Catholic Novelists and Their Readers and The Catholic Novelist in the Protestant South Summary and Analysis

O'Connor relates the story of Francis of Assisi who converted a wolf. She does not know if the wolf is actually converted or not, but in the end he is still a wolf. This moral should ring true for the Christian novelist too because no matter how much he may be improved by the Church, he is still a writer and should remain true to that purpose. In fact, instead of living with restrictions, the Church should make him a better author.

O'Connor feels that writers should heed the writings of St. Thomas Aquinas who says that art does not necessitate restrictions; that a work of art is good in itself. Most people, however, are not content...