would think about if she would rather be black or white. She finally came up with the answer that she would most likely want to be a classy black woman. It is pretty clear that the author is trying to convey the message that a person should not be judged based on their race or what their social standing is, but on their character and their personality. The author shows this by providing a story about a person who does the complete opposite.
ReplyDeleteI think that the central message of "Revelation" is to identify the different classes of people. "On the bottom of the heap were most colored people, not the kind she would have been if she had been one, but most of them; then next to them—not above, just away from—were the white-trash; then above were the home-owners, and above them the home-and-land-owners, to which she and Claud belonged. Above she and Claud were people with a lot of money and much bigger houses and much more land" (O'Connor 262). This quote represents that the authors main purpose for the essay was to show the division of classes. I believe that the greater truth or the deeper meaning of the essay was to show how severe discrimination was back then. I recognized that this essay was in an older time when the ladies in the waiting room repeatedly said n***** and it did not phase any of them. The deeper meaning of this essay was to show how bad the conditions of discrimination used to be. I know this because there were many openly racist comments throughout the essay. "'They ought to send all them n****** back to Africa," the white trash woman said. 'That's wher they come from in the first place'"(O'Connor 266). This essay doesn't only discriminate against black people but it also discriminates against people of lower classes because the term "white trash" is constantly used. The essay discriminates against almost everyone that isn't wealthy and white; this is why I believe it was based in the past.
ReplyDeleteI found that the central message in "Revelations" was to promote that no one is singularly alike. However, even though we are all different and unique we can each fit into certain categories. In "Revelations" readers are shown the world of a doctors waiting room through the eyes of Ruby Turpin. She is quick to judge based on appearance and manor. She find flaws in all people around her, including herself(mainly her size) and attributes each character to their own class. Ruby Turpin is opinionated in nature and highly prejudice. "She had on a yellow sweatshirt and wine- colored slacks, both gritty-looking, and the rims of her lips were stained with snuff. Her dirty yellow hair was tied behind with a little piece of red paper ribbon. Worse than niggers any day, Mrs. Turpin thought." ( O'Connor 261). For the majority of the plot Ruby voices her opinions on the other around her, however she soon realizes that everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
ReplyDeleteI think that the central message of this piece is quite clear. Human beings should not be judged on the color of their skin, their social status, their financial standing or their appearances. Rather, we shall judge them upon the content of their character. Unfortunately Ruby Turnpin exhibits all of these wrong doings when she imparts her bias judgement upon all those that surround her in the waiting room."You could never say anything intelligent to a nigger. You could talk at them but not with them" (O'Connor 277). This is an absolutely appalling statement that Ruby makes and she represents all that should not be done said or though when imparting judgement.
ReplyDeleteI would identify the central message of "Revelation" as being the classification of people. As soon as Ruby Turpin walks into the doctor's office she takes in her surroundings and starts judging and labeling the people around her with all kinds of ugly judgements. I feel that the author is communicating that it’s human nature to classify people into different categories. Ruby didn't even take the time to learn the names rather she refers to them as “White trash women” or ‘the ugly girl”. In one part she explains her thinking process about if she would rather be born black or white trash, it is obviously an internal struggle trying to come up with the answer. She later finally decides if she were that unlucky she would prefer to be born a classy black women. “She would have wiggled and squirmed and begged and pleaded but it would have been no use and finally she would have to say, “All right, make me a nigger then-but that don’t mean a trashy one.” And he would have to make me a neat clean respectable Negro women, herself but black." I think that this particular quote showed volume on the underlying person Ruby is.
ReplyDeleteI feel that the central message of the piece is to not judge others. O'Connor does this in a satiric way through her character Mrs. Turpin. Mrs. Turpin portrays the judgmental character O'Conner is trying to tell us not to be as seen here, "There's only two places available for you. You can either be a nigger or white trash,' what would she have said? 'Please, Jesus, please,' she would have said."(O'Conner 262) This quote reflects that she begs Jesus to not make her African American or "white trash" because she is judgmental based on skin color also known as racist. Later in the piece she continues to judge others based on their appearance in the waiting room. This scene is the majority of the book and is where the satiric message occurs.
ReplyDeleteThe central message of Flannery O’Connor’s “Revelation” is to show that all people are equal in God’s eyes. Too often, people make judgments based on race, education, and wealth instead of character, personality, or work ethic. In “Revelation,” Mrs. Turpin was quick to label people before she even spoke to know them. O’Connor writes, “All right, make me a nigger then-but that don’t mean a trashy one” (O’Connor 263). It is unfortunate, but I believe that this stereotyping still occurs daily. It is important to remember message indicated in the passage and keep in mind each person is fighting a different battle.
ReplyDeleteThe central message of the piece is conveyed as to suggest that people should not be judged on their physical features and financial standings. The main character, Mrs. Turpin is not very considerate and chooses to rate people based on these very characteristics rather than focusing on their true self as a person. The author invokes the reader to recognize that it is not appropriate to judge people before knowing the truths about the person. No one person has the ability to choose their skin color or demographic background. This creates irony when Mrs. Turpin talks about what she would choose if it was a choice. "Sometimes at night when she couldn't go to sleep, Mrs. Turpin would occupy herself with the question of who she would have chosen to be if she couldn't have been herself." (O'Connor 261). She would never actually have the choice, but she continues to think on the matter and create her own false reality.
ReplyDeleteThe message of the piece Revelation by O'Connor is that your standing in society isn't based on color but rather education but even still, Mrs. Turpin places people into these social standings based on looks. She says she's not a racist for she'd rather be black than white trash yet she still places the ugly girl as lower class because her features are less pleasing. Basically she is just saying that's in the eyes of God, we are all equal and have been through different things and therefore placing people into categories is wrong.
ReplyDeleteThe central message of the piece Revalation by O'Connor is to not judge others. The author is trying to convey that people are judged by their appearance to often. Mrs. Turpin is constantly judging how trashy the women is and others by there race. The author is trying to show that it is not okay. For example she says "They ought to send all them n****** back to Africa," the white-trash women said. "That's wher they came from in the first place" (O'Connor 266). This is displaying the racism and its problems in our society
ReplyDeleteThe message of the piece "Revelation" is that human beings should be judged based on appearances or wealth but rather how they actually are as humans. The events that transpired in the story used to be extremely common and even though prejudice and racism has decreased in society there are areas where it is still prevalent and we must remember that. "There's only two places available for you. You can either be a nigger or white trash,' what would she have said? 'Please, Jesus, please,' she would have said."O'Conner 262 In this quote those who are in the waiting room are being judged heavily while also being the ones who are judging and we are shown throughout the rest of the story that prejudice is a trend that once started, is hard to stop.
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