Onnie Jay Holy/Hoover Shoats Character Analysis in Wise Blood

A scam artist and former radio preacher, he attempts to partner with Hazel to make money by founding the Holy Church of Christ Without Christ. When Hazel reveals that the “new jesus” is only a figure of speech, Hoover hires Solace Layfield to impersonate Hazel as the Prophet in his church, and runs a rival operation across the street from where Hazel is preaching.

Onnie Jay Holy/Hoover Shoats Character Timeline in Wise Blood

The timeline below shows where the character Onnie Jay Holy/Hoover Shoats appears in Wise Blood. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Religious Belief, Redemption, and Sin Theme Icon

...have done for him. Meanwhile Hazel stands motionless and confused. The man introduces himself as Onnie Jay Holy. He continues to work the crowd, telling them that two months ago he... (full context)

At this point Hazel interrupts to say that Onnie Jay Holy is “not true,” telling everyone that he had never seen the man before... (full context)

Hazel tries to shout that you can’t know the truth for money, but Onnie Jay Holy immediately twists this into an endorsement of how cheap their church is—barely costing... (full context)

Onnie persists as Hazel tries to start the malfunctioning car, telling him that he needs an... (full context)

Hazel repeats himself to the transformed Onnie (who now reveals his real name, Hoover Shoats), and tries to close the car door... (full context)

Shoats leaves after a final threat, and then Hazel falls asleep and has a nightmare in... (full context)

...he doesn’t notice a rat-colored car pulling up across the street. He doesn’t see Hoover Shoats and a man dressed exactly like Hazel emerge and climb up on the nose of... (full context)

On his first night with the false Prophet, Hoover Shoats earns fifteen dollars and thirty-five cents. Three dollars go to the “Prophet” for his services... (full context)

Hazel’s face watches Shoats and the “Prophet” for an hour, and then his car follows Solace’s while he drops... (full context)