Comparing and Contrasting the Attitudes of the Main Characters Toward Their Farms in Flannery O'Connor's "Revelation" and Jack Hodgins's "The Plague Children"
Introduction
Flannery O'Connor's "Revelation" and Jack Hodgins's "The Plague Children" are both rich with themes of social class, identity, and moral revelation. A significant point of comparison between the two stories lies in the attitudes of their main characters toward their farms. In "Revelation," the character Mrs. Turpin displays a sense of entitlement and class consciousness, while in "The Plague Children," Jack, the protagonist, exhibits a more complex, even ambivalent, relationship to his farm. The way these characters engage with their farms reflects their broader outlook on life, class, and their own self-worth.
This comparison examines how each character’s relationship with their farm highlights central themes in both stories and how their respective attitudes towards the land serve as vehicles for the authors’ commentaries on class, identity, and personal growth.
1. Mrs. Turpin in "Revelation": A Sense of Entitlement and Social Hierarchy
In O'Connor's "Revelation," Mrs. Turpin is a deeply flawed, self-righteous woman whose attitude toward her farm is tied to her sense of superiority and self-justification. Throughout the story, Mrs. Turpin's relationship to her farm symbolizes her perceived place in society. As she contemplates her “good” life, she considers herself blessed for having a prosperous farm and believes that her social position is ordained by God. Her attitude is defined by a deep sense of entitlement, which leads her to classify people based on their social standing—seeing herself as being at the top of the ladder, above others like poor whites, blacks, and lower-class folk. Her farm, in this context, becomes a symbol of social mobility and the validation of her class status.
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Farm as Symbol of Social Superiority:
Mrs. Turpin sees her farm as evidence of her superiority over others, especially poorer or working-class individuals. The farm represents not just financial stability but also moral superiority in her mind. She equates wealth with goodness and righteousness. For example, in her mind, the more successful her farm, the more justified she is in looking down on others. The farm's success becomes a moral barometer by which she measures her own worth and validates her sense of self-righteousness. -
Conflict with Others:
Mrs. Turpin’s attitude toward her farm plays a key role in her internal conflict when her perception of the world is shattered by a revelation. When Mrs. Turpin is struck by a blow to her perception of herself, the story forces her to reconsider not just her relationship with her farm, but also her relationship to class, race, and the broader social structure. Her moral pride is challenged as the farm she owns, which represents her idea of prosperity, is rendered inconsequential in the face of her own soul-searching.
2. Jack in "The Plague Children": Ambivalence and Responsibility Toward the Farm
In contrast, the protagonist Jack in Jack Hodgins’s "The Plague Children" has a much more complicated relationship with the farm he inherits. Unlike Mrs. Turpin, Jack's relationship with his farm is not one of pride or entitlement, but one marked by ambivalence, guilt, and a sense of duty. Jack’s farm is inherited from his parents, and while he respects it, there is a sense of hesitation in his ownership. Jack feels trapped by the responsibility that comes with the farm, particularly because of the burden of family history and the unresolved issues that are symbolized by the land.
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Farm as Symbol of Burden:
Jack’s attitude toward the farm is shaped by a sense of obligation rather than pride. The farm represents a legacy of hardship and sacrifice, and Jack’s relationship with the land is colored by the sense of duty he feels to uphold his family’s legacy. However, Jack is burdened by the weight of the past and the sacrifices his family made to sustain the farm. Rather than seeing the farm as a symbol of success or wealth, Jack views it as a reminder of the emotional and psychological toll that rural life has taken on his family, particularly his parents. -
Complicated Relationship:
Throughout the story, Jack struggles with his own ambivalence toward the land, particularly when it becomes clear that his parents had little joy in their relationship with the farm. This sense of regret and fatigue is at odds with the romanticized version of farm life that some people, like Mrs. Turpin, believe in. Jack’s conflicted feelings toward the farm suggest that the land is not just a source of economic wealth, but also a source of emotional conflict and legacy, making his relationship with it less straightforward than that of Mrs. Turpin.
3. Contrasting Social Attitudes: The Farm as a Means of Status vs. a Burden of Legacy
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The Farm as a Status Symbol:
For Mrs. Turpin, the farm is a status symbol—a reflection of her position in society and a means by which she can assert her dominance over others. Her farm is the manifestation of her belief that wealth and success are signs of divine approval. She takes pride in owning the land, believing that it legitimizes her self-righteousness and moral superiority. This view reflects a class-based perspective, where the farm represents the highest aspiration for people like Mrs. Turpin—material success and social power. -
The Farm as a Family Burden:
On the other hand, Jack’s attitude reflects a more complicated and ambivalent view of the farm. For him, the farm is not about status but about carrying the weight of his family’s legacy. The land comes with emotional baggage, as it embodies the struggles and sacrifices of his parents. Rather than offering freedom, the farm represents a legacy of hardship and obligation. Jack’s view is rooted in responsibility and guilt, rather than a desire for wealth or social recognition. For him, the land is not a source of pride but rather a reminder of his familial obligations and unresolved tensions.
4. The Role of Family History and Legacy
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Mrs. Turpin’s Lack of Family Legacy:
While Mrs. Turpin’s farm reflects her present wealth and social position, it does not carry with it a family history or legacy that weighs her down. Her attitude is shaped by the current moment, where she uses the farm as a tool to affirm her status in society. There is no burden of history or inheritance in her relationship with the land—she owns it outright, and her connection to it is defined by her belief in her own moral superiority. -
Jack’s Burden of Family Legacy:
In contrast, Jack is deeply influenced by the legacy of his family’s farm. The land is not just a physical entity but a symbol of his ancestors' sacrifices and hardships. Jack is burdened by the emotional weight of the farm, knowing that his parents worked tirelessly to sustain it, despite the toll it took on their lives. His relationship with the land is marked by a sense of duty to his parents’ memory, making it a symbol of family legacy rather than personal achievement. Jack must reconcile his own desires with the unfulfilled dreams of his parents, reflecting a tension between individualism and family responsibility.
Conclusion
The attitudes of the main characters toward their farms in “Revelation” and “The Plague Children” reveal contrasting perspectives on identity, social class, and family legacy. Mrs. Turpin’s relationship with her farm is driven by a sense of entitlement, social superiority, and materialism, viewing the farm as a symbol of her moral worth. In contrast, Jack’s farm symbolizes obligation, burden, and legacy, with his ambivalence reflecting the weight of his family’s sacrifices. While both characters are deeply connected to their farms, the nature of that connection differs significantly, highlighting the social and emotional dimensions of land ownership in each story. Through these contrasting attitudes, both authors explore themes of class, responsibility, and personal identity, providing a rich commentary on how the farm, as a symbol of both material wealth and emotional legacy, shapes the lives of their characters.