Flannery O'Connor's book "The Violent Bear it Away" is a poignant example of an individuals struggle to determine the good and bad within his own identity. The character Francis Marion Tarwater is in a constant emotional battle between two uncles. Each uncle is a representation of either good or evil. Francis experiences confusion, frustration, and contempt towards both men in his quest to find himself inside the controlling bonds of his mentally disturbed uncles.

Francis Marion Tarwater's fictional life began with a car wreck. The car wreck took his unwed mother and maternal grandparents lives. The way in which he was born was symbolic of the redemption that comes to those who practice evil deeds. His mother and father were never married, there by committing a sin. Being born from this tragedy left a tainted mark on young Francis Tarwater's mind and self-image.

Unwanted by his father he was left to become a pawn between his uncle Rayber and great uncle Tarwater. Rayber wanted the child in order to school and control him in the lifestyle he viewed as normal. Mason Tarwater, the great uncle, believed that Francis had a calling to become a prophet, like himself.

Ironically through Francis's quest to find his own identity he committed an evil against Bishop by taking his life, but then attempted to counteract the evil deed by baptizing him in the last minutes before the child's death. The war between good and evil had come to and end. Francis had to realize that he could not be completely good like his great uncle Tarwater, and he could not be wholly evil like his uncle Rayber. He had found his individual identity was both representative of good and evil.

The great uncle Mason controlled Francis Tarwaters life until he was fourteen years old. Mason tried to instill in the child his own faith and belief. The belief was that they both were destined to be prophets. "The old man, who said he was a prophet, had raised the boy to expect the Lord's call himself and to be prepared for the day he would hear it. He had schooled him in the evils that befall prophets; in those that come from the world, which are trifling, and those that come from the Lord and burn the prophet clean (pg 5)".

Young Tarwater went to his uncle Rayber after Mason's death. Another person was again controlling Francis. At their first encounter Rayber made it evident that he wanted to change Francis's way of thinking about faith, when he discussed Mason's death. "It's a blessing he's dead at last. You could have had everything and you've had nothing. All that can be changed now. Now you belong to someone who can help you and understand you (pg. 90)". Rayber saw Francis as a possession that

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Approximate Word count = 1028
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)