Fragmentation and Rootlessness in Flannery O'Connor’s Wise Blood
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Faculty of English
Abstract
This research work takes Flannery O'Connor's novel Wise Blood to interpret
the protagonist Hazel Motes' alienation, fragmentation, rootlessness and lack as he is
trapped between mirror stage and symbolic stage. His desire for the mirror image
results in his being a torn subject. So, finally he blinds himself. The reason for the
self-blinding of the protagonist, Hazel Motes is analyzed in line with the notion of
Lacan. Further, the act is taken as his struggle to find his subjectivity in the form of
redemption. Hazel Motes becomes a split personality due to his disdain towards the
corrupt reality and the patriarchal symbolic order dominated by Catholicism. He
refuses to accept the rules and restrictions of the symbolic order, so he cannot accept
the corrupt modern life. Nor can he return to his mirror stage to have the total grasp of
it, that is the spiritual peace and redemption which is already displaced by symbolic
order. His desire is to return back to return back to Mirror stage but cannot as he is
fragmented due to the circumstances and his diverted psyche.