ENGL 4310

While reading O’Connor’s letters, I loved to find that she had quite the attitude! Her beginning letters are about her trying to find someone to publish the novel she is working on. The first publishing company she gives it to is Rinehart, and they do not like chapters she sent them. The ladies who read it had “thought it unpleasant (which pleased me)” (882). Also, when speaking of the criticism they gave her on her novel she said, “I am amenable to criticism but only within the sphere of what I am trying to do; I will not be persuaded to do otherwise” (881). I absolutely loved this because I want to say that to professors sometimes. No offense to our lovely English professors, but there are times when they grade my papers and put comments like “I would like to see you push this or talk about this” etc. etc. Well, that is all well and good. And yes, that is a good point, BUT the point of my paper is not THAT and I would like focus on the things that I have put in my paper. Yes, sometimes the comments are good (obviously), but other times they really are just things the professor sees and likes, but that I really didn’t want to discuss at all, even if they are relevant to the piece in question. Sometimes you just don’t want to take it in that direction. Anyway, the point is that I love to find that O’Connor has an attitude and is willing to say what she thinks and stand up for her writing. She knows what she wants and goes for it. In a way, I wish I were more like that.