ENGL 4310

As somewhat a response to Josie’s blog about the villain’s purpose I would like to compare the villain of “Free Radicals” to the villains in O’Connor. The villain of “Free Radicals” is shady from the moment he walks in. After he begins smashing Nita’s plates we understand that he is downright unbalanced. While he is still a very interesting character he seems to lake the subtlety that we find in O’Connor’s antagonists. You know that he is no-good from the moment he arrives, and he will remain that way until he leaves. O’Connor’s characters on the other hand keep you guessing. After having read several O’Connor stories in a row you may guess that the “bible salesman” is probably not a great guy, but if you had just picked up that story out of the blue you might not suspect as such. Even if you did, on your first reading did you really think he was going to go so far as to steal Hulga’s leg? In "The Life you Save may be your Own” despite possible initial impressions of Mr. Shiftlet one wonders if he perhaps really cares for Lucynell and if he is going to be able to help and connect with her, in spite of her being deaf. Go figure though, he abandons her at a diner. The villain of “Free Radicals” did not hold the same sort of mystery for me as O’Connor’s characters. I suppose there was the question regarding whether or not he was going to kill Nita, but that is really nothing new. While it still may be exciting, whether Nita lives or dies is not nearly as exciting as whether or not she is going to get her leg randomly stolen. It would seem O’Connor is the master of creating suspense and tension with her villains while still allowing them to go in completely new and unexpected directions.