The Transformation Of Hazel Motes In Faulkner's Wise Blood

The novel Wise Blood was written by the great twentieth century author William Faulkner. The book contains two stories woven together; the story of Hazel Motes and the story of Enoch Emory. Hazel, also known as Haze, left his home for four years to serve in the army only to return to his home in Tennessee to find that the place he had grown up was completely deserted. Although he was largely affected by his preacher grandfather in his youth, he takes this opportunity to be free to live the life he was always afraid of.Hazel Motes changing personality resulted in other characters believing he was a preacher before he even was one, because he felt exceedingly strongly about his anti-beliefs.
Firstly, in Hazel’s early life, he was scarred by his aggressive preacher grandfather who made fear Jesus as a shadow dark figure in his life. In the beginning of the story, the narrator says, “The boy didn't need to hear it. There was already a deep black wordless conviction in him that the way to avoid Jesus was to avoid sin” (16). This line shows the beginning of his hatred towards Jesus. Throughout the story he talks against Jesus and even founds the “Church without Christ” to preach against what was preached to him. Hazel’s awful past is what ignited his journey to

become the preacher and then anti preacher.
Moreover, when Hazel’s journey begins, he often is told that people believe he is a preacher.

When Hazel is speaking to a taxi driver when the narrator says, “The driver closed his mouth and after a second he returned the piece of cigar to it. ‘That's the trouble with you preachers,’ he said. ‘You've all got too good to believe in anything,’ and he drove off with a look of disgust and righteousness” (28). As Hazel is explain his lack of belief, the taxi driver is one of the first characters to assume he is a preacher. The reason why people see him as a preacher is because he speaks strongly and highly of his beliefs. Hazel sees affirmation through this interaction that preachers do not preach true to

others.
Finally, as Hazel founds his “Church Without Christ” he begins to evolve to the person everyone views hip as. Hazel says, “Look at me!...and you look at a peaceful man! Peaceful because my blood has set me free" (141). Even though Hazel shows disgust towards being a preacher, he ultimately becomes one to ask for a different Christ. A holy figure that he did not view as frightening or demented. The reference to blood in this quote is particularly uncommon for Hazel to say, although, Enoch mentions blood much more often. Hazel is telling his followers to follower their own blood, not the blood of the bad Jesus.
Overall, it is Hazel’s hatred towards his Christianity the ultimately brings him full circle back to his Christian views minus Christ. Being a preacher has been in Hazel’s nature his whole life. It is only until he attempts to build his anti-beliefs that he disagrees with what people tell him. Wise Blood, in an almost satirical way, inspired the reader to think critically about who is telling them valuable information and who is just telling them something useless to believe in.