After lunch, students rallied themselves for their final class, discussing Flannery O’Connor’s Everything That Rises Must Converge, which follows the thoughts of a young man as he rides a bus with his mother. The riveting short story, in classic O’Connor fashion, drew students into the narrative and shocked all with its tragic ending.
In their discussions, students considered the story’s themes of irony, prejudice, and guilt. “It was a really frustrating story because both the mother and the son were in the wrong,” noted programmer Madeline B. “Even though Julian (the son) was intent on being contrary to his mother, he had a very similar stubbornness and his own delusional view of the world.” Once the class was over, all the students received some special parting gifts from the prefects — a TAC backpack filled with goodies, a t-shirt, and a certificate of completion.
And so the Summer Program is coming to an end — but not quite yet! Be sure to check the Summer Blog tomorrow to read about the group trip to a favorite local ice-cream store, the long-awaited dance, and the inevitable goodbyes that come with the program’s end!