The Transformation Of Hazel Motes In Faulkner's Wise Blood

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The novel Wise Blood was written by the great twentieth century author William Faulkner. The book contains two stories woven together; the story of Hazel Motes and the story of Enoch Emory. Hazel, also known as Haze, left his home for four years to serve in the army only to return to his home in Tennessee to find that the place he had grown up was completely deserted. Although he was largely affected by his preacher grandfather in his youth, he takes this opportunity to be free to live the life he was always afraid of.Hazel Motes changing personality resulted in other characters believing he was a preacher before he even was one, because he felt exceedingly strongly about his anti-beliefs. Firstly, in Hazel’s early life, he was scarred by his aggressive preacher grandfather who made fear Jesus as a shadow dark figure in his life. In the beginning of the story, the narrator says, “The boy didn't need to hear it. There was already a deep black wordless conviction in him that the way to avoid Jesus was to avoid sin” (16). This line shows the beginning of his hatred towards Jesus. Throughout the story he talks against Jesus and even founds the “Church without Christ” to preach against what was preached to him. Hazel’s awful past is what ignited his journey to …show more content…

When Hazel is speaking to a taxi driver when the narrator says, “The driver closed his mouth and after a second he returned the piece of cigar to it. ‘That's the trouble with you preachers,’ he said. ‘You've all got too good to believe in anything,’ and he drove off with a look of disgust and righteousness” (28). As Hazel is explain his lack of belief, the taxi driver is one of the first characters to assume he is a preacher. The reason why people see him as a preacher is because he speaks strongly and highly of his beliefs. Hazel sees affirmation through this interaction that preachers do not preach true to

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