Katherine Anne Porter's "Flowering Judas"

Notes

Parable:

How might the story be a parable?  A parable is meant to offer explanations; to teach a lesson; to bring understanding to a complex subject.  What is explained or taught in this story?  Of what does the reader gain a better understanding?

Morals:

1.) Laura is as villainous as Braggioni?  She needs to be watched.  She is a so-called innocent who stands by and allows others to perpetrate evil?  She brings death, not fulfillment.  She is also an evildoer.

2.) Laura is not heroic or noble.  She is submissive.  She is dangerously naïve.  She is full of romantic error.  She is disgruntled because life is imperfect.  She mouths banalities and cliches.  She negates all external truths to protect herself from an unknown fear.

3.) The power of the story is the suffocating sense of the way in which, for Laura, the political power of Braggioni has been converted into sexual aggression of the most threatening and repulsive kind.

4.) By remaining impassive, Laura was drawn into serving the evil ends of her suitor -- Braggioni -- and that she is more guilty than he for the death of Eugenio.  Consciously, Laura is unable to face her quilt.  Only in her dreams can she approach any understanding of the implications of her actions.

5.) Laura is soaked in sentimental idealism -- sacrificing herself -- she thinks -- for the good of human kind but finding that reality does not match her ideals.

6.) A lapsed Roman Catholic looking for ideals but finding none, unable to believe in none -- not religion, revolution, others’ passions.

7.) Laura has impossible and childish expectations and suffers from despair rising out of boredom, the malaise of the pampered and self-centered, the luxury of the rich and the privileged.

Religion References:

“No” -- does not suffer her to be led into evil -- The Lord’s Prayer

Washing feet -- Braggioni and his wife -- the woman in the Pharisee’s house who stood at his feet weeping / washed his feet.

“Follow me” -- Christ in the New Testament

“Take and Eat” / “This is my body and my blood” -- The Words of Institution -- Laura eats and drinks from the flowering Judas tree -- communion and sacrament.  Laura dreams of Eugenio who speaks similar words to Christ at the last supper.

Excellent Use of Language / Style:

Repetition of “They” -- pp. _____

Repetition of “Over” -- pp. _____

Waves, Lovely -- pp. _____

Braggioni’s Thumb -- pp. _____

Clay Masks -- pp. _____