Parker's Back Revisited

After discussing Parker's Back in class, many different things come to mind when considering the story. The religious connotation of the story really did take full focus after Thursday's class. The journey of Parker going from Physical to Spiritual was something i hadn't until then through about. Sarah Ruth's character was also made more real to me. The story became more about how both of these people were searching for redemption from two different perspectives. Sarah Ruth, from the strict, rule based, non-personal side, and Parker from his physical emotional, pain filled perspective. Both had hurdles to climb over to understand God and who He was to them in the story. I think Parker's Back finally gives some closure to O Conner's work and life. Parker finally finds redemption. It's a progression in O Conner's work; first the realization that we are all 'misfits' or flawed, regardless of class, then the pursuit of redemption. Both Parker and Sarah Ruth were looking for redemption, but from two very different places.