The two stories both had a focus on racial tensions during a time of integration. Although the plots are worlds apart, I believe the main point is the same in both stories: you can’t change people. In the Welty story, politics plays a big part in the overall message. The main character kills an innocent black man and justifies it through a stream of consciousness and a brief discussion with his wife. He believes that public opinion should count more than anything when considering what is legal and justified, claiming, “Ain't it about time us taxpayers starts to calling the moves? Starts to telling the teachers and the preachers and the judges of our so-called courts how far they can go?” Basically he is pushing for martial law to be employed, and shows not a bit of remorse for his crime (save for wondering if he’ll get caught), even calmly picking up his guitar and singing a song at the end of the passage. He didn’t change at all throughout the story, even after taking another man’s life. Whether it was intentional or not, the story presents the government as being the problem. The message at the end states, “It don't get you nowhere to take nothing from nobody unless you make sure it's for keeps, for good and all, for ever and amen.” This seems to be pushing for continued racial segregation, stating that it doesn’t do any good to take away black people’s freedom if it’s not permanent.
O’Connor’s story starts a bit differently, told from Julian’s point of view. Politics plays a lesser part in this story but integration is still mentioned and therefore there is a certain level of politics that comes into play. The story begins with a more compassionate view of the black community as shown through Julian’s eyes, despite his mother’s harsh attitude towards them. In his eyes his mother exemplifies what is wrong with society, not willing to accept change. For example, trying to give a black child a penny and pretending that you’ve done him some great service is degrading and considered a terrible insult according to Julian as well as the boy’s mother. As in the Welter story, here is a character who refuses to change along with society. However, the story takes a twist when Julian’s mother suffers a stroke. The moment he realizes she is in trouble, his whole attitude toward her changes instantly and he feels nothing but regret and guilt for pressing to hard for her to change.
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