When Goblehook first come here, you recollect how he shook their hands, like he don't know the difference, like he might have been as black as them, but when it came to finding out Sulk was taking turkeys, he gone on and told her. I known he was taking turkeys. I could have told her myself.O'Connor, "The Displaced Person" -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)
The way that Mr. Guizac treats the blacks on the farm differs drastically with the way that both the Shortleys and Mrs. McIntyre treat them. Instead of simply expecting the black workers to do a half-ass job, to steal, and to complain, Mr. Guizac expects them to follow the same moral and work ethics as he expects himself to follow. The Shortley's and Mrs. McIntyre have a prejudiced view of blacks as they expect them to act, not as human beings with consciences, but, rather, as a group that is somehow lower than white society. Meanwhile, Mr. Guizac view the blacks truly as human beings, not caring about the color of their skin, and realizing that their color has nothing to do with their ability to make moral decisions or to work hard.
Comments (4)
O'Connor certainly addresses racism very powerfully in this last story. Mr. Guizac, although the most efficient person on the farm, is eventually treated as an outcast because he condones interracial marriage. The fact that his death brings about the destruction of the farm seems like a symbolic way of showing how racism really destroys everyone it touches.
Posted by Matt Henderson | April 3, 2007 8:19 AM
Posted on April 3, 2007 08:19
I found it interesting how O'Connor portrays this situation through the eyes of the characters though. Mr.Shortley thought it was really nice of him to consider the black people as who they really are and have been since he's known them--with limitations, not expecting more from them.
Posted by Chera Pupi | April 3, 2007 11:32 AM
Posted on April 3, 2007 11:32
Excellent observations, Ellen and Matt.
Posted by Dennis G. Jerz | April 3, 2007 12:45 PM
Posted on April 3, 2007 12:45
I agree with Chera. It is interesting how we, as the readers, see Mr. Guizac through the eyes of the prejudiced characters. It definitely was evident that Mr. Shortley and Mrs. McIntyre had a low view of the blacks on the farm. It's sad how the one character that can see past all of the stereotypes is looked down upon as a result of his open-mindedness; being that all of this is through the prejudiced eyes, Mr. Guizac comes out to be the bad guy, yet he did nothing wrong.
Posted by Jennifer Prex | April 3, 2007 2:17 PM
Posted on April 3, 2007 14:17