Judgement Day

In the weeks leading up to the unfortunate news that Flannery O’Connor would have to check in to Piedmont Hospital in Atlanta for an indefinite stay beginning in May 1964, she told her editor, Robert Giroux, that she wanted to remove “The Partridge Festival” from the upcoming collection, Everything That Rises Must Converge, and replace it with a different story. According to biographer Brad Gooch, O’Connor “mentioned, for the first time, one ‘that I have been working on off and on for several years that I may be able to finish in time to include.’ The intended story was ‘Judgement Day,’ a retelling of her first published story from Iowa, ‘The Geranium.’ Roiling in her head over the month was the notion to circle back to her beginnings and redo her original successful story, revealing how far she had come” (361). Therefore, O’Connor spent her first weeks in the hospital rewriting most of “Judgement Day” before beginning her next story, “Parker’s Back.” O’Connor was released from the hospital in June after her doctors determined that further stay would not help her severely failed kidneys. O’Connor, weak and growing ever weaker, returned home to continue making slow but steady progress on “Judgement Day” and “Parker’s Back.” Giroux writes in the introduction to The Complete Stories, which he began compiling in 1949, that “the final story, ‘Judgement Day,’ was mailed to me in early July. It is a revised and expanded version of ‘The Geranium,’ which appears to have been a favorite of hers. [...] It became the ninth story in the collection published posthumously in 1965” (xvi), referring to Everything That Rises Must Converge. Approximately a month after she sent “Judgement Day” to Giroux, O’Connor passed away on August 3, 1964 at the age of thirty-nine.

Scholarship first concludes that O’Connor’s “Judgement Day” pointedly considers race relations in the U.S. South, presenting through Tanner the evolution of ideas regarding race that occurred during the 1960s when O’Connor wrote the story. Scholar Bryan Giemza explains that “the very notion that there were orders, that they endured, and that one belonged to them constitutes the bedrock of southern political thought,” describing the ideals of “hard-lined segregation” that characterized O’Connor’s South (175). Tanner clearly embodies the transition of racial ideas in his friendship with Coleman, his altercations with his daughter’s new African American neighbor, and his refusal to work for Doctor Foley, an African American dentist, which results in Tanner’s displacement to New York City. When Doctor Foley offers Tanner employment, he replies that “‘I don’t have to work for you,’ he said. ‘The government ain’t got around yet to forcing the white folks to work for the colored.’ [...] ‘The day is coming,’ the doctor said, ‘when the white folks IS going to be working for the colored and you mights well git ahead of the crowd.’ ‘That day ain’t coming for me,’ Tanner said shortly” (“Judgement,” 540). In terms of Tanner’s rejection of working for Doctor Foley, which demonstrates the severity of his racism, critic Ralph C. Wood explains that Tanner “insists on maintaining his racial superiority, knowing that, in the still-segregated South, color distinction brings honor that neither money nor property can purchase” (135). As a result, O’Connor demonstrates through Tanner that “Southern manners, at their worst, undergird an evil system of race and class domination” (Wood 142). However, while scholars generally agree that “Judgement Day” offers a genuine “critique of Southern racial attitude” (Wood 134), O’Connor’s final story unequivocally offers a Christian meaning as well.

Many similarities exist between O’Connor’s first story, “The Geranium,” and her last that facilitate a Christian meaning in “Judgement Day.” O’Connor explains in a letter to a friend that “Judgement Day” is “a rewrite of a story [“The Geranium”] that I have had around since 1946 and never been satisfied with, but I hope I have it now except for details maybe” (The Habit of Being, 588). The most predominant similarities surround the stories’ premises, such as that both stories feature an elderly white man from Georgia displaced to New York City to live with his daughter. Although both men, Dudley in “The Geranium” and Tanner in “Judgement Day,” curiously wonder what life in New York City entails, they quickly miss their homes in Georgia. Most important, a desire to return to Georgia consumes Dudley and Tanner. Dudley demonstrates his dislike for New York City when he explains that “he’d said yes, he’d go. He must have been sick when he said it. He couldn’t have been well and said it” (“Geranium,” 4). Dudley’s homesickness clearly defines his desire to return to Georgia, such as in the way “he didn’t like flowers, but the geranium didn’t look like a flower. It looked like the sick Grisby boy at home and it was the color of the drapes the old ladies had in the parlor and the paper bow on it looked like the one behind Lutish’s uniform she wore on Sundays. Lutish had a fondness for sashes” (9). Similarly, the opening of “Judgement Day” immediately conveys Tanner’s desire to return home to Georgia as he reflects that he “was conserving all his strength for the trip home. He meant to walk as far as he could get and trust the Almighty to get him the rest of the way” (“Judgement,” 531). Tanner concludes that “during the night the train would start South, and the next day or the morning after, dead or alive, he would be home. Dead or alive. It was being there that mattered; the dead or alive did not” (532). Ultimately, O’Connor’s first and last stories display striking similarities.

Theological significance in “Judgement Day” perhaps derives from the strikingly different endings of “The Geranium” and “Judgement Day.” In the ending of “The Geranium,” Dudley remains defeated as the fallen geranium crushes his hopes and reveals that he will never return home. At Dudley’s lowest moment, when “the man [across the alley] was watching him cry [...] where the geranium was supposed to be” (“Geranium,” 13), he learns that the geranium has fallen off of the window ledge and smashed into the alleyway below, which represents the demolishing of Dudley’s hopes in his memories of his past life in Georgia and in the chance to return home. In contrast, Tanner triumphs at the end of “Judgement Day” by experiencing the excitement of Judgement Day in dying and ultimately returning home. Tanner’s daughter recognizes her father’s enthusiasm when she comments that he should “quit thinking about morbid stuff, death and hell and judgement” (“Judgement,” 541). Tanner reveals his excitement by responding that “the Judgement is coming. [...] The sheep’ll be separated from the goats” (541). Here, Tanner conjures Jesus’s explanation of Judgement Day where he tells his followers that he “will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats” (Matt. 25.32 ESV), meaning that Jesus will separate believers from non-believers. Later, Tanner dreams about Judgement Day twice, both times imagining himself jumping out of his coffin sent to Coleman in Georgia and exclaiming, “‘Judgement Day! Judgement Day!’ he cried. ‘Don’t you two fools know it’s Judgment Day?’” (“Judgment,” 546 and reworded on 549). By dying at the end of the story, Tanner experiences the excitement of Judgement Day that he proclaims leading up to his death, but his triumphant ending culminates in his return home when his daughter “shipped the body to Corinth” (550). Critic Michael O’Connell explains that the different endings between the stories allows for deeper theological meaning in “Judgement Day” by saying that the overarching story “grows from an examination of simple geographic dislocation to an exploration of emotional and spiritual displacement” (353). Therefore, the differing endings introduce the theologically rich implications of “Judgement Day.”

Tanner’s return home to Georgia through his death evokes the Biblical idea of souls returning to a heavenly home and to God in death, which equates Georgia with Heaven. Biblical passages present the idea of the circularity of life, such as when the Teacher in Ecclesiastes writes that when “the silver cord or life snaps, [...] the dust will return to the earth, and the spirit will return to God who gave it” (Eccles. 12.6-7 NLT). The Bible supports the idea that, when people die, their souls complete the cycle of returning to God, who “formed the man of dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life” (Gen. 2.7 ESV). According to Christian doctrine, all humans return in death to be judged by God, the creator, who proclaims that “all souls are mine” (Ezek. 18.4 ESV). Within this context developed by the triumph of Tanner’s death, which differs from Dudley’s hopelessness at the end of “The Geranium,” O’Connor establishes theological significance in “Judgement Day.”

While the Bible does not give particular instructions on how to bury the dead, its discussion of burials emphasizes the importance of people receiving a proper, respectful burial. Tanner shows the importance he places on own burial in Georgia when he tells his daughter that “‘you promised you’d bury me there,’ he said. [...] His voice was so dry it was barely audible. He began to shake, his hands, his head, his feet. ‘Bury me here and burn in hell!’ he cried and fell back into his chair” (“Judgement,” 533). Various Biblical passages support giving people proper, respectful burials. The author of Ecclesiastes writes that “a man might have a hundred children and live to be very old. But if he finds no satisfaction in life and doesn’t even get a decent burial, it would have been better for him to be born dead” (Eccles. 6.3 NLT). Similarly, when Abraham’s wife, Sarah, dies, Abraham “said to the Hittite elders, ‘Here I am, a stranger and a foreigner among you. Please sell me a piece of land so I can give my wife a proper burial’” (Gen. 23.3-4 NLT). King David respects the burial wishes of Barzillai, an elderly man “who had provided food for [David] during his stay in Mahanaim” (2 Sam. 19.32 NLT). When Barzillai asks David to “let me return again to die in my own town, where my father and mother are buried” (2 Sam. 19.37 NLT), David grants his request, demonstrating respect toward Barzillai’s burial wishes. In the same way, Joseph of Arimathea demonstrates reverence for Jesus by offering his own burial tomb to give Jesus a proper burial. John’s gospel records that Nicodemus “brought about seventy-five pounds of perfumed ointment made from myrrh and aloes” (John 19.39 NLT), and “following Jewish burial custom, [he and Joseph] wrapped Jesus’s body with the spices in long sheets of linen cloth” (John 19.40 NLT). Collectively, the Bible supports Tanner’s request for his own burial by demonstrating the importance of people receiving a proper, respectful burial.

Doctrinal controversy exists between the Catholic and Protestant churches and between denominations in the Protestant Church over when Judgement Day occurs. Different theories support that the Day of Judgement occurs individually for each soul upon dying, after a period of time where souls atone for their sins in Purgatory, or on one predetermined day by God where all souls, living and dead, are judged at once. Biblical passages do not supply a definitive answer on when Judgement Day occurs. For instance, in the story of the Rich Man and Lazarus, Lazarus “died and was carried by the angels to sit beside Abraham at the heavenly banquet. The rich man also died and was buried, and he went to the place of the dead” (Luke 16.22-23 NLT), which supports the stance that souls are immediately judged and placed into Heaven or Hell upon their individual deaths. The Catholic tradition, which subscribes to the concept of Purgatory, an intermediary place where souls atone for their sins and purify themselves before judgement, draws on 2 Maccabees 12:44-45, which records that “if [Judas] had not hoped that they that were slain should have risen again, it had been superfluous and vain to pray for the dead. And also in that he perceived that there was great favour laid up for those that died godly, it was a holy and good thought. Whereupon he made a reconciliation for the dead, that they might be delivered from sin” (Apocrypha). Literary scholar Margaret Earley Whitt posits that, after the African American neighbor shoves Tanner’s head into the railing, which kills him, Tanner “is caught halfway in a purgatory-like existence” (158), accounting for the delay between his time of death and his body’s return to Georgia. Still other Biblical passages support the idea that Judgement Day describes one day where all souls, regardless of their time of death, are judged. For example, Daniel writes that “many of those whose bodies lie dead and buried will rise up, some to everlasting life and some to shame and everlasting disgrace” (Dan. 12.2 NLT). Similarly, John writes that in his vision of the Final Judgement, “the sea gave up its dead, and death and the grave gave up their dead. And all were judged according to their deeds” (Rev. 20.13 NLT). Ultimately, the Bible supports multiple theories that explain when and how the Day of Judgement occurs.

O’Connor emphasizes the need for readers to consider the fate of their souls by instructing that humans never decisively know the date or time of their deaths or of the Day of Judgement, thereby evoking the mystery of death. Tanner’s daughter’s African American neighbor raises the idea of the mysterious timing of death when, as Tanner lies dazed after toppling down the stairs, the man “leaned closer and grasped him by the front of his shirt. ‘Judgement day,’ he said in a mocking voice. ‘Ain’t no judgement day, old man. Cept this. Maybe this here judgement day for you” (“Judgement,” 549), which highlights the uncertainty of the timing of one’s death and the judgement of one’s soul. The Bible declares that God decides “the length of our lives. [He] know[s] how many months we will live, and we are not given a minute longer” (Job 14.5 NLT). In discussing the mysterious timing of Judgement Day, Jesus tells his followers that “no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows” (Matt. 24.36 NLT). Similarly, Peter describes that “the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment” (2 Pet. 3.10 NLT). Therefore, in presenting the mystery of the day and time of death and judgement of people’s souls, O’Connor urges readers to consider the fate of their souls, highlighting unpredictability to create a sense of urgency that emphasizes her Christian message.

Finally, Tanner’s excitement at the prospect of Judgement Day reveals O’Connor’s message that Judgement Day is a happy occurrence for those who believe in Jesus, like Tanner. Wood states simply that “Judgement Day is a welcome prospect” (140) for Tanner. The Bible supports a positive view toward Judgement Day by stating that those who have faith in God and believe in Jesus should rejoice because “whoever believes in [Jesus] will not perish but have eternal life. God sent his Son into the world not to judge the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3.16-17 NLT). Therefore, Jesus’s followers should “rejoice and exult with all your heart. [...] The Lord your God is in your midst, a mighty one who will save; he will rejoice over you with gladness” (Zeph. 3.14, 17 ESV). John documents songs of victory in Heaven where the souls shout, “Praise the Lord! For the Lord our God, the Almighty, reigns. Let us be glad and rejoice, and let us give honor to him” (Rev. 19.6-7 NLT). Ultimately, O’Connor’s emphasis of the joys of Judgement Day through Tanner for those who believe in Jesus accentuates the destruction of those who do not believe in Jesus, defining Judgement Day as a disagreeable day for them. Overall, however, O’Connor’s commentary on death and the Day of Judgement ultimately pushes readers to consider the fate of their souls in terms of life after death, which O’Connor’s Christian doctrine declares to be inevitable.

Considering O’Connor’s untimely death following the penning of “Judgement Day,” the story provides a positive outlook on the seemingly grim end to her life. Superficially, as a devout Catholic, O’Connor would have subscribed to the assurance of joy in the Day of Judgement that she conveys in her story for those who believe in Jesus. In this way, O’Connor’s evolution of her original story into “Judgement Day” characterizes death positively as a triumph to be celebrated, specifically in the way Tanner ultimately returns home to Georgia and therefore a heavenly home at the story’s end. Whitt positively summarizes “Judgement Day” as representative of the evolution of O’Connor’s career as a whole, stating that “a comparison of the earlier story with the rewrite marks the growth of O’Connor’s talent” (155). Similarly, Wood expands on Whitt’s point, noting that “by the end of her outrageously and providentially brief life, O’Connor had deepened and toughened both her faith and her art. ‘Judgement Day’ is thus as complicated in scene and imagery, in plot and character, as ‘The Geranium’ is simplistic” (135). Therefore, the positive sentiments of “Judgement Day” reflect the exemplary evolution of O’Connor’s writing career as a whole.

Works Cited

The Apocrypha: Translated out of the Original Tongues and with the Former Translations Diligently Compared and Revised by His Majesty’s Special Command. 1992. Pitt Brevier ed., Cambridge, Cambridge UP, 2017.

ESV Study Bible: English Standard Version. Translated by Crossway, ESV text ed., Wheaton, Crossway Bibles, 2011.

Giemza, Bryan. Irish Catholic Writers and the Invention of the American South. Baton Rouge, Louisiana State UP, 2013.

Giroux, Robert. Introduction. The Complete Stories, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1971, pp. vii-xvii.

Gooch, Brad. Flannery: A Life of Flannery O’Connor. New York, Little, Brown, 2009.

Holy Bible: New Living Translation. Translated by Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Tyndale House Publishers, 2015.

O'Connell, Michael. “Getting to ‘Judgement Day’: Flannery O’Connor’s Representation of Personal Dislocation.” Renascence: Essays on Values in Literature, vol. 65, no. 5, fall 2013, pp. 351-64. MLA International Bibliography.

O’Connor, Flannery. “The Geranium.” The Complete Stories, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1971, pp. 3-14.

---. The Habit of Being. Edited by Sally Fitzgerald, New York City, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1979.

---. “Judgement Day.” The Complete Stories, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1971, pp. 531-50.

Whitt, Margaret Earley. Understanding Flannery O’Connor. Columbia, U of South Carolina P, 1997.

Wood, Ralph C. Flannery O’Connor and the Christ-Haunted South. Grand Rapids (Michigan), W.B. Eerdmans Publ., 2005.