Everything That Rises Must Converge Society and Class Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)

Quote #4

[The mother] was holding herself very erect under the preposterous hat, wearing it like a banner of her imagined dignity. (37)

Oh, imagined dignity! One of the things O'Connor does so well in this story is to show how important clothes can be in defining a character and/or personality. And not necessarily the bad way.

Quote #5

"[…] true culture is in the mind, the mind." (43)

One of the things that's so funny about Julian's outbursts is that he always contradicts himself. Like how he only wants to talk to distinguished looking blacks or he only wants to bring home a woman who looks "suspiciously" black. Sure, Julian, "in the mind." You just keep telling yourself that.

Quote #6

[Julian] might make friends with some distinguished Negro professor or lawyer and bring him home to spend the evening. (74)

Looks are important to Julian. Can you say "walking contradiction"? He's not even very good at judging people, since at one point he assumes that the well-dressed guy sitting next to him is an undertaker.