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The Voice of the Tempter

The presence of a voice is all you need to identify a speaker. This assumption is the case in the well-known novel authored by Flannery O’Connor: The Violent Bear It Away. In the novel “the stranger” is one of the main characters who is sent to tempt and disorient a young boy named Tartwater. Moreover, the stranger’s character is juxtaposed to Satan’s character as he is portrayed in The Bible, and specifically in Matthew chapter 4 where he tempts Jesus in the desert. Both these characters, in these stories, possess detrimental qualities that seek to “kill, steal, and destroy” all who cross their paths (John 10:10). A question that comes to mind, in light of these sources is, what similar tactics do the stranger and the Devil employ as they interact with their adversaries namely, Tartwater and Jesus?

The stranger and the Devil seek to conceal their identities and therefore remain non-existent to their adversaries. This deceptive trait of non-existence is explicitly seen in The Violent Bear It Away as the stranger ridicules Tartwater’s belief in Jesus. He says, "Jesus. Jesus this and Jesus that. Ain’t you in all your fourteen years of supporting his foolishness fed up and sick to the roof of your mouth with Jesus? My Lord and Saviour…I am if you ain’t … there ain’t no such thing as a devil. I can tell you from my own self-experience. I know that for a fact "(Flannery O’Connor, 39).

In this scenario the stranger is deliberately trying to confuse Tartwater. His goal is to convince him that Jesus is a waste of time and that the Devil does not exist. David Eggenschwiler, author of The Christian Humanism Of Flannery O’Connor comments that it is the strangers hope, as he preys upon Tartwater’s inner conflict, that he would choose the “self sufficiency of estrangement” rather than Jesus (David Eggenschwiler, 125).

Furthermore, in relation to the stranger’s character we see similar traits in Satan’s character as he tests Jesus in the wilderness. During their engagement with each other, Satan plots to conceal himself as a threat by pertaining to Jesus’ specific need for food. Namely, by requesting Jesus to turn stone into bread (Mt. 4:3). In addition, Davis K. Joseph notes that Satan “occurs variously as the tempter, the accuser, and the infernal evil one…he can assume diverse, multiple roles, as the absolute master of disguise”…(Studies in Literary Imagination, 126). Joseph also states that being a “master of disguise” is similarly seen as the Devil’s greatest trick, to blind the minds of man by “convincing them that he does not exist” (Studies in Literary Imagination, 126-127). Moreover, striving to be non-existent is a similar tactic that both the stranger and the Devil employ to deceive their enemies.

Secondly, the stranger and the Devil both wield together discouragement and doubt to pierce the hearts of their adversaries. For instance, at the time of Old Mason’s death, Tartwater’s uncle and caregiver, the stranger coincidentally appears to Tartwater with a number of discouraging words. Concerning Tartwater’s relationship with Old Mason the stranger says, “you weren’t anything to him but something that would be big enough to bury him when the time came”…(O’Connor, 44). Susan Srigley author of Flannery O’Connor’s Sacramental Art comments that the stranger cruelly aims to target Tartwater’s “isolation” by creating a despairing reality that God has utterly forsaken him so he therefore stands as one “independent” of God (Srigley, 118). The stranger continues to emphasise Tartwater’s isolation in whispering, “you’re left by yourself in this place. Forever by yourself in this empty place… you don’t mean a thing to a soul as far as I can see” (Flannery O’Connor, 36).

Proceeding the stranger’s tool of discouragement, he then moves to his next arrow of attack: doubt. Tartwater strives to muffle the voice of the stranger because, he knows if he lets the words sink they will go straight to the pit of his soul. It is with this goal in mind that the stranger hisses, “[the] Lord ain’t studying about you, don’t know you exist, and wouldn’t do a thing about it if He did” (166). Knocking at the gateway of Tartwater’s soul he continues to hiss, “what did you expect to hear? The Lord speaks to prophets personally and He’s never spoke to you, never lifted a finger, never dropped a gesture… where is the voice of the Lord? I haven’t heard it. Who’s called you this morning? Or any morning?”(161 + 42)

In addition to the stranger’s malicious ridicule, he also seeks to destroy Tartwater’s hope: That God would call him to be a prophet. This hope, to be called a prophet, rests on Tartwater’s knowledge and teaching of The Bible that he received from Old Mason. However, the stranger explains that in order for Tartwater to be a prophet sent by God; he must experience supernatural signs from God, just like Elijah, Moses and Jonah (161-162). Similarly, the Devil also uses what Jesus knows to be truth, The Bible, to sow seeds of doubt and deception. As the stranger alludes to biblical prophets and proceeds to point out that this is not Tartwater’s experience, so the Devil uses scripture to twist a lie. He challenges Jesus to throw himself down because in scripture “it is written: He will command his angels concerning you, and they will lift you up in their hands, so that you will not strike your foot against a stone” (Mt.4: 6). Therefore, the same tactics are hurled at both Tartwater and Jesus from their opponents- the twisting of scripture to produce a deceptive lie. The conniving antagonists of both stories aim to throw what their victims hold to be true against them.

Thirdly, the stranger and the Devil both appeal to the flesh in order to tempt their adversaries. The stranger weaves and presents a different web of temptations to Tartwater with each encounter. One of the first temptations the stranger appeals to is a suggestive interest in whores (Flannery O’Connor, 40). Moments later he attacks again in the area of self-control only with a different arrow: Alcohol. The stranger jumps at the opportunity and in a “soft tone” says to Tartwater, “well, a little won’t interfere. Moderation never hurt no one”, and once Tartwater has had a couple of sips the stranger continues in saying … “you might as well drink all that liquor since you’ve already drunk so much. Once you pass the moderation mark, your passed it”…(O’Connor, 44+46). Moreover, the stranger’s lure to the flesh succeeds in this instance and Tartwater drinks until he is unconscious.

In addition to the temptations of sexual immorality and drunkenness the stranger turns to another evil: the murder of an innocent child named “Bishop”. During the birth of this temptation Tartwater is struggling with his destiny appointed by Old Mason: to baptise Bishop and so fulfill his duty as a prophet. Therefore this is Tartwater’s most intimate struggle with the Lord because, it involves either accepting Jesus Christ and his prophetic mission, or denying Jesus Christ and his prophetic mission. The stranger, knowing Tartwater’s inner conflict seeks to further his turmoil and distance from Christ by tempting Him with the murder of the “dim-witted” child to prove that he doesn’t have to be a prophet (215). In strategy the stranger speaks, “[but] remember: water is made for more than one thing. Hasn’t the time come? Don’t you have to do something at last, one thing to prove you ain’t going to do another?” (167). He continues to harass Tartwater with immeasurable pressure, “[make] haste…[be] a man…[its] only one dimwit you have to drown….[there] is no time to dawdle…[once]its done, its done forever”(O’Connor, 214+215). Moreover, just as the temptations thrown at Tartwater are plural in number so are the temptations presented to Jesus. Three times the Devil approaches Jesus with the motivation to ensnare him in a sin: To defame his honour, glory and power.

In conclusion, it is remarkably noted that the stranger’s interactions with Tartwater accurately personify and portray the interactions of the Devil with Jesus. The tools and tactics commonly used by these characters are deception, discouragement, doubt and temptation. The ultimate goal is power over another soul and sin to keep the captive chained. As the novel draws to a close, O’Connor moulds an ending that is most catastrophic and intrusive in the truest sense, but also implies hope for a fresh future as well. In the article “Time and the Demonic” O’Connor makes reference to this hope as she says… “the demonic which may seem to triumph in the here and now, will in the end be overcome” (Studies in Literary Imagination, 143).

In addition, writer Marilyn McEntrye comments on The Violent Bear It Away and concludes that “behind the most horrific moments of violence, pain, and defeat in [O’Connor’s] stories is the good news of mercy and grace” (Marilyn McEntrye, 37). Hope is portrayed from these authors, however; the corruptible nature of the stranger can not be denied. The Devil’s character is also corrupt as he mirrors the representation of the stranger. The deceptions that they strive to mask themselves into serve to reveal their true character. These tactics the stranger and the Devil employ give manifestation and light to who they are: a spiritual embodiment of lies.

Word Count: 1550