Sweetness

A detailed Summary of Sweetness

The short story "Everything That Rises Must Converge" centers on the relationship between Julian, a young man who has recently graduated from college, and his mother. It takes place in a city in the South soon after integration. Much like Emily Grierson in William Faulkner's "A Rose for Emily," Julian's mother is a product of the "Old South." She takes tremendous pride in her heritage due to the fact that her ancestors were people who were once very highly respected. Her grandfather was a former state governor as well as a plantation and slave owner. Julian sees his mother as a dinosaur who is a product of the past and cannot see and accept the realities of the present. The fact that she clings to her old values embarrasses him, and he sees her more as a child who does not know any better.

The plot of the story revolves around a bus trip that Julian and his mother take. Once a week, Julian's mother goes to the local Y for her "reducing" class. Julian accompanies her on the bus ride over and back because she is uncomfortable riding alone since the buses have been integrated. The ride is nothing more than a necessary evil to him; it is seen as a time in which he would be "sacrificed to her pleasure" (1081). Before they even

leave their apartment, they argue over a hat that Julian's mother bought. She is convinced that she must return it so the money spent on it could be invested in paying off bills, but Julian tells her to wear it and compliments her on it even though he secretly thinks it is hideous. This hat is a symbol of the conflict that exists between the two. Julian sees the hat as another relic that his mother holds on to, and as an additional form of shame that he must endure from his mother. On the other hand, Julian's mother sees the hat as an object that defines her status in society, but she is willing to sacrifice it if it will help her son get ahead in life.

Racism is the key point of conflict between these two characters. Julian detests his mother's prejudice, which he is why the bus ride is such a burden to him. When they both board the bus, Julian hopes that an African American will be on it because he knows how uncomfortable his or her presence would make his mother. He is disappointed when the only other people on the bus are white. When an African American does get on the bus, Julian deliberately finds an excuse to start a conversation with him in order to upset his mother. After his attempt to continue the dialogue fails, Julian broods over other ways to force his mother to come into contact with an African American so he could "teach her a lesson" (1086). Another chance arrives soon when a large black woman, wearing a hat almost identical to the one that Julian's mother has, and her young son get on the bus. The woman seats herself next to Julian, and the young boy takes the seat ne

Some common words found in the essay are:
African American, Emily Julian's, African Americans, Rises Converge, julian's mother, african american, julian mother, , bus ride, tremendous pride, mother son, mother's prejudice, bus julian,

Approximate Word count = 1076
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: English