What Does Joy's Life Mean

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Hulga Hopewell was not always named as such. She was once Joy Hopewell until an accident caused her to lose her leg and change her outlook on life. She responds to both names. To her mother (Mrs. Hopewell) she is Joy, but to Mrs. Freeman she is Hulga. This duality of names suggests a dual life. Hulga has callused herself through knowledge and suppressed her innocent ten year old self into the thing she is most ashamed of, her artificial leg. O’Conner uses the name Joy to show the Christian side, and Hulga to show the perverse, Nihilistic vantage points of Joy’s life. It has been twenty two years since the accident and Mrs. Hopewell still calls Hulga (even though she had her name legally changed) Joy. O’Conner uses this number on purpose. During

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