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March 5, 2006
Shouldering assumptions
O'Connor, ''A Good Man Is Hard to Find'' -- Jerz: American Lit II (EL 267)"She was sitting against the side of the red gutted ditch, holding the screaming baby, but she only had a cut down her face and a broken shoulder." The shoulder motif is continued with June Star hanging over her mother's shoulder whining, and Grandma touching Misfit's shoulder right before he shot her. What is all this shouldering about? Shouldering blame, burdens, or a joint where an appendage meets the body?
Posted by BrendaChristeleit at March 5, 2006 2:26 PM
Comments
I had never noticed that before (*shrugs shoulders*).
Posted by: Dennis G. Jerz at March 5, 2006 5:28 PM
Brenda,
I did not notice the word shoulder, but I guess it was them blaming each other. I think that they were all blaming the grandmother and sorry to say but rightfully true. She is the one who had them go up the road. But if the son would have stuck with his word then they may have still been alive. You brought out a good point. I also think maybe they were scared. Not sure if that fits with shouldering.
Posted by: LisaRandolph at March 6, 2006 10:59 PM
Thanks Lisa-It might not mean much, it's just strange that it appears at least three times in this little story. I like to think of it an as appendage, like Grandma was an appeandage to this young family.
I'm writing my paper on W C Williams, who for the most part eschewed symbolism, so sometimes focusing on details like "shoulders" seems only to be nit-picking. However, you never know if a repeated symbol will become important of you examine it closely. I think that this whole shoulder thing has run out of gas.
Posted by: Brenda Christeleit at March 7, 2006 7:30 AM