EllenEinsporn

When I read this quote I was confused. Why doesn't O'Connor put the black hat on the boy and the white hat on the grandfather? Isn't black a more somber color than white? And wouldn't this better fit the previous description of the boy rather than that of the grandfather? After reading the whole story though, I think I have an explanation. O'Connor places the white hat on the boy for several reasons. Firstly, the color white is a common symbol of innocence. Unlike his grandfather, Nelson has not been fully exposed to the prejudices of society and thus still has an innocent conception of black people. Furthermore, O'Connor might have placed the white hat on the boy to as a symbol of his youth. Also, the ghost-like image she incorporates the hat in depicts his insignificance in the big city as a young, out-of-town boy. Reversely, O'Connor places the black hat on Mr. Head to symbolize first of all his age, and secondly the supposed wisdom he has amassed throughout his years. The hat could also be black to foreshadow the fiasco that will result from his over confidence and actual lack of knowledge.