Misleading Wake-Up Calls
"Her collars and cuffs were white organdy trimmed with lace and at her neckline she had pinned a purple spray of cloth violets containing a sachet. In case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady" (O'Connor 3).
From the beginning of the book, the grandmother has been a funny character because of her ways of thinking and acting. I think this quote is one of the funniest thoughts she has because she doesn't trust her son enough and prepares for an accident. I also think it is funny because of her priorities of making sure she still looks like a lady after an accident. That is the last thing I would personally think about if I were in, or anticipating an accident. The humorous character of the grandmother led me to believe that the story was going to be a comedy. I was surprised when events took a turn for the worst, especially when the men took the grandmothers family into the woods. It had a very misleading introduction, but I still liked the story. The fact that it started as a comedy and ended tragically was a wake-up call. It made the reader think more about the events instead of reading the story and thinking "That was cute" and forgeting about it in a week.
From the beginning of the book, the grandmother has been a funny character because of her ways of thinking and acting. I think this quote is one of the funniest thoughts she has because she doesn't trust her son enough and prepares for an accident. I also think it is funny because of her priorities of making sure she still looks like a lady after an accident. That is the last thing I would personally think about if I were in, or anticipating an accident. The humorous character of the grandmother led me to believe that the story was going to be a comedy. I was surprised when events took a turn for the worst, especially when the men took the grandmothers family into the woods. It had a very misleading introduction, but I still liked the story. The fact that it started as a comedy and ended tragically was a wake-up call. It made the reader think more about the events instead of reading the story and thinking "That was cute" and forgeting about it in a week.
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Recent Comments
Greta Carroll on Misleading Wake-Up Calls: it really was a morbid thought
Ally Hall on Misleading Wake-Up Calls: I like that the grandmother th
Maddie Gillespie on Misleading Wake-Up Calls: I think you make a valid point
Ally Hall on Misleading Wake-Up Calls: I like that the grandmother th
Maddie Gillespie on Misleading Wake-Up Calls: I think you make a valid point
I think you make a valid point about there being a wake-up call at the end of the story. It did seem like a comedy at first, maybe a toned-down version of NAtional Lampoon's vacation or something like that. The grandmother was always so worried about what other's thought that I can't help but wonder if she ever thought for herself. Then again, I've heard it said many a time: "Make sure you're wearin' a fresh pair of underwear incase ya ever get in an accident!"
I like that the grandmother thinks that she should dress up for a road trip in case she ends up dead. I know that when I have a long drive ahead of me, I dress as comfortably as I can. If I was to end up dead on the side of the road, people would probably think I'm a bum. But of course, then you think back to this quote after they're all dead on the side of the road and you realize just how much foreshadowing this quote has.
it really was a morbid thought for her to plan ahead for her death. And while it seemed comic to us at the time…by the end, it wasn’t so comic. But notice, once again, that the emphasis was on appearance. She was preoccupied by looking like a lady. Just because someone has the manners of, or looks like a nice person does not make them one. This story really was a wake-up call about prejudgments.