Symbolic Images Of Flannery O'Connor's Novels

As an outstanding writer of South American,Flannery O'Connor had always been struggling to write. In her 39 years of life,not only did she wrote two novels, but finished 31 short stories. She made unique achievement in writing. When William Faulkner set various archetype images to become a complex of metaphors and symbols.O'Connor also inherited the American literary tradition of symbolism.By using symbolic images in her work, she largely make up for the lack of the length caused by short stories..The main part of this paper focus on the plot development,image portray and theme analysis.In the first part of the study, it analyzes how the symbolic images promote the progress of the plot and increase the predictive effect of the details in the stories.The second part analyzes the important role of symbolic imagery and symbolic imagery presented in the characters. The third part, respectively, from the Southern society, the fate of women and religious implication, the subject implication of the symbolic images of the stories are roughly summarized.O'Connor set images such as the eyes,fire,wild cats,turkeys and other images which are capable of unifying the whole chapter of the novel and promoting the progress of the plot. She also use the multiple meanings of the symbolic images in religion, color and culture which increase the predictive effect of the details in her stories. Moreover,she often use unique symbolic images to construct the scene as well as to render the atmosphere of the stories.She consciously combine the image and character together.Whether the hat image present people's mental activity or some symbolic names, color, costumes can reveal one's character, readers have a deeper understanding of her characters. Whether it produces a careful thinking both on the traditional and modern Southern society or women questions and religious issues.O'Connor use those images which reflecting the symbolic meaning, to let the reader get more.Combined with the specific interpretation of the text and literary criticism of O'Connor herself, it gives us a deeper thinking on literary and creative thinking characteristic of this great writer under the help of symbolic images.