Identity In Flannery O Connor's Winter In The Blood

Winter in the Blood is about an unnamed narrator who is Blackfoot. He has major identity issues at the beginning of the story. First with the death of his father and brother that caused him to isolate himself from the world. Second, he doesn't feel any emotion toward his family or girlfriend because of what happened in his past. He was like a 21-year-old on their birthday at the beginning of the story. He had few responsibilities and acted carelessly, especially when it came to alcohol. Third, his life lacks meaning; he hangs around the ranch and gets drunk a lot. Much like how his father was described. He was not only alienated by himself but culturally. The Blackfeet natives didn’t like to co-exist with the whites and the whites didn't want anything to do with the natives. However, the narrator's grandmother didn't want to associate with the Crow either after what happened in her past. The death of his brother and father, the two people he loved most, was probably what ruined the narrator the most. …show more content…
The result of his brother's death causes his father to flee from home more often. This led to a halt into the development of a young man. Without guidance, without feeling wanted, people aren't going to grow. The fact that his mother remembered his father differently probably confused him a lot more. The lack of affection he had after the deaths of his family members probably led him to become heartless towards women. Going to see Agnes in part two and getting beat up didn't teach him a lesson. He just got up, slept with a woman, got tired of it, and went home. He also encountered a man running away from his wife and the FBI. They hung out, but the guy got arrested. That would be the path our narrator was going down if he didn't realize what he was doing. Maybe that is why the author put that character in, but that's beside the point. Of course, the death of his father came first when his mother decided to marry. Once returning home, however, he sees no one is home. He assumes his grandmother is dead, which was confirmed by his mother and step-father coming home. This brought up the death of his brother Mose. After his grandmother's grave was dug he visits a blind man named Yellow Calf. When he speaks with him, he learns of an affair between Yellow Calf and his grandmother which leads him to believe that he is his grandfather. This is during part four, in which the narrator experiences another death. The death of Bird, his horse. At the end of the story, the narrator shows positivity. He does a kind thing for his grandmother as they bury her and throws her beloved tobacco pouch with her. He thinks about seeing a doctor about his injured knee and wants to start up with Agnes again. Despite, being beaten up over her. The fact that the story end there really leaves you thinking. Did the narrator really grow up? How will you really know? Well, we won't, but there was a hint of positivity in the narrator's approach. Was it because he learned that he wasn't the grandson of a half-breed? Or was it because the author wanted us to see