Flannery O’Conner uses irony effectively in “Parker’s Back”. In the story, Parker got a tattoo of God on his back to please his wife and when he showed his wife the tattoo she did not recognize the tattoo (Encounter 580). Another ironic situation in the story is how Parker ran away from home after his mother took him to a revival meeting and at the end of the story how Parker was beaten because he had the face of God on him (Encounter 573 & 580). When Jesus was on the Earth, the people did not recognize him as their messiah. The Jews expected a king or a political leader to be their messiah. Everyone thinks they know God but when situations rise people fail to recognize the face of …show more content…
O’Conner’s background as a Catholic greatly influences her writing. One of her main goals is to make the world known about God through her writing. After Parker’s wife saw the tattoo of God on his back, she beat him with a broom and face of God on his back swelled up (Encounter 580). The people that Christ loved beat and crucified him. Parker got the tattoo to impress his wife and she beat him with the broom to where he had swellings. Another instance of biblical allusion was at the end of the story where Parker was leaning on a tree crying (Encounter 580). This is alluding to Jesus being crucified on the cross. Throughout the story many more instances of biblical allusions can be