Revelation by Flannery O'Connor

Introduction

The story is about a woman bearing racist and judgmental perceptions. The name of the character is Mrs. Turpin. There are several situations presented in the story that reflect her mindset and personality. This can be observed by reviewing the happenings in the story which are discussed in the succeeding paragraphs.

The Story (Situations reflecting Mrs. Turpin's Personality)

While Mrs. Turpin and her husband Claud are waiting in the doctor's office for treatment of Claud's bruised leg, Mrs. Turpin strikes up a conversation with some of the other patients but becomes annoyed with a Wellesley student, whom she thinks is fat and ugly and who scowls at her. Mrs. Turpin notices that the girl, Mary Grace, seems to be staring at her malevolently, and when she tries to engage the girl in conversation, she is snubbed. As she sizes up the people in the doctor's office, Mrs. Turpin classifies them, as is her wont. She thinks that Mary Grace's mother is stylishly dressed and pleasant, in contrast to the woman with the small child sitting nearby, whom she regards as white trash.

While talking to Mary Grace's mother, Mrs. Turpin concentrates her attention on herself. As the reader soon learns, she is mostly preoccupied with herself. She thinks about how fortunate she is to be who she is, rather than being black or merely white trash. Just as she comments to others on how grateful she is for all she is and has, she is suddenly assaulted by Mary Grace — struck by the book that she has been reading. As she struggles to escape, Mrs. Turpin feels as if she is watching the event from far away somewhere. When Mary Grace is sedated, Mrs. Turpin asks her what she has to say for herself and waits as if for a revelation. Mary Grace calls her a warthog and tells her to go back to Hell (Frederick, Pp. 11).

Because she believes that Mary Grace had something to say to her rather than any of the others in the doctor's office, who were more deserving of such reprobation, Mrs. Turpin sees herself as being singled out to be given a specific message. As she thinks over the revelation later, she becomes angry, and it continues to prey on her mind.

Later, while talking to the black women who work for her husband, Mrs. Turpin relates the incident, and the women commiserate with her, ...