Flannery O’ Connor, in both of these short stories, demonstrates generational relationships unlike those that I’ve encountered before in literature. The child is traditionally considered the embodiment of the tabula rasa, or blank slate, one who is destined to become his or her future self from the effects of their environment and upbringing. The generic literary trope of the child is one of purity and moral innocence, however O’ Connor diverges sharply from this archetype by portraying three children as embodying some of the worst characteristics possible such as of greed, petulance and corrupt. Yet despite being horrible individuals, these characters still achieve the same effect as the trope- that is, reflecting the major faults of the main character. While I am at a loss for what these stories mean for the American dream, these two short stories changed my perception of the child.
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I agree with your analysis regarding the how the children reflect the major faults of the main characters in each story. Further, I think that this relationship is strongly connected to notions of the American Dream. For example, in the Great Gatsby, Nick starts the novel off with a quote from his father. Notably, the quotation was about criticizing other, a character trait Nick attempts to maintain throughout the novel. Further, Gatsby’s character, and his strive for the American Dream, stem from his upbringing and his unease with his parent’s lifestyle. Finally, a large part of Alexandra’s ties to the land were imparted from her father’s faith and her, and her father’s understanding that she would responsibly care for the land. Thus, as demonstrated in both novels we have read, parent;s actions have large implications on children’s actions, sometimes even manifesting in their interpretations of the American Dream.