"Revelation" by Flannery O’Connor is about an upper-middle-class white woman, Mrs. Ruby Turpin, who is prone to judging others. She regards the lower-class whites in the waiting room of the doctor's office as "white trash." The story takes place in the South during the Jim Crow era, and Mrs. Turpin herself is a bigot. In fact, in her mind, poor whites and Black people are closely related in her racially charged, class-based categorization system. Mrs. Turpin even goes as far as to speak only to other whites whom she believes are in the same socioeconomic class as her. Mrs. Turpin clearly represents intolerance, whether that intolerance is race- or class-based. Additionally, she represents the blind hypocrisy with which many (racist) people, particularly in the American South, operate. Mrs. Turpin’s harsh judgments represent a lack of self-reflection. Racist, elitist, classist, or derogatory behaviors are all centered around targeting others. When people are targeted for their race or social status, the targeters do not see their own shortcomings that they are so eager to find in others. The phrase “people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones” certainly applies to Mrs. Turpin. In other words, if you cannot accept criticism of similar traits in yourself, it doesn’t make sense to dish out insults to others.

When the daughter of the woman Mrs. Turpin speaks to throws a book at her, it is no coincidence that the book's title is Human Development. Mrs. Turpin represents a primitive stage in human psychological development when judging others in such an extreme capacity was still “needed” for survival. Our ancestors had to judge other humans, animals, and situations they were not accustomed to. At that time, "others" were a threat. Now that humans live in a modern society composed of different races and people from all walks of life who are not a threat at all, Mrs. Turpin's way of thinking is anachronistic. Therefore, she has not "developed" yet. In fact, the girl who attacks Mrs. Turpin calls her a warthog: a non-human. 

When she is given a message and a vision by what she thinks is God, Mrs. Turpin sees all of the people she held in contempt marching up to heaven. This symbolizes the universal love of God and that the deity Mrs. Turpin worships does not judge any humans by any parameter other than their good and bad deeds. This is an instance of irony. Mrs. Turpin has long considered herself a “good Christian,” assuming that that blanket statement would save her from scorn of both earthly and spiritual proportions. Yet, as Mrs. Turpin discovers, clinging to a title and falling short of what such a claim entails ultimately reflects poorly on her character. Character is what matters: this is evidenced in Mrs. Turpin’s titular revelation. 

Given the Christian overtones throughout the story, it is important to mention that the title, “Revelation,” seems to directly allude to the Book of Revelation. This is the final book of the Bible, named for its apocalyptic nature. When Mrs. Turpin has her vision, she sees what would happen at the end of the world—the Final Judgment. According to Mrs. Turpin’s belief system, this is where all people are judged and approved based upon their deeds whilst living. Mrs. Turpin’s average wealth or skin color does not mean anything in this instance. If it doesn’t mean anything there, during the definitive analysis of her character, then it certainly should not mean anything to her now.