Wise Blood

A strange read, at least for me, somewhat in the same “humor” genre as a Confederacy of the Dunces, though written a number of decades earlier.  Wise Blood by Flannery O’Connor tells the story of a veteran of World War II who returns home but realizes home is not the same, no family to greet him.  The main character, Hazel Motes, is the son of a deceased traveling preacher.  Motes has soured on his faith and now is atheist, though upon his return he is faced with following the foot-steps of his father, though in an anti-religious way, by forming the Holy Church of Crist without Christ.  The characters surrounding Motes all add comic relief, well at least their situations.  It was a time of values leaving society and sex, debauchery, and false representations of who you are (the fake preachers) and what you believe in are seen throughout the story.  Reading it one needs to pay close attention to the (at times) hilarity of the situation and subtext of the situation.  Motes’ own return brings him into situations that push him in a way he seems reluctant to follow.  There are numerous metaphors (some blatant but most not).  It really is a book before it’s time, considering it is written soon after the war by a young female author.  Making “fun” of the religious zealots was not something you would necessarily read about in the 1950s when Jane and Ward Cleaver from TV’s favorite sitcom.  This was a book I needed to read closely or else I lost the double meaning and comedy throughout.  Creatively written with clever language and storyline.  This is one I’d add to the list of favorite books.  O’Connor was lost to this world way too soon in her young career, passing away at age 39.