14-1 Flannery O’Connor

Flannery O’Connor was born in Savannah Georgia where she lived until she died, at age thirty-eight. She is known for her wit, simplicity and masterful reproduction of colloquial speech of her native South. She is known for her short stories. Mrs Freeman has been working for Mrs. Hopewell for four years, and the two women often converse over breakfast in the Hopewell’s kitchen. Mrs. Hopewell considers Mrs. Freeman to be extremely nosy. Hugla is Mrs.Hopewells daughter that is called Joy and her mother refueses to call her by her legal name. Hulga was choosen for it’s uglyness. Mrs. Freeman loves calling her by the name Hulga, because she likes what she thinks is ugly things. Hulga makes eggs while her mother considers how she probably should not have earned a Ph.D. in philosophy, since it has not brought her any good. Hulga has been sick and probably does not have long to live. That is the reason she still lives at home.
As Hulga makes eggs, her mother wonders what she said to the Bible salesman who visited the day before. He told her that he was just a poor country boy and that he had a heart condition that might kill him soon. He didn’t want to go to college, he just wanted to sell Bibles. Mrs. Hopewell ask him to stay for dinner and Hugla ignoired him which really borthers her mom. After dinner, Manley the salesman leaves. Hulga was standing in the road and he stopped near her to talk. Mrs. Hopewell wonders what was said between her daughter and Manley. Eventually, Mrs. Hopewell brings up the Bible salesman, and Mrs. Freeman mentions that she saw him leave clearly, she saw him talking to Hulga. Hulga and the salesman connected about the fact that they both might die soon from a heart condition, and he invites her on a picnic for the next day.She goes to meet him at the gate.Manley has been waiting for her behind a bush across the street, and as they walk toward the woods, he asks her about her wooden leg. She is bothered by his question. He kisses her and she really don’t think it is that great.They continue to kiss, and without her leg she feels entirely dependent on Manley. But she begins to panic and wants her leg back. He opens his brief case to reveal that there are only two Bibles inside, and that they are fake; they open to reveal a flask of whiskey, a pack of cards, and some medicine in a box. Hulga is shocked and asks, aren’t you just good country people?” He laughs and implies that he is going to rape her. She yells at him, “You’re a Christian!” and accuses him of being a hypocrite. He still refuses to give her her leg instead, he slams it inside his brief case and climbs down the ladder, leaving her up in the loft On his way down, he calls to her that she is not so much smarter than him; he doesn’t believe in God.  Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman are in the back pasture and as they watch him leave, Mrs. Freeman comments that she could never be as simple as he is.