Old South vs New South Anonymous College

In Flannery O’Connor’s “Everything That Rises Must Converge,” many deep-seated issues of the South are brought to the attention of the reader. While on the surface Julian, the protagonist, seems to reject the ideas of the old South such as slavery and racism toward African Americans, when one reads more closely, it is evident that his actions and thoughts do not correspond with his proclaimed beliefs. O’Connor’s use of first person narration allows the reader to peek into the mind of Julian in order to observe his perception of the world. By giving the reader access to his thoughts, Julian’s prejudices are much more apparent--which, in turn, reveals many unfortunate realities about the South. Without this narrative, it would be far more difficult for one to determine Julian’s genuine feelings toward African Americans.

This short story presents a shift in the type of racism that exists in the United States post-Jim Crow. The relationship between Julian and his mother is representative of this transition from the old South, which is structured with principles that support slavery, racism, and segregation, to a “new” South, that claims to be in favor of the equality of whites and blacks. While Julian’s mother clearly represents...