Everything That Rises Must Converge

Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1965

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Story Analysis

Character Analysis

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Essay Topics

Some have criticized O’Connor for her treatment of Black characters, including the use of racist slurs in her writing. Others argue that O’Connor was writing a realistic depiction of the American South during her lifetime. How does O’Connor treat racism in “Everything That Rises Must Converge”? Does she portray white characters in too sympathetic a light?

The title “Everything That Rises Must Converge” comes from an essay called “Omega Point” by French philosopher and priest Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. Discuss the implications of the title for the story. How does it foreshadow the multiple instances of rising and converging in the story?

O’Connor was a devout Catholic, and her work is known for its reliance on religious themes like sin, morality, and redemption. How does “Everything That Rises Must Converge” reflect O’Connor’s faith and religious beliefs?