Andres Hernandez
Eng.101

Critics agree that the symbolism helps bring out the message in the story. The waiting room can be a symbol of purgatory for some. “The doctor’s waiting room, which was very small was almost full when the Turpins entered and Mrs.Turpin, who was very large in her presence” (revelation 191) If O’connor would not have put in the story wouldn’t have as much meaning “it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is.” (O’Connor 334) This critic being O’connor herself, implies it takes everything necessary to establish the meaning in the story. Without the waiting room Mrs.Turpin revelation would not have been a reality. The key to the waiting room is when Mary Grace throws the book at Mrs.Turpin, another example of symbolism. “The book struck her directly over her left eye.”(206) It is with this act that helps Mrs. Turpin achieve her revelation. The throwing of the book is seen as symbolism because that violent act opens the eyes of Mrs.Turpin. “the short story requires more drastic procedures then the novel because more has to be accomplished in less space.”(333) This critic feels this act of symbolism must be drastic enough because it will be the only thing capable of showing the error of her ways. It was essential that the book was thrown, Mrs.Turnpin being how full of herself as she was, because the violence was the only way it would be the only way to get her revelation.

What Mrs.Turpin dialogue is key, without her smug talk there would be no story. She degrades many people in the story, and she constantly belittles others. “White faced niggers”(202) she says this when she is talking about lazy white people. She uses the term “nigger” a lot. Critics say in reference to O’Connor, “Her characters seem damned precisely to the degree that they lack miss O’connor’s own ‘measure’ of trivialities. They have no measure for