At his wit's end with his son's grief over the death of his mother a year earlier, Sheppard invites a troubled youth, Rufus, into their home. Contemptuous of Sheppard, Rufus resists the man's attempts to improve him, but the extent—and consequences—of Rufus's disdain for Sheppard become clear only in Rufus's dealings with Sheppard's son, Norton.

American author Flannery O'Connor is known for her portrayal of flawed characters and their inevitable spiritual transformation. "The Lame Shall Enter First" is a haunting story of a flawed man unable to connect with and comfort his grieving son.

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