The Violent Bear It Away (1960) O’Connor’s second and final novel is a Southern Gothic tale about prophecy, freedom, and grace. Francis Marion Tarwater, a 14-year-old orphan, has been raised in isolation by his great-uncle Mason, a self-proclaimed prophet who insists the boy is destined to follow his calling and baptize his young cousin, Bishop. After Mason dies, Tarwater tries to escape both the literal backwoods and the spiritual destiny imposed on him. He goes to live with his skeptical, urbane uncle Rayber, who embodies rationalism and rejects religion. Torn between Mason’s fierce vision and Rayber’s cold reason, Tarwater struggles with voices of temptation and with his own violent impulses. In a shocking climax, Tarwater drowns Bishop, an act that becomes both murder and baptism. The novel closes ambiguously as Tarwater sets out to preach, suggesting grace can work through even sin and resistance. O’Connor explores faith’s inevitability and the mystery of divine calling.
