Everything That

Rises Must
Converge
By: Isabella, Koiki, Srishti, Yukiyo
IDENTITY
Julian’s mother believes that social conduct reflects a person’s true nature, whereas Julian believes
that social conduct reveals an unwillingness to adapt to social change. Julian’s mother pays slavish
attention to her manners and behavior, believing that the way a person does things reflects who they
truly are. She emphasizes dressing well and behaving graciously, especially when in public. Although
her family is no longer wealthy, she still conducts herself as though she is a woman of importance.
Julian has an altogether different view of social conduct, believing that the content of a person’s mind
reveals who they are. He believes that his intellectual views, not his dress or manners, dictate who he
is.
 IDENTITY
We think that in the beginning identity was one of the most important concept in the text as we see Julian
and his mother arguing about whether they know themselves. “ where you stand now or who your are” and
the argument of “I most certainly do know who I am,” she said, “and if you don't know who you are, I'm
ashamed of you.” shows that there is confusion whether they truly know their identity and leads us to a
path of the characters revealing their identity.

LINEAGE
As the story goes on , the characters are revealed to have been rich at some point, with their great
grandfather owning a huge house before they were ‘reduced’. At this point we start to see differing points
in which the mother seems to define herself as still of that high social standing while Julian says “Doubtless
that decayed mansion reminded them,” which shows that he did not define himself to his background. This
goes to show his mother had a more traditional mindset compared to Julian the college graduate.
 IDENTITY
RACIAL INEQUALITY
This became a large focus as the story progressed as a large difference was
how his mother in compared to Julian seemed to more frequently point out
the “Negroes” with a negative connotation or in other words discrimination.
In which Julian disagreed. “he made it a point to sit down beside a Negro, in
reparation as it were for his mother's sins.”
Identity
SUPERIORITY
This leads to the idea that Julian’s mother felt superior because of her race and lineage
as indicated by “banner of her imaginary dignity.” APPEARANCE seems to define their
identity in those times as ““You look like a--- thug,” she said.” because Julian took off his
tie. This shows that they identify with themselves depending on how they dress.

Rolling his eyes upward, he put his tie back on. “Restored to my class,” he muttered.This
reaffirms the idea that they determine their social standing with what they wear and yet
the guy who was sitting next to Julian in the bus, though dressed very well seems to still
be a n acception to Julian’s mother which highlights the racial inequality.
 CULTURE
As the story progresses the idea of culture seems to be more dominant as it shows how
people who were of same race as Julian’s mother acted the same way and with the same
perspective.

There is a lot of emphasis around the ‘traditional’ views and the racists culture that
surrounds the town. Being right after racial segregation laws had been abolished, the
town itself is in a state of constant unrest. Here we have a representation of two cultures
that had previously been seperated and pushed away from one another, forcefully told to
integrate and try to become one. The product of which becomes the source of the towns
unrest. Both cultures did not want to integrate, the traditional mindset of the superior
whites and the inferior blacks is still very much apparent, as show by the bus scene.
Culture
However as the story progresses, Flonner begins to point out that the needless
segregation is very much grounded upon no foundation. He point out through the
use of Carver’s mother that people are very much the same, no matter which side
of the race war they had been, going as far as to say that Carver’s mother was
Julian’s mother’s ‘black double’.
CULTURE
In many ways, Julian’s mother still lives in the South of her ancestors, with strict social
codes of conduct that determined the behavior of both whites and blacks. Even though
these norms no longer apply, she still adheres to the old customs to resist the startling
changes that the new desegregation and antidiscrimination laws have brought. Julian,
meanwhile, eagerly seeks to embrace the new, integrated South and the promises of
greater prosperity and racial equality. He rejects the older social order and espouses the
liberal ideas of a younger generation, condemning older whites’ attitudes regarding race.
Like most young, idealistic Southerners, however, he has trouble acting on his convictions
and fully treating blacks as equals or even people. Julian’s clashes with his mother over
dress, race, and appearances in general mimic the greater conflict in society and
ultimately result in violence.
 CULTURE
Although there may be contradiction between Julian’s mother and the
Negroes, there seems to be some hope for the next generation , Julian
with a less traditional mindset., as he had he had ‘cut himself emotionally
free of her and could see her with complete objectivity.’ and even took
the initiative to sit beside the negro on the bus. Does this mean that
despite different culture and upbringings, there was still a way to
“converge” these two different races?

It seems so to some extent, however, even though Julian may not be as

strongly opinionated as his mother, “He would have liked to get in
conversation with the Negro” shows that he still could not fully get along
with him and have a conversation.
PERSPECTIVE
“That was your black double. She can wear the same hat as you”

“The old manners are obsolete and your graciousness is not worth a
damn.”

“He thought bitterly of the house that had been lost for him. “

“You aren’t who you think you are,” he said.

PERSPECTIVE
At this point we note that while the mother was not a likeable character we
understand that this was told from Julian’s perspective. Julian was already
filled with anger and hostility towards his mother from the very beginning,
resenting the fact that he had to accompany her. So in this case the story may
also be biased to some extent.

We also get to see the moment of ‘realization’ for Julian’s mother, as she is met
with the reality of racism and how the world around her as changed. How her
social standing means nothing now, and that she cannot continue to fall back
on that.
PERSPECTIVE
Both Julian and his mother rely heavily on appearances to separate and elevate themselves
from the rest of society. Julian’s mother, for example, hopes that her public demeanor and
clothing will hide the fact that she no longer has any of her family’s former wealth. In turn, she
judges others on their appearance, including blacks, whom she automatically considers
inferior. She looks down on the African American man on the bus who wears a suit, even
though he is better dressed than Julian, and still places herself above the large black woman
on board, even though she realizes that they wear the same hideous hat. Ironically, Julian relies
on appearances to quickly judge others around him too, even though he criticizes his mother
for this same shortcoming.
Conclusion
Identity Culture Perspective

In conclusion, these three are the main ideas that we have chosen to associate
the text with.

Identity, culture, and perspective are used in a way to tell the story of the
struggles and the conflict between 2 different ideologies during the civil rights
movement and the integration of the coloured citizens to the general
population in the South.
Conclusion
Julian’s mother’s concept of her own identity makes her believe that she is
superior to the coloured people as a result of her upbringing. The stereotype
culture of the South implements this certain superiority perspective in the
whites as they used to be pro-slavery. Julian tries to convince his mother that
her superiority complex over the coloured people is simply misjudged;
coloured or not coloured, humans are the same. It is their mindset, not their
skin colour that determines their identity.