The aim of the present thesis is to analyse the dark sides of human nature in the literary works by the two prominent American writers, Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O’Connor. The thesis presents the types of characters whose behaviour is stigmatized with madness, brutality and alienation.
The introduction portrays Poe’s and O’Connor’s profiles in comparison with their contemporary writers. The differences between Edgar Allan Poe and other representatives of Romanticism are discussed. Comparably, the reader is acquainted with these features of Flannery O’Connor’s innovative writing that enriched the literary tradition of American South. The introduction presents the major themes of E. A. Poe’s and F. O’Connor’s fiction, such as inner conflict, death wish, violence and mental deformities.
The first chapter describes the impact of the writers’ life experiences and personal interests on their literary output. The chapter mentions the traumatic experiences from the authors’ lives, such as Poe’s early orphanhood and O’Connor’s combat with her incurable disease. The chapter is also devoted to the writers’ fascination with a sphere of human psyche and their interest in psychopathology. The aim of the second chapter is to depict the heroes whose depravation is so extreme that they lose the ability to decide about themselves and are subjected to the influence of a mysterious force to regain their internal balance. The force is meant to free these figures from their anguish and internal chaos. The third chapter presents the picture of intellectual in Poe’s and O’Connor’s short stories. This figure aims at exceeding the limits of human mind. As a result, he suppresses his spirit. The chapter portrays contrasting views of both authors on the issue of human intellect. The aim of the fourth chapter is to acquaint the reader with emotions of the characters who experience the conflict with the world and are driven to self-destruction. The conflict, whose main sources are evil and emotional devastation, is presented in such stories as “William Wilson” by E. A. Poe and “The Life You Save May Be Your Own” by F. O’Connor.
The last part of the thesis presents the aims Poe and O’Connor had in portraying odd and deviant behaviour.
Table of Contents
I. Introduction
II. Chapter 1
Poe’s and O’Connor’s Fascination with Deviant Behaviour – Its Source and Reflection in Their Short Stories
III. Chapter 2
The Impact of the Mysterious Force on the Degenerate Characters’ Transformation
IV. Chapter 3
The Portrait of the Intellectual in E. A. Poe’s and F. O’Connor’s Short Stories
V. Chapter 4
The Mind in Conflict with the Whole World – “William Wilson” and “The Life You Save May Be Your Own”
VI. Conclusions
VII. Summary
VIII. Bibliography
Objectives & Core Themes
This thesis examines the representations of odd and deviant behavior in the selected short stories of Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O’Connor. It explores how both authors use these manifestations of abnormal psychology to reflect deep-seated inner conflicts, the darker aspects of human nature, and the characters' struggles with existence, alienation, and morality.
- The influence of personal life experiences and illnesses on the literary output of Poe and O’Connor.
- The portrayal of the "intellectual" figure and the dangers of excessive reliance on reason.
- The role of a "mysterious force" and violence in the transformation of distorted characters.
- Comparative analysis of the "double" or "doppelganger" motif in the context of psychological disintegration.
- The dichotomy between the material world and the search for spiritual or moral meaning.
Excerpt from the Book
The Impact of the Mysterious Force on the Degenerate Characters’ Transformation
Whereas the aim of the previous chapter was to acquaint the reader with the genesis of mental and physical abnormality in Poe’s and O’Connor’s fiction, this part of the thesis provides an account of their characters’ predicaments and their consequences. It seems that an inherent element of these protagonists’ aberrant behaviour is their total lack of control over their lives. Although they believe that they are capable of holding their fate in their own hands, their impotence invariably becomes apparent. Davidson points out that Poe’s protagonists, being unable to maintain mental balance, are often driven towards loss of life.[1] Comparably, O’Connor’s characters suffer defeat in their attempts to wield influence over their actions and end up entangled in the destructive vortex they cannot defy. These struggles also lead to death. Alternatively, the protagonists experience the state of death-in-life. Both writers’ stories portray the figure whose existence is subordinated to the supremacy of a mysterious force. This inexplicable energy contributes to the alleviation of the character’s desperate state, induced by his abnormal conduct.
Summary of Chapters
I. Introduction: This section provides an overview of the thematic focus on madness, brutality, and pathology in the works of Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O’Connor, establishing the comparative scope of the thesis.
II. Chapter 1: This chapter analyzes how the personal experiences and psychological states of both authors influenced their fictional depictions of deviance and morbidity.
III. Chapter 2: This chapter discusses the role of inexplicable, mysterious forces and violent experiences in forcing characters to confront their own incompleteness and strive for internal balance.
IV. Chapter 3: This chapter explores the portrait of the intellectual in both authors' stories, examining the fatal flaws of characters who attempt to live purely through logic and intellect.
V. Chapter 4: This chapter investigates the conflicts between the human mind and the world, focusing specifically on the themes of the "doppelganger" and moral delusion in "William Wilson" and "The Life You Save May Be Your Own."
VI. Conclusions: This section synthesizes the findings, arguing that both authors use extreme portrayals of suffering to reveal universal truths about the human condition and the necessity of spiritual or moral recognition.
VII. Summary: This section offers a concise recapitulation of the thesis objectives and the content covered in each chapter.
VIII. Bibliography: A comprehensive list of primary sources and secondary academic literature consulted for this research.
Keywords
Edgar Allan Poe, Flannery O’Connor, deviant behaviour, short stories, mental illness, grotesquerie, violence, alienation, psychological insight, intellectualism, moral corruption, spiritual quest, doppelganger, pathology, Southern Gothic.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this research paper?
The paper focuses on the analysis of odd and deviant behavior in selected short stories by Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O’Connor, exploring the sources and reflections of these behaviors in their respective fictional worlds.
What are the central themes examined in the work?
The core themes include madness, cruelty, mental and physical deformity, the conflict between intellect and emotion, the impact of personal history on literary production, and the role of violence in spiritual or psychological transformation.
What is the primary research goal?
The goal is to demonstrate how both authors use "freakish" or distorted characters to analyze the darker sides of human nature and to show that these portrayals are not merely for shock value, but serve deep artistic and psychological purposes.
Which scientific methods are utilized in this analysis?
The author employs a combination of historical-biographical criticism and psychoanalytical approaches to interpret how the writers' personal lives and psychological landscapes influence their literary characterizations.
What is covered in the main body of the text?
The main body systematically explores the genesis of abnormality, the influence of mysterious forces, the critique of the "all-knowing" intellectual, and the conflict between the individual mind and the external world.
Which keywords best describe this study?
Key concepts include psychological disintegration, deviant behavior, the grotesque, spiritual quest, moral nihilism, and the intersection of life and art.
How does the author interpret Poe's "William Wilson"?
The author views "William Wilson" as a study in the disintegration of the self, where the protagonist attempts to repress his conscience (represented by his double), ultimately leading to his own destruction.
What role does the "mysterious force" play in O'Connor's stories?
In O'Connor's work, this force manifests often as a shocking, violent event that shatters the characters' self-satisfied delusions, forcing them to confront their moral and spiritual corruption.
- Citation du texte
- Anna Broda (Auteur), 2008, Odd and deviant behaviour in selected short stories by Edgar Allan Poe and Flannery O'Connor, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/90527
