The Need For Independence in Everything That Rises Must Converge :: Everything That Rises Must Converge Essays

The Need For Independence in Everything That Rises Must Converge  Ã‚   At some point in every parent-child relationship, the child gets to a point where he no longer wants to feel dependent upon his parent.   In some cases, the child will emotionally detach himself from his parent in order to achieve this feeling of independence.   In Flannery O'Connor's short story, Everything That Rises Must Converge, the relationship between Julian and his mother is a situation where the child, Julian, has tried to gain a feeling of independence by emotionally detaching himself from his mother. Julian's financial dependence on his mother has made him very bitter.   His need to justify his mother's struggle to better him by stating that she "enjoyed the struggle" provides insight into the fact that he is a person who doesn't want to feel as if he owes anybody.   The irony of it is that he wishes to take care of his mother but is unable to do so.   His insistence that she keep the hat is an illustration of the fact that he wishes for her to have more. While Julian portrays his disapproval of his mother's views as a matter of right and wrong, in actuality he opposes her views in order to assert his independence.   His opposing his mother's belief that she has "won" is backed by self-pitying arguments.   His solid based opposition of his mother's prejudice views is really only a way to show his mother that he has his own independent views.   The fact that he never really cares out a conversation with any black person that he feels isn't educated and that he never follows out with his plan to invite them home to dinner shows that his own beliefs aren't solid and are based on his desire to infuriate his mother. Julian's need to feel intelligent is an attempt on his part to be better than his mother.   His comment on going to a "third-rate college, he had, on his own initiative, come out with a first-rate education; in spite of growing up dominated by a small mind [his mother's mind], he had ended with a large one; in spite of all her foolish views, he was free of prejudice and unafraid to face fact," is not only a demonstration of his need to feel superior to his mother but is also very ironic in the fact that if any of