An Analysis of Hazel Motes in Wise Blood from the Perspective of Posthumanism

Journal: Journal of Higher Education Research DOI: 10.32629/jher.v3i2.753

Yang Yang

Shaanxi Fashion Engineering University, Xi’an 712046, Shaanxi, China

Abstract

Reffering to Flannery O'Connor's Wise Blood, most of the research focuses on the subject of South, religion, violence, Gothic, Oedipus complex as well as the theories of feminism, Freud's psychoanalysis, and deconstruction. Through interpreting the protagonist Hazel Motes in Wise Blood from the perspective of posthumanism, this thesis intends to verify Motes' fragmented self and alienation from others and society. By analyzing the destroyed and broken postwar world and the loss of family members, it indicates a fragmented Hazel Motes both physically and spiritually. By analyzing his persisting on a religious faith in wartime, his indifference and cruelty in the collapsed postwar world, the mistrust from acquaintances, it reflects Motes' alienation from others and society. In conclusion, this thesis assumes that Flannery O'Connor may also appeals readers to maintain a harmonious and reliable relationship among human beings in the consumer capitalistic society.

Keywords

Flannery O'Connor, Wise Blood, posthumanism, Hazel Motes

References

[1] Cary Wolfe. What Is Posthumanism. Minneapolis: University of Minnesata Press; 2010.
[2] Connie Ann Kirk. Critical Companion to Flannery O'Connor. New York: Infobase Publishing; 2008.
[3] Flannery O'Connor. Wise Blood. New York: Farrar Straus and Garoux; 2007.
[4] Huang Erliang. (2017) An Analysis of Edward Aldee's Seascape from the Perspective of Posthumanism. Master's Thesis, Liaoning University, Liaoning.
[5] Jordan Cofer. The Gospel According to Flannery O'Connor. New York: Bloomsbury; 2014.
[6] Jennifer Koosed. The Bible and Posthumanism. Atlanta: Society of Biblica Literature; 2014.

Copyright © 2022 Yang Yang

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License