"Mr. Paradise's head appeared from time to time on the surface of the water. Finally, far downstream, the old man rose like some ancient water monster and stood empty-handed, staring with his dull eyes as far down the river line as he could see."O'Connor, ''The River'' -- Jerz: EL150 (Intro to Literary Study)
Throughout this story, there are two characters that seem to give off a strange vibe. These two characters are Bevel (a.k.a. Harry) and Mr. Paradise. They don't necessarily seem to be bad, they're just kind of creepy. Relating it to a movie, it is the same situation with these two characters in this story as it is with Aidan in The Ring. Besides this fact, there also seems to be some other connection between these two characters. At the end, O'Connor cuts back and forth between the two, almost without warning. The last paragraph, which is quoted above, comes directly after Bevel is caught in the current under water. For a brief moment, before logic set in, I almost thought that Bevel and Mr. Paradise were one and the same.
Comments (2)
What an interesting connection! I thought that the quote you used from the end of the story had some meaning, but found it difficult to understand. It deos seem as though, possibly, Bevel and Mr. Paradise could be one in the same. With the interchanging scenes between the two characters it seems as though they are the same for the quick switches from one to another.
Posted by Derek Tickle | February 18, 2007 6:08 PM
Posted on February 18, 2007 18:08
This also makes you wonder if the name "paradise" has anything to do with this character.
Posted by MacKenzie Harbison | February 18, 2007 11:24 PM
Posted on February 18, 2007 23:24