The Lame Shall Enter First

“The Lame Shall Enter First” was a much better story by Flannery O’Connor than her previous “Everything That Rises Must Converge”, in my opinion. One solid theme that particularly stood out to me was the idea of not fully appreciating something until it’s gone, which seems to be a particular folly of the human condition; we don’t fully appreciate the things in our life, little or big, until there is a stark contrast in the situation or a complete lack thereof. I find it pretty interesting that one of the main characters is so aptly named ‘Sheppard’, as in the biblical reference of someone who ‘Sheppard’s’ the weak from the valley of darkness.

Sheppard’s assumption that his child, Norton, is wasteful, unappreciative and selfish only comes from his complete immersion in the lives of children with nothing at the reformatory. The antagonistic character, Rufus Johnson, serves as a distraction from his own child whom has no path or direction in life, let-alone intelligence. But I believe this is only Sheppard’s view because he has put up figurative blinders in viewing his son and his behaviors; it is Sheppard’s own selfishness in the absolute need to be, in some way, the very reason for someone to have a perfect life, other than his own son. If Sheppard had showed half the interest in reforming Norton as he did in Johnson, the completely unnecessary and horrifying suicide of his son probably would not have occurred.

Everything You Do Comes Around

“Julian walked with his hands in his pockets, his head down and thrust forward and his eyes glazed with the determination to make himself completely numb during the time he would be sacrificed to her pleasure.” Julian does not like the way his mother dresses, carries herself and acts; in fact it’s pretty apparent that he does not like his mother as a human being. I found it interesting that the only joy Julian experiences throughout the story is watching his mother cringe and scowl, through her painted veil of racism and stereotyping. It’s in this same vein that his mother, too, rejoices at the unease she causes Julian, through her appearance and actions. I think that this story tackles the themes of the real-life stereotypes put into blatant action, the power of denial and eating your ‘just’ dessert, i.e. getting what you deserve.

Personally, I think the karma his mother receives at the end of the story is well justified and that Julian’s life would have been better as a whole if that event had occurred earlier in his childhood. I think a very useful and interesting take on this story would be to look at it from the African-American mother’s eyes; her perspective on a hoity, uppity white woman trying to belittle her child with a penny. I think the fake haven of prosperity and class that Julian’s mother creates is just a safe haven for her bigotry; an attempt to hold on to the backwards values that she practiced.

Also, I saw the ending coming from a mile away.