The Modern Library 100 Best Novels Challenge discussion

January 2011

Wise Blood

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Liking the book so far. O'connor fits in a lot of cool ideas into a tight package. She was awesome with prose. This is the first time I have read her. However, I did see the movie version of the book. The car seems to be more prominate in the story than the movie.

Finished "Wise Blood", Flannery O'Connor's first novel. Overall, I'm glad I read the novel, and I have a feeling this one will stick in my memory, much like "A Good Man..." That said, its not one I would recommend to a non-southern gothic literature enthusiast, other than that it is on the Modern Library's Best Novels list. Let's just say that none of these characters will ever make my list of "fictional characters you'd like to have over for dinner", although I might put Flannery O'Connor on such a list.

Wikipedia: "Wise Blood can be read simply as a comedy of grotesques (the so-called 'Southern Gothic' genre), for its comedic effects and many grotesque elements. It can also be read as a philosophical novel, for it presents opposing views of reality and asks the reader to resolve the conflict. It can even be read as a social text, for the novel captures the South at a time of great tension, when, after World War II, the rural and cosmopolitan populations were clashing, and tent-revival preachers encountered big city marketing. Finally, Wise Blood can also be read as an unusual case study of heresy and redemption. O'Connor frequently creates heretical characters and victims of spiritual confusion; however, Wise Blood not only has such a character, but also offers a complete biography that explains the psychological and spiritual crises that have brought her character to such a state of 'grotesqueness.'"

I savored her descriptions of character, where almost no one came through as sympathetic or attractive. I recognized Haze Mote's spiritual confusion; I understood Enoch Emory's expectation of something to come. Ultimately, the fact that none of the characters had any redeeming qualities kept me from seeing this as much more than a "comedy of grotesques" and a "social text" about a post-WWII with clashing "rural cosmopolitan populations".

Parts of the novel reminded me of John Kennedy Toole's "Confederacy of Dunces", though I believe Confederacy did a much better job of building on the grotesque to accomplish the presentation of different views of reality from which the reader must choose.

John wrote: "Finished "Wise Blood", Flannery O'Connor's first novel. Overall, I'm glad I read the novel, and I have a feeling this one will stick in my memory, much like "A Good Man..." That said, its not one I..."
Awesome review man. Thanks

Spoiler Alert!

I absolutely loved Wise Blood. Within the first ten pages, I was completely sucked in. It made me laugh out loud on several occasions but also shocked me and always kept me guessing as to what would happen next. O'Connor's writing style has a simplicity and openness that won me over immediately. Despite the fact that the characters were not altogether lovable, I couldn't put the book down. The plot was interesting and went along at a good clip, never getting sidetracked or bogged down with unnecessary wordy baggage. I have to say that the constant use of the n-word was off-putting and took some getting used to. I thought the first two thirds of the book were pitch-perfect. Then the novel went to extremes that were a bit over the top. The incident of Haze blinding himself seemed to come out of nowhere and I had a problem accepting it. It also seems strange to me that he suddenly dropped his preaching after he killed his imitator and blinded himself.

I have a question for the group: What's the whole emphasis on wise blood with Enoch? What does wise blood even mean? His blood tells him what to do sometimes. That is just crazy. Haze also encourages his potential followers to "take counsel from your blood." I'm not sure what the author wanted me to get out of that, but I think I missed it.

Leah wrote: "Spoiler Alert!

I absolutely loved Wise Blood. Within the first ten pages, I was completely sucked in. It made me laugh out loud on several occasions but also shocked me and always kept me guessing..."

While I read the book, I had the feeling that Enoch's fate was pre-determined by his blood. He seemed out of control in his mind while his "blood" took over and guided him. I took it to mean that there was a connection between how his previous family such as his father turned out and how he would turn out, like his blood-line. There's a short story written by O'Connor called "Enoch and the Gorilla" that I haven't read yet, but I think it gives a more detailed character analysis. I loved the book as well. I don't think I've ever read a grotesque comedy and I couldn't figure out why I couldn't put it down as I was reading about this horrible characters, but I think it was because I still connected with the characters as horrible as they were.

I haven't been able to get this book yet, but you all have made some interesting comments on it. I'll keep looking for it.

This book never drew me. Perhaps I'm too removed from southern goth? I didn't find it funny like some. I certainly don't care for religious struggles and the various non sequiturs where he'd bark out churchy comments were only disharmonious to me. I understand that she was showing its magnetic, fatalistic allure to him but instead it just seemed disconnected and without an overarching plot.