I just finished Wise Blood and some of A Good Man is Hard to Find and I have to say, I find devout Catholic author Flannery O’Connor just fascinating as someone who is not only not religious, but quite critical of religion. Wise Blood really blew my mind.
The way she expresses her views in such a wacky, disturbing, funny way is obviously unique and worth reading in and of itself, but it’s her deeper messages behind these stories that really get me. It’s so strange because it’s like I can follow her up until the very end. Where my conclusion would be, “See how this doesn’t make sense? See how strange this all is? Surely a god as we know it can’t exist” her conclusion is, “See how this doesn’t make sense? See how strange this all is? That’s why God exists, and you need to believe in him no matter what.” That was my first thought after finishing Wise Blood at least.
I understand that she had serious issues with certain religious teachings different from her own and maybe that’s playing a big role in it. She is very good at demonstrating the hypocrisy of religion through her writings.
Does anyone else find this book just fascinating, either as a religious or non religious person?
by resident_rodent13