1 Affirmation Outside of Beliefs By Robbin Zirkle Knowledge and belief mean different things to everyone.

Because they are abstract ideas, they are not easily defined; truth and God for one person may not be the same for another. It can be generally accepted, however, that faith can cloud an individuals perception of knowledge. Over the course of centuries, writers have attempted to determine whether or not this is the case. Platos essay, The Republic, and Flannery OConnors novels, The Violent Bear It Away and Wise Blood imply that in order to find truth or knowledge, an individual must be free of his or her beliefs. Through these texts, Plato and OConnor suggest that one is incapable of rejecting his or her beliefs in this life and therefore cannot attain knowledge. In The Republic, Plato states that there is a perfection which all knowledge ought to reach (15). Plato acknowledges that what many people consider to be knowledge is actually just opinion and is imperfect. Though we may believe that we have evidence to prove our knowledge, all that we possess are beliefs which confound our ability to perceive truth. Plato writes: [one must] give up the use of sight and the other senses to attain absolute being (21). He believes that to have knowledge is to attain absolute being and acquire truth. But one can only attain absolute being when he or she gives up the use of sight and other senses. The senses inhibit our ability to perceive the realm of the forms and find knowledge. Plato states plainly in The Republic that we are unable to rid ourselves of our senses, and thus will not find truth in this life. Flannery OConnor seems to share Platos sentiments in her novels, The Violent Bear It Away and Wise Blood. Plato says that the senses prevent us from attaining true knowledge, so it can be inferred that anything that biases and individuals perspective keeps him or her from

2 experiencing the forms because it clouds his or her mind. OConnors books are both about men who reject their religious beliefs so that they can discover truth. Each character is unsuccessful, and OConnor focuses on the everlasting bond that each man has to his religion. As a result of attempting to reject these beliefs, both characters act out in violence and experience negative consequences. The Violent Bear It Away begins by recounting the life of Francis Marion Tarwater. Francis has been raised by his great-uncle Mason, a religious fanatic who prevents him from receiving a conventional education in favor of a solely religious one. Franciss social isolation limits his exposure to any non-Christian ideas and allows Mason to convince him that he is a prophet destined to spread the word of God. Upon Masons death, Francis begins to question his education and social isolation, admitting to himself that he knows nothing but that old mans word and it ought to be obviousby now that he was crazy (46). Francis knows that he has become a product of the environment in which he was raised, without awareness of any other beliefs. Unfortunately, he is also unaware of the lasting effect Masons teachings have had upon him. In an attempt to reject his religious upbringing, Francis visits his uncle Rayber who believes in reason rather than religion. Despite his efforts to reject God while visiting his uncle, Francis feels a compulsion to baptize Raybers son, Bishop. This compulsion was inspired by Masons fanaticism and desire to save people who are exposed to reason. Masons beliefs are ingrained in Francis because Mason isolated him as a child and only exposed him to Christian values. Franciss upbringing laid the foundation for the compulsions he experiences when he attempts to reject his religion. His religious urges become so overwhelming that he feels the need to prove that he is not the prophet Mason coerced him to be. Frustrated by his undying

3 beliefs, Francis attempts to drown Bishop so that he will no longer feel a compulsion to baptize him, but he accidentally mutters words of baptism in the middle of the act. Later, Francis says, even if I did baptize him that was only an accident (210). Francis acknowledges that his crime was an attempt to escape his fate as a prophet. Since Francis cannot free himself of his religious urges by consciously rejecting God or by committing a violent act, he cannot find knowledge or truth. The consequence of his action is violence that projected onto Bishop. OConnors Wise Blood follows the life of Hazel Motes, whose story is similar to that of Francis Tarwater. Hazels grandfather is a religious fanatic who impressed upon him the importance of God and Christian values. Hazel was exposed to his grandfathers beliefs and was encouraged to practice and preach the word of Jesus, much like Francis in The Violent Bear It Away. While in the army, Hazel rejects the opportunity to go to a brothel and attempts to preach to his friends. Annoyed by his condescending lecture, his friends tell him, nobody [is] interested in [your] goddam soul (18). Hazels friends give him his first chance to doubt Jesus and reject his beliefs. Hazel takes this opportunity, and from this day forward makes every attempt to renounce Jesus. Hazel begins to preach the Church Without Christ, hoping that removing Jesus from his life will allow him to find truth. He stands on the hood of his car every night, trying to persuade passers-by to join him, much like his grandfather. One evening, Hazel sees Solace Layfield, a Christian man paid to act as a Godless minister. Layfield looks like Hazel and essentially becomes his double, representing the Christian embodiment of Hazel Motes. Hazel feels the need to dispose of Layfield, who is a living reminder of his past; after a confrontation, he runs over Layfield with his car. This violent act is Hazels attempt to overcome his subconscious compulsion to preach and believe in Jesus. Much the same as Francis, Hazel does not find truth

4 after attempting to reject Jesus. Once again, the character in question fails in his attempts to find truth and another character is murdered because of his religious rejection. These stories demonstrate how one is bound to his or her beliefs eternally. Though Francis leaves Masons home upon his death, he obsesses over the idea of baptism, which is a clear indicator that he has neither subconsciously renounced his religious beliefs nor accepted Raybers reasoning. When Hazel preaches, he states that one must embrace blasphemy. Only shortly before he murders the Prophet does he admit that he had only a few days ago believed in blasphemy as the way to salvation, butyou couldnt even believe in that because then you were believing in something to blaspheme (208). OConnor suggests that even in the act of rejecting something, one must acknowledge that there is something to reject. In doing so, one admits there is a God to blaspheme and recognizes that he or she believes. The Violent Bear It Away and Wise Blood both suggest that renouncing God does not produce truth. Rejecting religion will not allow one to find knowledge, because beliefs cannot simply be forgottenas humans, we cannot escape the influence that our beliefs have had upon our lives. OConnor shows these ties to religion with each of her characters; both Francis and Hazel reclaim their religious beliefs after they commit violent crimes. After murdering Bishop, Francis returns to his home in Powderhead and sets the forest on fire. In his maddened frenzy, Francis hears a voice say, go warn the children of God of the terrible speed of mercy (242). It is not clear whether this voice is that of God or of Franciss subconscious, but that night, he sets out once again for the city, finally accepting his fate as a prophet who must warn the masses of Gods will. Hazel does not turn to preaching, but OConnor makes it clear that he reclaims his beliefs before he dies. After Hazel murders the Prophet, he blinds himself, puts glass in his

5 shoes, and wraps barbed wire around his body. These instances of malicious self-mutilation are Hazels way of serving penance for committing the ultimate sins, murder and blasphemy. OConnors characters provide lessons for her readers: you cannot escape the influence of your beliefs. Her stories suggest that those who reject their faith find violence and suffering rather than knowledge. The Violent Bear It Away and Wise Blood also illustrate Platos theory of ones inability to attain knowledge. Neither Francis nor Hazel finds the knowledge he seeks, though each attempts to rid himself of the beliefs which would prevent him from finding truth. In this respect, Plato is right: we cannot find knowledge in this life because we are not free of our beliefs and our senses are clouded. Francis cannot find a world outside of his religion because religion is his world; Hazel cannot find a life of truth without Jesus because Christ is omnipresent in Hazels life. Instead of finding knowledge and freedom, Francis and Hazel both discover that they are bound to their religious beliefs. If we accept Platos argument, then all that we are left with are beliefs, yet we have acknowledged that there is no real truth in these beliefs. If our beliefs are not true because they are not knowledge, then what do we have? What can we do? Through the examples in her novels, OConnor suggests that the best course of action is acceptance. Even though Francis and Hazel seek affirmation for their existence, each accepts that he will not find it. Both Francis and Hazel allow themselves to believe despite their fruitless quests for affirmation because they have attempted disbelief. The Violent Bear It Away and Wise Blood suggest that one ought to believe while he or she waits to be free of senses and beliefs. Allowing oneself to believe is the greatest fulfillment he or she will find in this life, even if it is not truth.

6 Works Cited OConnor, Flannery. The Violent Bear It Away. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007. - - -. Wise Blood. New York: Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 2007. Plato. The Republic. 15, 21.