x dismiss this message
Did you know you can edit this page?
-
Sign Into Shelfari
-
Choose something to edit
-
Save your contributions
see page history
Description edit
Wise Blood, Flannery O'Connor's astonishing and haunting first novel, is a classic of twentieth-century literature. It is the story of Hazel Motes, a twenty-two-year-old caught in an unending struggle against his innate, desperate faith. He falls under the spell of a "blind" street preacher... read more
Ridiculously Simplified Synopsis edit
Characters/People edit
- Enoch Emery: Add a description of this character.
- Hazel Motes
- Mrs. Leora Watts: 60 Buckley Road: The friendliest bed in town!
- Mrs. Hitchcock
- Onnie Jay Holy
- Sabbath
Quotes edit
-
“... but he didn't think in broad sweeps like that, he thought what he would do next. Sometimes he didn't think, he only wondered; then before long he would find himself doing this or that, like a bird finds itself building a nest when it hasn't actually been planning to.”
-
“You asked him a question in the morning and he might answer it in the afternoon, or might never.”
-
“Nobody with a good car needs to be justified.”
-
“I don’t have to run from anything because I don’t believe in anything.”
-
“"I reckon you think you been redeemed," he said.”
Hazel Motes -
“"Where in your time and your body has Jesus redeemed you?" he cried. "Show me where because I don't see the place. If there was a place where Jesus had redeemed you that would be the place for you to be, but which of you can find it?"”
Hazel Motes -
“Jesus would never let him forget he was redeemed. What did the sinner think there was to be gained? Jesus would have him in the end!The boy didn't need to hear it. There was already a deep black wordless conviction in him that the way to avoid Jesus was to avoid sin. He knew by the time he was twelve years old that he was going to be a preacher. Later he saw Jesus move from tree to tree in the back of his mind, a wild ragged figure motioning him to turn around and come off into the dark where he was not sure of his footing, where he might be walking on the water and not know it and then suddenly know it and drown.”
p. 16
Setting & Locations edit
First Sentence edit
Hazel Motes sat at a forward angle on the green plush train seat, looking one minute at the window as if he might want to jump out of it, and the next down the aisle at the other end of the car.
Series & Lists edit
This is book 38 of 98 in Modern Library's 100 Best Novels: Reader's List. (authoritative list)
This is book 522 of 1286 in 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. (authoritative list)
This is book 214 of 213 in Best English-Language Fiction of the 20th Century. (authoritative list)
This is book 56 of 100 in 20th Century's Greatest Hits: 100 English-Language Books of Fiction. (authoritative list)
This book is in Anthony Burgess's Ninety-Nine Novels: The Best in English since 1939 - A Personal Choice. (community list)
Authors & Contributors edit
- Flannery O'Connor (Author)
First Edition edit
Original Language: English
Publisher: Harcourt, Brace & Co
Country: USA
Publication Date: 1952
ISBN: 0-374-50584-5
Page Count: 236
Publisher: Harcourt, Brace & Co
Country: USA
Publication Date: 1952
ISBN: 0-374-50584-5
Page Count: 236
Classification edit
- Library of Congress: Add the Library of Congress Classification.
- Dewey: 813.54
Subjects edit
Popular Tags
See all 50 tags
Movie Connections edit
- Wise Blood (IMDb): 1979.
More Books Like This edit
Books with Additional Background Information edit
Books That Influenced This Book edit
We’re hiding the errata, reading level, books influenced by this book, books that cite this book and books cited by this book sections. If you would like to add content to them, you must first make them visible.
