1. Identify at least three allusions in the story and explain their significance.
There are several allusions to pigs and hogs in the story, such as " 'Two thangs I ain't going to do: love no niggers or scoot down no hog with no hose.' " and " 'Our hogs are not dirty and they don't stink,' she said. 'They're cleaner than some children I've seen..." In the story, the hogs are used to describe different views on black people and white-trash. The white-trash woman states that hogs are dirty animals several times, and she discriminates against black people. Mrs.Turpin, who believes that she is superior to both white-trash and the blacks, insists that her hogs are clean, since she thinks that she is better than everyone so her hogs are also better. When Mrs.Turpin is called a hog, by Mary Grace, she realises that it is an insult, and that everyone is equal in the eyes of God.
Another frequent allusion is the reference to Jesus. Mrs.Turpin considers herself lucky to be a white woman and a landowner, and thanks Jesus for this, to show that she is grateful. Her thoughts also reflect her prejudices towards white-trash. An example is " 'If Jesus had said to her before he made her, 'There's only two places available for you. You can either be a nigger or white trash,' what would she have said? 'Please, Jesus, please,' she would have said, 'Just let me wait until there's another place available,' and he would have said, 'No, you have to go right now', and I have only those two places so make up your mind.' She would have wiggled and squirmed and begged and pleaded but it would have been no use and finally she would have said, 'All right, make me a nigger then-but that don't mean a trashy one.' And he would have made her a near clean respectable Negro woman, herself but black."
The name "Mary Grace" is an allusion to grace. Mrs.Turpin is a Christian, so she will find salvation, but she does not have grace, while Mary Grace does, as she realises that all people are equal.
2. What is the revelation Mrs Turpin experiences?
Mrs.Turpin realises that all people are equal in God's eyes and that no one is categorized as black people, white-trash, land owners and so on. She also realises that she is just like a hog, below human, for not being able to see that everyone is equal, and that she is not necessarily saved. Mrs.Turpin sees that being a thanking Jesus for being a white woman is not enough to get to heaven, because her racist attitude does not comply with Christian ways. She understands that she will only find salvation if she treats everybody as equals.
3. What circumstances triggered her revelation?
When Mary Grace has a seizure, instead of asking her what's wrong or trying to help, Mrs.Turpin keeps asking Mary Grace what she has to say to her. Mrs.Turpin feels like Mary Grace knows her in a personal way and that in that moment she is close to God. So when she is called a warthog, Mrs.Turpin is shocked and insulted, and can't figure out why this revelation happened to her and not to someone else. When she goes to wash the hogs, she realises that her sins cover her, just like the dirt covers the hogs.
4. Ruby Turpin’s experience seems to be something revealed to her by another agency. Identify that agency and explain how O’Connor crafts that agency into her story.
The agency that reveals to Mrs.Turpin that her ways are wrong might be God or Jesus. God or Jesus both love all of their people and want the best for them, so God or Jesus shows Mrs.Turpin that she is wrong in judging people, so that she can change her attitude and be able to find salvation. Using God or Jesus as the agency and not just someone else makes it easier for Mrs.Turpin to believe that everyone truly is equal, since no one would question God's or Jesus' authority.
5. Select three statements from the story and explain the meaning O’Connor squeezed into their
context.
“Why me?”
Mrs.Turpin has believed that people can be categorized and classified all her life, and she thought that she fell into one of the better categories. She doesn't understand why she would be called a warthog, because she believes that she has always been good while there are people around her who aren't so good. She doesn't want to believe that she has been the person who was on the wrong path while she provided employment to black people, was nice to them, and went to Church regularly, while there are white-trash people who are filthy and don't even work.
“She was looking straight up as if there were unintelligible handwriting on the ceiling.”
Mrs.Turpin is thinking hard trying to figure out why out of all of the people she was called a warthog. She is staring at the ceiling, like the answer if there, but she can't read it. She feels like the answer to her question is in her reach, but she can't grasp it, because there is a part of it because she doesn't fully understand.
“...you had to have certain things before you could know certain things.”
This statement suggests that the materials someone owns and the money they have will determine their understanding of the events going on around them. Mrs. Turpin and the pleasant lady agree that the white-trash woman isn't in the position to make a choice between black people and hogs because she hasn't had to deal with either of them. Mrs.Turpin thinks that the white-trash woman can't possibly know if black people or hogs are better because she doesn't employ any black people or own any hogs because she is white-trash. Since she is white-trash she will never be on the same level as white landowners, and will never understand the things white landowners can understand.
