Research On The Characters In Wise Blood From The Perspective Of Symbols

Flannery O’Connor is one of the most prominent southern writers in American literature. Wise Blood, as her masterpiece, has drawn great attention since publication in 1952. The present study examines the symbolic images and their functions in creating the characters and reflecting the theme in Wise Blood.The three main characters in the novel are Hazel Motes, Enoch Emery, and Asa Hawks. Being a devious malgre lui, Hazel strives to prove the existence of Jesus. Through doubt, loss of faith, corruption, blasphemy, and conversion, Hazel eventually finds his conviction and can "see" clearly with his blurred eyes. Enoch is a new comer to the city, Taulkinham and he encounters only the coldness and cruelty of the surroundings. Conceited with having wise blood and obsessed with the materialized world, Enoch has done many ridiculous and confusing things. Like Enoch, Sabbath Lily Hawks also suffers a lot during her growth. Both of them lead to a quite different road in the process of questing for redemption. Asa Hawks used to be a pious disciple of Jesus. He nearly blinds himself to justify his firm belief but gives up the moment he gets the lime into his eyes. Disguising as a blind preacher, he starts to cheat for money in the street.On the depiction of the characters, a great number of symbols are used. This thesis carefully analyzes the main symbols like eyes, stones, car, blood, light etc. to find out their functions in featuring the protagonists as well as in strengthening the theme of the novel. Through the analysis of the symbols, the authentic meaning of wise blood and a world of spiritual blankness that O’Connor concerns are vividly revealed.