Mrs. Turpin in Flannery O’Connor’s short story Revelation, is a prejudice and judgmental woman who spends most of her life prying in the lives of everyone around her. She looks at people not for who they are, but for their race or social standing. In fact, Mrs. Turpin is concerned with race and status so much that it seems to take over her life. Although she seems to disapprove of people of different race or social class, Mrs.
Turpin seems to be content and appreciative with her own life. It is not until Mrs. Turpin’s Revelation that she discovers that her ways of life are no better then those she looks down upon and they will not assure her a place in Heaven. Mrs. Turpin shows prejudice in several different aspects of her life. Her prejudice is first seen when she is in the doctor’s waiting room.
The story states that “her little black eyes took in all the patients as she sized up the seating situation.” (339) While in the waiting room, Mrs. Turpin is surrounded by people of many different cultural and social backgrounds. As she gazes around the room Mrs. Turpin immediately begins putting the people into categories. Some she called “white trash”, others were wealthy and pleasant, and the remainder such as Mary Grace, were ugly. Most of Mrs.
Turpin’s free time is also filled with prejudice thoughts. The story states that “Mrs. Turpin occupied herself at night naming the classes of people.” (341) She spends so much of her life judging other’s lives that she does not stop to see the faults of her own. Mrs.
The Essay on Revelation Mrs Turpin
Revelation "Revelation" starts off at a small town doctor's office in the waiting room. Mrs. Turpin and several other characters are making small talk as they wait to see the doctor. Mrs. Turpin's words quickly reveal the fact that she is a prejudiced snob. She is very quick to judge everyone in the room. Mary Grace is an ugly girl who is setting in the room listening to all of Mrs. Turpin's ...
Turpin is happy that her life is unlike those that she has prejudice against. She is thankful and content with the life she leads. During the story Mrs. Turpin states, “if it’s one thing I am it’s grateful. When I think who all I could have been besides myself Willard 2 and what all I got, a little of everything… , I just feel like shouting, Thank you, Jesus, for making everything the way it is.” (346) Mrs.
Turpin feels that despite her few flaws, she has a wonderful life. She feels that she has been truly blessed with a loving husband and an abundance of land. Furthermore, Mrs. Turpin also makes a point to thank God that she is not as unfortunate as the people she sees around her. She feels fulfilled by her lifestyle, and would not have it any other way. Mrs.
Turpin’s Revelation in the end of the story causes her to see the truth behind the beliefs she has had throughout her life. As her Revelation begins, “a visionary light settled in her eyes.” (352) With this light, the beliefs Mrs. Turpin had surrounded her life upon, are suddenly proved false. She sees people of every race and status lined up before the gates of Heaven. To her surprise, she finds Claud and herself at the end of the line, making it evident that nothing she had done in her life would assure her a place in Heaven. She then understands that everyone is equal and “we are all God’s children.” Mrs.
Turpin also, “recognized at once those, like herself and Claud, had always had a little of everything, and the God-given wit to use it right.” (352) Mrs. Turpin realizes that she will not be treated differently because of what she has, yet she could use what she has to help create goodness in the world. Mrs. Turpin’s Revelation, forces her to see the reality of the lifestyle in which she has become accustomed to. O’Connor uses this story in some way to show the prejudices that people have in daily life. She presents the idea that people sometimes need to be “smacked in the face” with reality before they can make life changing decisions..
