Flowering Judas

Essay by PaperNerd ContributorHigh School, 11th grade November 2001

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Flowering Judas Katherine Anne Porter's short story "Flowering Judas" is a story of betrayal and psychological imbalance. The two main characters in the story are Laura and Braggioni. The story is set in Mexico during the revolution and helps portray the characters' true motives behind being a part of the rebellion. Both characters have similarities and differences, which they express in the story. Also, each character has a sort of super ego that is expressed in opposite ways by their dysfunctional personalities. Laura and Braggioni both suffer from a psychological imbalance in their struggle for self-fulfillment and acceptance in society. Unfortunately neither person succeeds in meeting this ideal. In my opinion both characters fail to be healthy, fulfilled human beings in the story.

Braggioni is a leader of men and a skilled revolutionist whose name suggests his nature. He is primarily concerned with pleasure and the luxuries in life.

This is physically seen in the expensive garments he wears. His outfit first introduced consists of a lavender collar; a necktie held by a diamond loop, a leather belt worked in silver, glassy yellow shoes and a silk hose. Braggioni's material possessions validate and enhance how he loves himself and is a vain individual. His love of small luxuries is not the only source of his contentment. He takes great pleasure in controlling people. He tells Laura that he " is rich, not in money "¦ but in power". This is true due to the fact that men come to him for help, and he takes bliss on deciding whether to help them or not. He is even in charge of Laura who with the others "owes her comfortable situation and her salary to him" (372). Braggioni knows that he determines people's fates and feels self-fulfillment; in his mind he...