O'Connor's ending

O’Connor’s short stories, for some people, might be optimistic since her characters are given opportunities to see themselves for what they are. Her characters, then, have a chance to get rid of their flaws, mostly pride and arrogance. Mr. Head, for example, thinks he’s smart and superior to others. However, at the end, he learns that he isn’t as good as he thought. “I never seen him before.” Saying this, Mr. Head loses Nelson’s trust. Turning his back on his only kin, he is ashamed and realised that he isn’t that good. O’Connor put the artificial nigger in the scene as an opportunity for Mr. Head to reconcile with Nelson. Fortunately, he takes that chance and learns the lesson.
However, as for me, her short stories are quite pessimistic. It’s true that her characters are given lots of opportunities to gain self-knowledge. But, not every character realises...