Category: A Good Man is Hard to Find

American author, Flannery O’ Connor believed in shocking her audience with exorbitant characters and usually aggressive plots to get her point across. Her short story, “The Life You Save May be Your Own, Good Country People, and A Good Man is Hard to Find,” includes a traveling handyman lures a deaf woman, a skewed Bible salesman, and a garrulous grandmother recognizes a roaming bandit face off on a dirt road. O’ Connor additionally used her Christian faith and personal interest in moral, ethical, and social issues to question life and the inherent nature of society. The main conflict of good and evil, defined by O’ Connor’s own religious views, perpetuates through the false perception embedded in her short stores. All main character’s awareness of one another’s various psychological and physical differences cause them to categorize each other as purely good or essentially evil. Flannery O’Connor’s stories “The Life You Save May be Your Own, Good Country People, and A Good Man is Hard to Find,” uses irony ultimately comment on the risks of making a false assumption of others based on their differences of words, religious beliefs, or a false sense of authority.

Marry Flannery O’ Connor was born on March 25, 1925, to Edward and Regina Klein O’ Connor in Savannah, Georgia. Her family lived in Milledgeville, Georgia for most of her childhood. As an only child, she was very close to both of her parents who strict devout Catholics. All her work intrinsically includes allusions to her deep faith in Catholicism and her belief in the mysticism of God. At an early age, O’Connor’s interests were drawing and writing. As she moved on in her life to college her interests grew but she never lost her love for art. Flannery O’Connor loved peacocks. She owned many of these majestic creatures as well as poultry by watching them during her past time. Once she began writing, O’ Connor dropped her first name, Mary, and strictly wrote under the pen-name, Flannery O’ Connor. She inherited a disease known disseminated lupus the same disease her father died from. She published two novels but is perhaps best known for her short stories which explored small-town life with stinging language, offbeat humor, and delightfully unsavory scenarios.

Flannery O’ Connor begins her short story, “ “The Life You Save May be Your Own,” by introducing the characters where the one-handed drifter, Tom Shiflet, wanders into the lives of an old woman named, Mrs. Crater and her deaf, mute daughter, Lucynell Crater. Though Mrs. Crater is self-assured, her isolated home is falling apart. At first, she may be suspicious of Shiflet’s motives whom he offers to help around the house, but O’Connor reveals the old women to be just as scheming as her unexpected guest and rattles the readers’ presumptions about who has the upper hand. For O’Connor, no subject was off-limits. Though she was a devout catholic, she was not afraid to explore the possibility of pious thought and impious behavior coexisting in the same persona.

In “Good Country People,” uses southern Gothicism or genre of fiction in which the author, O’Connor, uses damaged or even delusional characters, grotesque events and dark humor to reveal the moral shortcomings and problems with society. Flannery O’ Connor uses irony to point out the importance of Christ’s grace in a sinful and flawed world. The story shows a “sacramental view of life,”(Hall 28) when the character had the epiphany in which “Joy-Hulga,” realizes when Manley Pointer pulls out his big Bible and tells the “shocked” Joy-Hulga who finally realizes she has been duped and is not as smart as she thought. Joy-Hulga views her leg as a permanent setback, saying that if she did not have it, “she would be far away from these red hills and a good country people” (Clasby 381). Joy-Hulga faces waves of angers for her legs for personal obstacles. She “Joy Hulga,” is too naïve and scared to ever leave her town and home, where the benefit of comfort outweighed her annoyance and unaware of true evil, Manley Pointer. Joy-Hulga views Manley Pointer as naïve and inferior to herself belittling him by telling her mother to “get rid of the salt of the earth,” in reference to him (Flora 57). Though Joy-Hulga is a victim of judgement from her mother, she is not innocent of making false assumptions of others. Joy-Hulga’s plan to seduce Manley Pointer contributes to her feelings of superiority over him which contrasts with Mrs. Hopewell’s affirmative regard for him. She now is pushed toward the cope of achieving Christ’s grace in changing her ways. Flannery O’ Connor’s stories, “Good Country People,” symbolizes the characters as flawed and grotesque.

In “A Goodman is Hard to Find,” O’Connor redeems an insufferable grandmother for forgiving a hardened criminal and endangered her family. The story is set in rural countryside in the early 1950s. The settings play an important role because the grandmother’s selfish acts’ views on society reflect that time period. As the story unfolds the setting insight to where the family will eventually meet their doom on the ride. The grandmother realizes that the house she is thinking of is in Tennessee and not in Georgia. When she found out, she startled, made his son, Bailey, lose control and collide the car into an accident. No one is hurt until the “Misfit,” shows up and endangers her family by saying she recognizes him “Misfit,” as the loose criminal, so the Misfit killed the entire family one by one until the grandmother left herself for bargaining her life. Her offered “bargaining,” is not enough so she got to shoot 3 times and left them all died. Though the grandmother pays the price for this redemption, she is forced to confront the nuance in moments of Misfit, considered purely violent or evil.

Through the plot of “The Life You Save May be Your Own, Good Country People, and A Good Man is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’ Connor presents a story dealing with mistaken perceptions of authority through the differences of others. The characters are blind to the true disposition of others, these individuals lose sight of how to accept differences and disabilities. The main characters slowly disprove traditional Southern stereotypes by deceiving those close to them “own family members.” O’Connor uses her classic, “Southern Gothic “style and stereotype of Southern people to show the real “good people” do not exist. Learning to accept the differences of others and negating false assumption is expressed through O’Connor’s short stories.

In Flannery O’Connor’s short story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” which was published in the year 1953, the word “good” is considered to be poor judgement or blind faith. This is similar to the literary elements in “The River,” a short story as well about Reverend Bevel Summers, a traveling preacher who is going to perform a healing at a local river.

Two of Flannery O’Connor’s short stories are ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’ and ‘The River’ which were both published in 1953 in her collection of short stories. The author was a 20th century renowned American female essayist, short story writer, and novelist. From her novels and collection of short stories, O’Connor’s writing style is unique and thematic. Her pieces are morally-grounded as they portray a sense of humility, faith in God, genuineness, and the realization of good behavior. As a Christian, O’Connor developed characters to show the evils in the society and short-lived experience for such instances as she focused on redemption and the moral lessons attached to them. Therefore, O’Connor’s literary pieces are forums of enlightenment for the ignorant and other teachings that relate to faith and self-actualization. According to Yunfei, ‘In one short story after another brings her characters to a moment when it is impossible for them to continue their accustomed manner, so the proud are humbled; the ignorant are enlightened; the wise are shown ‘the wisdom of the world is foolishness with God…’ (Yunfei 107). ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’ is a short story about a family that experiences a tragic end when they all die as they go on a family trip. The grandmother is the main character who foreshadows the loss of her family. On the other hand, ‘The River’ is about a young boy, Harry Ashfield, who shows his alienation from his materialistic parents and the realization of faith through his babysitter Mrs. Connin. However, as he believes deep into the Christian faith, he attempts to baptize himself and drowns in the water. Primarily, the two texts share similarities in literary elements because of the morally-grounded writing style of O’Connor, and a comprehensive comparison show enhances the understanding of the circumstances in the story and what the author tries to achieve from the characters.

The first literary element to consider in the two texts is the theme of alienation. The latter means the state of feeling detached or separated from another emotionally, mentally, spiritually, socially, or physically. O’Connor manages to show this theme in ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’ when the reader learns how the grandmother’s desires are different from those of the other family members and how she is it alienated from Gods teachings. Yet, she uses them to address everyone she indulges in a conversation. For example, when Bailey, the son, plans the family vacation to Florida, the grandmother wants to go to Tennessee (O’Connor 6). She tries to find any excuse that can prevent the trip as she tells Bailey about a dangerous fugitive in Florida who might cause harm to them if they travel. In the spiritual context, the grandmother claims that she is a Christian. Still, she is manipulative and self-serving in how she attempts to persuade Bailey to change the vacation destination from Florida to Tennessee (O’Connor 6). She is correct about the danger ahead. Still, her motives are selfish because she wants everyone to forego their desire to accommodate her desire to go to Tennessee and connect with her other loved ones. Harris affirms that this pride and selfishness are contrary to spiritual doctrine (Harry 7). In ‘The River,’ Harry’s parents are alienated from the Christian faith or God as seen in his mother’s actions and reactions. After Harry takes the book about the life of Jesus Christ from Mrs. Connin’s pocket, he begins to read and enjoy it. His mother takes it from him without recognizing its value even when one of her guests notices its significance. Harry’s parents are alienated from the Christian faith because they raise him without this knowledge as they are always organizing parties and waking up the next day with hangovers (O’Connor 457). Moreover, they are alienated from Harry because they are less concerned about his emotional, spiritual, and social desires. It is easy for them to replace Harry’s toys when he breaks them than to show him affection (O’Connor 464). Harry is unhappy at home, but they do not realize it.

In the same light, another theme that is typical in the two texts as per O’Connor’s unique writing style is the Christian faith. The author attempts to show the reader the nature of sin and evils, as well as their impacts on society. She makes references to the main figures in the Christian faith and significant teachings so that the moral lessons are clear. In ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find,’ the grandmother is the focus of the Christian faith, but O’Connor uses irony to show what people should emulate and what they should eliminate from their lives. O’Connor uses both the grandmother and Misfit, the murderer, to show Christian values, sin, and the need for redemption. The reader realizes that the grandmother’s sinful nature is instigated by her materialistic mindset, pride, and self-serving attitude. She believes that everyone should emulate her lifestyle because she has no wrongs and knows the best ways to do things. However, O’Connor shows that, according to the Christian doctrine, the ‘wisdom of the world is foolishness to God’ (Yunfei 107). According to the grandmother, in case of an accident or her death, those who will find her will know that she is a lady (O’Connor 8). On the other hand, Misfit is a true criminal who lives up to the expectations of a sinner. He is already a criminal who escapes from prison, and he kills the entire family after ambushing them on the road. He tells the grandmother that he does not believe in Jesus Christ, who died for his sins (O’Connor 23). Therefore, while the grandmother experiences redemption in her death, Misfit is still caught in sin. In ‘The River,’ the idea of baptism, faith healer, preaching, and the teachings of Jesus Christ establish Christianity as the central theme. Through Mrs. Connin, Harry becomes interested in the Christian faith to the point that he takes the book about Jesus to read later. He dies attempting to baptize himself because he embraces the spiritual connection with God. Harry’s parents have a lifestyle that horrifies him because they are not interested in both his life and God. Eubanks adds that Harry does not grasp the idea of baptism at his age and it leads him to do it to death (Eubanks 28). Although people like Mr. Paradise do not believe in the preacher’s healing power, it makes them curious as seen in the last scene when he follows Harry to help him not to drown in the river (O’Connor 474). Harry reflects an innocently transformed individual into a Christian life with a strong foundation.

Characterization is another essential element in the two texts in line with O’Connor’s morally-oriented writing styles. The author develops characters who show the sinful or evil ways that she is wrong to engage the readers in the trail of thought so that they can understand the need for transformation and the process involved. In essence, O’Connor views individuals as fallen creatures who should be humble enough to learn, such as weakness and work towards being better people in society (Yunfei 108). For example, in ‘The River’ the significance of Harry’s parents is to show how sinful lifestyles can cause alienation in homes and traumatize children to the point that it affects their psychological and emotional being. Also, such a situation drives the child to make his or her decisions that might put him or her in harm’s way. Nevertheless, Harry’s curiosity leads to a positive outcome because he experiences spiritual nourishment at a tender age, and he can differentiate right from wrong. He is disgusted by his parents drunken and materialistic lifestyle that causes a rift between them (O’Connor 457). Mrs. Connin is a significant character, too because she is the ‘bridge’ between Harry’s transformation to completeness in the Christian faith. She takes over the role of the mother and takes care of Harry by showing him affection and directing him towards self-fulfilment in the acceptance of the Christian faith. Most importantly, the preacher, Bevel, facilitates this process through his sermons at the river and passion for God (O’Connor 460). Similarly, in ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find,’ the grandmother and Misfit are notable characters because they show sin through alienation from God and criminal acts such as murder respectively. Thuan points out that O’Connor uses the same strategy as that of ‘The River’ to instigate a turnaround in behavior (Thuan 220). The grandmother is ignorant of her sin to the point when Misfit is about to shoot her when she experiences clarity and realizes that she has been wrong all the while. She also begins to eliminate her judgement of other people when she tells Misfit that he is her son (O’Connor 23). According to Harris, probably O’Connor also wants to show that she accepts that she is a sinner from seeing how sinful Misfit is in the moment (Harris 8). Similar to Harry, the grandmother shows an element of re-birth in her death. People such as Misfit and Harry’s parents are doomed with their continuous sin and lack of self-realization and awareness.

The theme of identity is another literary element that is evident in both ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’ and ‘The River. ‘ Identity is the definition of oneself according to his or her self-realization and awareness. In her exploration of the theme of identity in the two texts, O’Connor illustrates how the main characters are unaware of their identity in the beginning. For example, in ‘The River,’ Harry is in search of identity because he does not feel that he belongs in his family. His parents have a lifestyle that makes him feel lonely and unappreciated. Thus, when she experiences Mrs. Connin’s compassion, he begins to realize and understand who he is in society. He finds his identity in the Christian teachings and faith and becomes passionate about this particular lifestyle. When Mrs. Connin asks Harry his real name, he lies by telling her that it is Bevel after the woman talks about taking him to see Bevel the preacher at the river (O’Connor 458). This reply indicates that Harry feels quite lost, and he is uncomfortable with where he is in his life. He is interested in a meaningful new beginning. Harry always thought that Jesus was a mere word used for expression, but he realizes that it represents the main figure of the Christian faith when he asks Mrs. Connin about the picture he sees in her house. Also, in ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find,’ both the grandmother and Misfit lack knowledge regarding their identities. Eubanks also explains that he grandmother portrays herself as a staunch Christian, yet she embodies a manipulative, materialistic, and selfish personality (Eubanks 20). Unlike in ‘The River’ where the issue is the lack of identity realization, O’Connor illustrates knowingly shifts from one identity to another. Eventually, she realizes that her actions and thoughts were wrong (O’Connor, 23). The grandmother experiences this clarity for a short time before Misfit kills her. On the other hand, Misfit seems to know who he is and to embrace it as he continues to commit serious crimes (Thuan 222). He says he does not believe that Jesus Christ died for him and kills without remorse. Here, O’Connor develops a clear contrast that clarifies the moral lesson that the readers should learn.

In conclusion, O’Connor’s uniqueness in writing is evident in both ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’ and ‘The River’ as they share various similarities in the literary elements, particularly the themes. Readers develop a clear understanding of the circumstances in the texts, and they draw essential moral lessons as per O’Connor’s intention. Much of the author’s ideas revolve around the Christian faith and the consequences of following or ignoring it. Although I find Eubank’s approach comprehensive in the criticism of O’Connor’s fictional works, I believe that it is impossible to evaluate her pieces without basing them on her Christian, Catholic background. The concepts of this faith are what informed her creativity. Thus, her background should be used as the framework for studying her moral pieces. The available literature on the concepts of both works provides a clear perspective of the O’Connor as a renowned author and the moral issues to be considered. Nevertheless, further research should focus on the author’s shortcomings to maintain a balanced review.

Works Cited

1. Eubanks, Karissa A. ‘Evangelicalism and epiphanies of grace in Flannery O’Connor’s short fiction.’ (2011). Thesis, www.etd.fcla.edu/CF/CFH0003807/Eubanks_Karissa_A_201105_BA.pdf. Accessed November 30, 2019.
2. Harris, Abbie C. ‘Jesus Thrown Everything Off Balance’: Grace and Redemption in Flannery O’Connor’s’ A Good Man is Hard to Find.’ Papers & Publications: Interdisciplinary Journal of Undergraduate Research 3.1 (2014): 5-9.
3. O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man is Hard to Find: And Other Stories. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1955. www.learning.hccs.edu/faculty/desmond.lewis/prer0100/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find/A%20Good%20Man%20Is%20Hard%20To%20Find.pdf Accessed November 29, 2019.
4. O’Connor, Flannery. “The River.” The Sewanee Review 61(3): 455-475.
5. Thuan, Bich The Li. “Character Analysis Through Politeness in A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor.” International Journal of Applied Linguistics & English Literature 6.4 (2017): 218-226.
6. Yunfei, Deng. “Flannery O’Connor’s Original Sin and Redemption. A Close Reading of A Good Man is Hard to Find.” International Journal of Liberal Arts and Social Science 4.1(2016): 107-111.

Flannery O’Connor’s short story A Good Man is Hard to Find is more than a thrilling narrative; it’s a deep examination of the complexities of morality and human nature. Written in 1953, the story delves into themes that are both timeless and universal. Through a journey that takes a dark and unexpected turn, readers are drawn into a world where goodness is relative and redemption is attainable yet elusive.

This essay will explore the story’s plot, dissect its profound themes, and analyze the intricate characters that bring these themes to life. The question of what constitutes a “good man” is poised to remain relevant, and this exploration offers insights into O’Connor’s masterful handling of this profound inquiry.

Summary of “A Good Man is Hard to Find”

The plot of Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” opens with a family arranging a trip to Florida. Due to a news story about The Misfit, an escaped prisoner, the grandmother worries about the trip and tries to talk the family into going to Tennessee instead.

Ignoring her protests, the family embarks on their journey. During the trip, the grandmother continues manipulating the children to pester their father, Bailey, into visiting an old plantation she remembers from her youth. She fabricates a story about a hidden silver treasure in the house, sparking the children’s curiosity.

As they travel down a dirt road to find the mansion, the grandmother suddenly recalls that the house is actually in Tennessee, not Georgia. In shock, she jerks, causing the cat hidden in her basket to jump onto Bailey’s shoulder, leading to a car accident.

Stranded and injured, the family flags down a passing car for help, only to realize that the men inside are The Misfit and his two henchmen. The Misfit recognizes the grandmother from the news and orders his men to take the family into the woods and shoot them.

The grandmother and The Misfit engage in a philosophical discussion about goodness, Jesus, and morality as the family members are led away and killed. The grandmother’s demeanor changes from selfish and manipulative to compassionate, as she insists that The Misfit is a “good man” deep down.

Despite her pleas, The Misfit orders his men to kill her. The story concludes with The Misfit reflecting on the grandmother’s final moments, asserting that she could have been a good person if someone had been there to threaten her life constantly.

O’Connor’s narrative encapsulates profound moral questions within a gripping tale of violence and redemption. Her mundane and extreme characters serve as conduits for exploring universal themes that resonate with readers long after the story’s chilling conclusion.

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” Theme Analysis

Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is not just a riveting story but a profound exploration of several deep and intricate themes:

1. Goodness, and Moral Relativity: The story questions the nature of goodness and how it can be subjective. The grandmother’s perception of being a “lady” contrasts with her manipulative behavior. The Misfit, despite his crimes, grapples with existential questions, reflecting the ambiguity of morality.

1. Redemption and Grace: The notion of redemption plays a significant role, particularly in the transformation of the grandmother. In her final moments, she sees goodness in The Misfit, reaching a moment of grace. Her recognition of their shared humanity emphasizes that redemption is possible even in the bleakest circumstances.

1. Family and Generational Conflict: The story explores familial dynamics and generational differences. The grandmother’s old-fashioned values clash with her grandchildren’s modern attitudes, representing broader societal shifts. The family’s lack of connection contributes to the tragedy of their ending.

1. Religion and Faith: O’Connor, known for her Catholic beliefs, infuses the story with religious undertones. The Misfit’s struggle with faith and the grandmother’s last-minute spiritual awakening add layers of complexity to the narrative, questioning traditional religious beliefs.

1. Violence and Death: The story doesn’t shy away from depicting violence. The brutal ending serves as a metaphor for the characters’ spiritual decay and moral ambiguity. The violence is a means to an end, pushing the characters to confront their inner selves.

1. Social Changes and Class Structure: The story subtly touches upon the time’s social changes and class structures. The grandmother’s adherence to being a “lady” reflects societal expectations, while the interaction with Red Sammy illustrates trust issues prevalent in society.

In “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” O’Connor has created a multi-dimensional story that delves into the complexities of human nature. Her ability to weave these themes into a cohesive and engaging narrative demonstrates her literary genius. The exploration of these themes gives the story a lasting impact, making it a timeless piece that continues to resonate with readers and scholars alike.

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” Character Analysis

The Grandmother: The central character, the grandmother, initially appears superficial and manipulative. She’s obsessed with her appearance and status and seeks to control her family. However, her encounter with The Misfit leads to a profound transformation. In her final moments, she fully understands grace and compassion, making her one of O’Connor’s most complex characters.

The Misfit: A convict and murderer, The Misfit is the story’s primary antagonist. His philosophical reflections on crime, punishment, and religion contrast sharply with his violent actions. Despite his brutality, The Misfit is a deeply troubled character who grapples with existential questions. His interaction with the grandmother humanizes him and adds complexity to his character.

Bailey: The father and son of the grandmother, Bailey represents the average, complacent man. He’s often frustrated with his mother’s manipulations but lacks the fortitude to stand up to her. His character is relatively flat, serving as a foil to the more complex characters like the grandmother and The Misfit.

The Mother: Bailey’s wife is mostly in the background, overshadowed by the other characters. She represents the submissive and traditional role of a mother and wife when the story is written. Her character emphasizes the story’s exploration of familial roles and societal expectations.

June Star and John Wesley: The children are bratty, selfish, and disrespectful, echoing their grandmother’s initial behavior. They highlight the generational differences in the family and the moral decay central to the story’s theme.

Red Sammy: The owner of the barbecue joint the family stops at during their journey, Red Sammy, briefly contributes to the story’s theme. His conversation with the grandmother about trusting people reflects the difficulty of discerning goodness in others.

Bobby Lee and Hiram: The Misfit’s henchmen are secondary characters who follow The Misfit’s orders without question. They represent the mindless violence and amorality that pervades the story.

In “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” the characters are not merely players in a thrilling tale but embodiments of complex themes. The grandmother’s transformation from a self-absorbed matriarch to a figure of grace is at the story’s heart, while The Misfit’s philosophical depth adds layers to the narrative. The supporting characters provide contrasts and reflections that enhance the exploration of goodness, morality, and redemption. Through these characters, O’Connor crafts a gripping story and a profound examination of the human condition.

Conclusion

Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” transcends a mere thriller to become a profound examination of human nature, morality, redemption, and societal change. Through rich characterization and intricate themes, O’Connor crafts a narrative that provokes thought and stirs emotion. The complexity of the characters, especially the grandmother and The Misfit, and the masterful intertwining of themes like goodness, redemption, and faith elevates the story to a timeless classic. The haunting conclusion leaves a lasting impact, making the narrative a rich subject for analysis and reflection. In an ever-changing world, this story is a compelling reminder of the nuanced nature of goodness and the eternal quest to understand ourselves and those around us. It’s a literary masterpiece that continues to be relevant and resonate with generations of readers.

Making its first appearance in the 1930´s, Southern Gothic became a sub-genre of the popular Gothic Literature, taking the macabre and the grotesque and transplanting it into the American South. It takes issues of race, poverty and religion. Southern Gothic Literature is an attempt to understand society in its deepest and darkest parts. The stories originate in everyday events and emotions and writers trying to answer this question they were telling, in some detail, the story of their life.

“The Lottery” by Shirley Jackson describes a situation of pointless violence and a noticeable lack of humanity. Although it describes events that are unimaginable in our daily life, they seem ordinary enough at first. At the beginning of the story we appreciate a clear symptom of violence: “Bobby Martin had already stuffed his pockets full of stones, and the other boys soon followed his example, selecting the smoothest and the roundest stones”. We also contemplate a certain gender distinction between men and woman, in addition to a clear situation of poverty: “The women, wearing faded house dresses and sweaters, came shortly after their menfolk”. We find here the “village women”, understood as a closely united group, focused on their own concerns and hostile to strangers. As it happens nowadays in the villages and hometowns, people usually have a very closed mindset.

Another example that show us that women have an inferior role in society is when Mr. Summers says “Don´t you have a grown boy to do it for you, Janey? It isn´t fair, it isn´t right, Mrs. Hutchinson screamed, and then they were upon her’. This last sentence is key to understanding. The theme of tradition in “The Lottery” explores why practices such as the stoning ritual of the lottery are accepted by the village simply because “there´s always been a lottery”. The Lottery explores numerous universal themes such as the destructive nature of following traditions, reducing people´s ability to think for themselves. We can read “The lottery” as a type of request or reflection: if your only reason for doing something is that you have always done it, Jackson suggests that that should not be a reason.

In contrast, “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” is a classic Southern Gothic story. The author, Flannery O´Connor, does not skimp on violence if necessary to illustrate the situation. It starts from a horrific situation that seems to anticipate Tarantino films: a family travels to Florida, has an accident and who comes to their aid is a criminal who has fled the prison, the Misfit. “Jesus was the only One that ever raised the dead, – the Misfit continued, and he shouldn´t have done it. He shown everything off balance”. This was the reason why he ends up killing grandma, and after killing her he finishes with: “She would of been a good woman, if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life”. Excesses and tear abound, a fatalistic southern world with a biblical background (a religion of Protestant fundamentalism).

It´s a disconcerting story that becomes distressing until the end, predicting a misunderstood ‘divine justice’. The characters also typify Southern Gothic style, in that they are both eccentric and deeply flawed. Conversely, the characters in “The Lottery” are comparatively normal. The story ends with: “The Misfit said: it´s not real pleasure in life”. He is the most peculiar character, his nickname demonstrate how poorly he fits into society and he is an excellent example of grotesque character. The grandmother has also a very important role, which reflects a very consolidated idea in the Southern Gothic characters. Grandma is clearly worried about appearances above all. In this hypothetical accident, he is not worried about his death or the death of his family members, but opinions of strangers about her. This aspect is also reflected in “The Lottery” which is developed in a village where people usually know each other and where people´s opinion is usually of great concern. All this in an atmosphere of mystery and suspense.

Another important feature that we see reflected in both is irony, although it is more noticeable in “The Lottery”. Everything happens on an idyllic day, with great weather. When the people begin to gather on the square, the men are speaking of planting. In “A Good Man Is Hard To Find”, a darker irony surfaces after the accident when they say something kind of “but nobody has died”. The grandmother, herself, is another example of irony. Ironically, she dresses in such a way that in case of an accident, she gave a good image. We go back to the idea we mentioned a few paragraphs back. In addition, titles are also ironic.

As a conclusion, we can state that “The Lottery” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” belong to the Southern Gothic Genre. While is true that, “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” conforms much more closely to the characteristics.

The short story ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ details a family on a car trip from Atlanta to Florida. I believe the story looks at what makes a good person versus a bad person, and how people often believe they are more virtuous than they are.

The grandmother in ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ is the protagonist and considers herself morally superior to the other characters in the story. She often and freely passes judgment on others. However, one could argue, she fails to ever turn her critical eye on herself and look at her own selfishness and hypocrisy. Throughout the book, she criticizes and puts her judgment on nearly everything. She tells her son Bailey that her conscience would not allow her to take her grandchildren to the same state the murderer – the Misfit – is headed to. I believe she often tries to show her conscience as some sort of thing everyone should obey. She looks for ways to criticize the goodness of the people in today’s world at any moment. She even criticizes her own grandchildren for things like “not respecting their home state enough” and” “not being kind enough to each other”. I see these acts as hypocritical, as she fails to see the bad in herself, only looking for it in others.

When the Misfit and his partners brutally murder the family, the grandmother does not beg or even ask him to spare any of them. I believe this shows her selfishness and cold-heartedness as she does not even attempt to stop the murder of her own family. She does, however, attempt to plead for her own life. To me, she seems certain that the Misfit will recognize what she is saying, despite him being a serial killer and having murdered her family moments ago. She tries to convince him of sparing her by attempting to assure him that he’s a ‘good man’. The Misfit sees this as no reason to not murder her. I think this shows the grandmother’s selfish ways as she only tries to stop the Misfit from murdering her and shows no empathy towards her family as they are killed. I believe the effect of this is in the closing moments of the story, the grandmother finally comes to see herself for the person she is and not the one she likes to think she is. It is only when she is met with the purest of evil that she manages to see the evil inside herself.

Throughout the story, the grandmother’s bad words and actions lead the family to ultimately be brutally murdered by the Misfit. I see it as her continually making small but harmful decisions that lead the family into more and more trouble. The grandmother is a deceiving and dishonest person, and I think this shows throughout the story. She sneaks the cat into the car and hides it from the others, even after her son, Bailey, says that he does not want the cat to come. Arguably, the cat starts the major problem in the story, as when the grandmother gets a shock and jolts in her seat, the cat flings out of the basket she hid it in and lands on the driver Bailey’s shoulder. This causes the family to crash into a ditch, which makes them then encounter the Misfit, which leads to their death. She also pretends to be injured when the car rolls and ends up in the ditch, hoping this will stop anyone from blaming her for the incident she caused. She also waves down the car containing the Misfit and then identifies him. One could argue this causes them to have to be murdered, as the Misfit could now not let the family go as they could report him to the police. The grandmother, whilst the family is driving, makes up a false story about how there is unfound silver in a house atop a dirt road off the main road the family is driving on. The kids beg their parents to go, and they eventually give in. Neither the house nor the silver exists. This venture on the dirt roads is the start of serious trouble for the family. I believe this is an example of how the grandmother’s dishonest and deceiving ways drive and affect the story drastically and reflects her true character. The family going onto the dirt road results in the accident of the car flipping into the ditch, and then the Misfit and his partners killing the family. I believe this shows how the grandmother’s actions affect those around her and herself.

I think a major theme in this story is the fact that failure to recognize evil from good, including in yourself, can lead to run-ins with much larger evil. This theme to me is explored in the story using the character of the grandmother and her actions and words. The author presents this theme using the grandmother and how she is unable to see the differences between good and evil in herself and those around her. I believe this is shown when she repeatedly calls Red Sammy a “good and caring man” when in reality he is a lazy restaurant owner who forces his wife to do most of the work. I think she also fails to see the evil in herself, thinking that she is a good person when actually she is hypocritical and deceiving. Whilst the Misfit systematically murders the grandmother’s children and grandchildren, she repeatedly tells the Misfit that he is a good man, not an evil one. Instead of fleeing or simply begging the man to spare herself and her family, she instead attempts to convince the Misfit that he is a good person when in reality he is a serial killer. Arguably, this shows that the grandmother herself is evil, and is someone who is unable to see the evil versus good in others. I think the effect of her trying to tell the Misfit what a good man he is and not making any real attempt to save the family is that the family therefore all are murdered without any chance to escape. The grandmother’s misjudgment of good versus evil led to the death of herself and her own family. I believe this portrays the theme very well, as it shows just how extreme circumstances can become when people fail to recognize the good versus the evil in themselves and others.

To understand the theme of communication, two appropriate stories to use are Tobias Wolff’s short story ‘Bullet in the Brain’ and Flannery O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’.

In Wolff’s short story, Anders communicates with a bank robber cynically and sarcastically until he gets shot in the head. During the robbery, Anders is continuously mocking the robber’s choice of words they were using rather than maintaining silence as ordered. From the choice of words he uses, Anders is a vivid communicator, and his love of using worlds resulted in his death. Hence, his ability to effectively communicate resulted in his demise. Wolff reflects on Ander’s past as the bullet hits his brain and starts contemplating the experiences in his life. Based on the reflections, it highlights that Ander lacks a similar cynical and sarcastic way of communicating in the past that was arrogant. Therefore, the repercussion of his ability to communicate sarcastically criticizing everything the robber was saying caused his death. After getting shot, he could not remember his wife whom he loved as his perception was changed due to being in a situation that was life-changing, which highlights that his ability to effectively communicate was paralyzed.

Flannery O’Connor’s short story follows the grandmother and her family as they travel to Florida, where there is the Misfit who has escaped jail. The theme of communication is symbolic of the way the grandmother communicates with her family and the confrontation with a serial killer on the loose. In most cases, while communicating, the grandmother aims at manipulating her family members. The grandmother’s aim is to get anything she desires, showing that her abilities to communicate liberate her hypocrisy of influencing other individuals. However, the repercussions of her ability to communicate effectively result in the demise of her entire family after she shrieked and recognized the Misfit. The grandmother’s character is paralyzed by her ability to communicate effectively in regard to her interaction with her son. It displays a relationship between a dependent mother with his indifferent son. The communication of the impotent grandmother with her insolent grandchildren is the repercussions of her abilities that have resulted in self-absorption and meaningless dangers due to her hasty struggles. After identifying the Misfit, he tells the grandmother that she should not have recognized him as he was going to end up shooting everyone. The grandmother’s attempt to communicate with the Misfit for him to spare her life was futile. Once faced with death, the ability of the grandmother to lie, beg, and be hypocritical does not stop the Misfit from killing everyone.

In Flannery O’Connor’s and Tobias Wolff’s short stories, the characters who are talented at communicating and are effective face the repercussion of death from their talent. Hence, from the two short stories, the reader learns the need to communicate when it is necessary without undermining your listeners. Anders ends up being shot by the bank robbers after he continued talking to them in a cynical and sarcastic manner, showing a lot of arrogance that was not appealing to the thieves. On the other hand, after the grandmother recognized the face of the Misfit, he ends up killing her family. Anders and the grandmother could communicate effectively, but the repercussions of their talents were met by demise.

A segment in a story in which the outcome, is completely different from what is expected, or is contradictory to the segment, expresses irony. Flannery O’Connor was a southern born author who often uses irony. O’Connor was an author born in Savannah, Georgia on March 25, 1925. At a young age, O’Connor began to develop a skillful interest and passion in drawing and writing. Around the age of 25, O’Connor began displaying early symptoms of lupus, and was forced to move back to Milledgeville. Upon her return to Milledgeville, O’Connor’s disease worsened, she continued to write stories influenced by her devout Roman Catholic beliefs. While O’Connor wrote many stories during this time, before passing away at age of 39, one of her most notable and famous stories was “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” (Flannery O’Connor). Flannery O’Connor’s story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” contain several examples of irony.

“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is a story about a family vacation gone horribly wrong. In the story the family is going on a vacation to Florida. The audience is introduced to the grandmother, a stubborn and senseless human being, who is more self-absorbed than she is selfless. On their way to Florida, the family decides to take a detour down a dirt road, where the family has a wreck and rolls into a ditch. Shortly after, while waiting on the side of the road, the family is greeted by none other than the Misfit, a serial killer, whom makes easy conversation with the family. Until later, when the grandmother foolishly announces aloud the gentleman’s identity, thus ultimately getting the whole family killed because of her unyielding stubbornness.

In “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” O’Connor includes an example of irony at the beginning of the story. O’Connor writes, “The Grandmother didn’t want to go to Florida”, but later mentions, “The next morning the grandmother was the first one in the car, ready to go” (O’Connor). This statement is ironic because for someone who does not want to go somewhere, the grandmother sure is hasty about getting ready to leave. Someone who does not want to go somewhere would typically act quite differently than the grandmother does. If people detests the idea of going somewhere, they would most certainly drag their feet, procrastinate, and complain. The will to get up and get dressed would be seriously dwindled. There would little to no enthusiasm or anticipation of the trip or journey ahead. Most of all, anybody who prefers to go elsewhere or do something else, would certainly not be the first person packed, in the car, and ready to go. Despite this expectation, the outcome is completely different with the grandmother being the first one ready.

A separate example of irony occurs when after the accident. Following the accident, O’Connor writes, “’But nobody’s killed,’ June Star said with disappointment…” (O’Connor). This statement expresses irony in two ways. The first, being that June Star uttered this with a disappointed tone. To begin, most people, after an accident, would generally check on the other individuals involved if they could. They certainly would not be upset if everyone was okay, other than willingly looking for people to be dead. Anybody involved in a crash would conceivably hope and pray that nobody was rendered injured or deceased from the accident. Also worth noting, is people would normally experience shock or fear after an accident, rather than disappointment. Although contrarily, June Star experiences none of the things that would normally be expected of someone after an accident. A second aspect of irony is that nobody the fact that June Star said no one was dead. However, at the end of the story, all of the family ends up dead, at the hands of the Misfit and his two men.

Additionally, the story includes another sliver of irony when describing the grandmothers appearance early in the story. The grandmother is described as being dressed so, “anyone seeing her dead on the highway,” would instantly know “that she was a lady” (O’Connor). The grandmother’s appearance noted early in the story is ironic in many different ways. The first reason being that, even though the quote referenced her being dead on the side of the road, the grandmother never once expected or planned to end up dead on the side of the road. The quote is also ironic in the way that, the grandmother never once possessed the ideal traits of “a lady” (O’Connor). Someone depicted as that of “a lady”, will typically possess the most noble of traits, selflessness, care, and kindness (O’Connor). Ladies generally are ones who care for others, that are civilized in their day-to-day nature, and embody that of a well-minded individual. However, the grandmother is the epitome of the complete opposite. She is obscenely stubborn and lets her pride cloud her judgement, she is careless and inconsiderate with her thoughts, and is lacking in practicing what she preaches, kindness. In the story, the grandmother tells the kids that people and children were more respectful to everything mentioning, “People did right then” (O’Connor). Nevertheless, she turns around and criticizes a black child seen while riding down the road stating, “Wouldn’t that make a picture, now” and followed it with a few racial remarks (O’Connor). “A lady” would set an example for others to follow instead of acting differently from the lesson they try to teach (O’Connor).

Irony is a key element in O’Connor’s story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”, and it is a great example of Flannery O’Connor’s ability to use her Roman Catholic religion to convey her meanings or beliefs through her writing. O’Connor believed society had cast away and forgotten its spiritual objective. She was known for portraying this belief through the characters, and their preposterous oddities (Flannery O’Connor). O’Connor believes that only when confronted by death, are societies truly knowledgeable of their spiritual aspirations, to serve the lord, and to love and care for all others. In the end of the story, this belief is conveyed when the grandmother changes her tune when talking to the Misfit. In O’Connor’s story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”, the Misfit represents death and the grandmother represents all of society. It is then and only then, that the grandmother, representing society, was only truly knowledgeable of her spiritual aspirations when faced by the Misfit, representing death. This belief is proven when O’Connor writes, “’She would have been a good woman,’ the Misfit said, ’if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life’” (O’Connor). Flannery O’ Connor is a world-renowned author who was certainly no stranger to writing amazing stories, and providing an insight on how Roman Catholicism beliefs shaped her views on the world.

Works Cited:

1. “Flannery O’Connor.” Novels for Students, Gale, 1998. Literature Resource Center, http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ2168100017/GLS?u=avl_cvcc&sid=GLS&xid=f439572b. Accessed 31 May 2018.
2. O’Connor, Flannery. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Pegasus.cc.ucf.edu. 04 Feb 2018.

In Flannery O’Connor’s story a family is taking a vacation from Georgia to Florida, but the grandmother wants to go to East Tennessee where she has many connections with old friends. The Grandmother’s argument finally convinces them to go to Tennessee as they are on their way they run into the Misfit and everything spirals out of control from then on. In the story, it may seem obvious who the most moral characters in the story until reading in depth on what the ethics of the characters exactly are. When reading in depth the family “Good People” are very self-centered and snobby towards each other. Whereas the Misfit “Bad Person” does not believe anything he does, does not have a reason behind it or believes that what he does is wrong. Being moral does not necessarily mean to be humane it in reality means to stick with or follow a set of beliefs that they believe is true or right. In “A Good Man is Hard to Find” the most moral character is the Misfit because he stuck with his convictions and convinced others to follow his directions.

The Misfit states, many things throughout the story, but everything he states all fall in line with his specific set of morals. The Misfit states, “She would of been a good woman,” the Misfit said, “If it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life” (1020). In this situation someone other than the grandmother is talking about being “good,” only this time it’s the person who’s undoubtedly not a good person. After all the grandmother stated about “good people” and the Misfit himself being a good person, the Misfit now believes that she would have been good in the unlikely circumstance of him continuously threatening to shoot her. When the Misfit states this it looks like he had recognized that the grandmother’s final statement, for which he killed her, was actually good. This shows that it was the encounter she had with the Misfit, and with death, that made her a good person. This may seem very twisted to most people, but this is the way The Misfit’s mind and his extremely odd set of morals made sense to him. In this situation people would think the Misfit is not moral because he killed some innocent people, but in fact if he would have spared their lives then he would have had to go against his own morals which he had never done in the past and obviously did not plan on doing in this situation. The Misfit did what he had to do in the situation to keep his morals in check and his own state of mind at peace.

The Misfit makes another statement that could be taken one of two ways either good for killing the grandmother or bad for killing her. The Misfit states, “Shut up, Bobby Lee,” the Misfit said, “It’s no real pleasure in life” (1020). The Misfit states this shortly after killing the Grandmother and is feeling very emotional after doing so for one of the two reasons previously stated. This is the opposite of what the Misfit had said in the story previously about meanness being the only pleasure in life. What he’s just done shooting the grandmother and killing her is being called “mean,” yet apparently, he doesn’t feel good about it. Perhaps he’s fallen into absolute despair, since now there is nothing left to pleasure him. This would mean that killing the grandmother drastically affected him, or maybe it is the beginning of him turning into a good man. If the Misfit in this situation believes he is turning into a good man this would make him moral to his own set of beliefs and morals. This would make the Misfit the most moral character when compared to the rest of the other characters actions throughout the story.

The Misfit makes a statement about his religious beliefs and what he states he tended to stick towards throughout the story and through his actions. The Misfit states, “Jesus was the only One that ever raised the dead,” the Misfit continued, “and He shouldn’t have done it. He shown everything off balance. If He did what He said, then it’s nothing for you to do but throw away everything and follow Him, and if He didn’t, then it’s nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can by killing somebody or burning down his house or doing some other meanness to him. No pleasure but meanness,” he said, and his voice had become almost a snarl (1019). The Misfit has done a lot of thinking about Jesus, and in his own way, seems to take religion a lot more seriously than the grandmother does. Everything for the Misfit comes down to whether Jesus was really God. If he was, then the Misfit thinks it’s obvious what one ought to do with a person’s life. If Jesus was not God, there is no reason to live at all. According to the Misfit, there is nothing to do in that situation, except take pleasure in destruction. The Misfit has chosen the latter option, because he doesn’t believe in God. Though it almost sounds as if he wants to believe and is acting out of anger because he cannot do so.

Morals are not always what some may think lie being humane or normal, some people may believe that the Misfit was not sane. The Misfit was in fact sticking with and following his beliefs and morals throughout every encounter the Misfit appears in the story. The Misfit sticks to his stories every time he acts or speaks to the other characters. He is never very hesitant on his actions or response which makes him confident on his choice of beliefs and morals. Every actions the Misfit made was for a reason and were not against his morals even if the actions were not humane or sane to an average human. The Misfit may have killed multiple people throughout the story, but his reasons for doing so in his mind were for the greater good and actually made him a better human. The Misfit is the most moral person whether he is a little insane and twisted through the statements he makes in the story are always for the same morals and beliefs whether they are inhumane or conflict with some religions or beliefs.

Why not own up to your mistakes? Is it because you’re afraid to face the truth, or are you afraid of facing yourself? Everybody has an answer, nobody is impeccable. We have all made mistakes at one point in our lives, and we all have a reason for why we commit such errors. At the end of the day, there’s those who own up to their mistakes to learn and grow, and then there’s those who hide behind their lies and choose not to assume responsibility. Why not assume responsibility and evade conflict? Is it because we’re afraid of facing the truth, afraid of being exposed to our wrongs, or afraid of changing the way people view you. Not owning up to your mistakes and hiding from the truth contravene the morals we as a society know and believe in, and that’s where religion comes into the picture. Flannery O’Connor inscribed “A Good Man is Hard to Find” told in a third-person narrative, through the eyes of the grandmother, where we raise questions of the good and evil of humanity. O’Connor incorporates religion in most of her stories to embrace that she is catholic and to send a message to her fellow readers about how God’s grace awaits for those who have sinned but only embrace those who have owned up to needing a savior. The Grandmother and the Misfit are both the most important characters as they’re the cause of the uplift question of what good and evil are and why religion gets incorporated between the two. The grandmother seems disconnected from the family as O’Connor characterizes her as an egocentric and hypocritical person. She revolves her life around what society perceives her as; the grandmother soulfully believes that her feminism has the power to be treated differently.

That being the reason she dresses elegantly and in a “navy blue dress with a small white dot on the print.” (446) so anyone can state that she is a lady. Nevertheless, throughout the story, the grandmother’s selfishness starts to get the best of her as she only considers herself as someone higher than everybody else and has the free will to express whatever she wants yet decriminalizes others who do the same. For example, as they’re in the car she tells the children how they need to be more respectful towards others by comparing them to the children back in her day, yet when she sees an African American walking by, she verbally expresses, “oh look at that cute little pickaninny!” (446) indicating that her racist comment doesn’t affect others, but what others verbalize does as she is telling her grandchildren how to behave, yet she demonstrates otherwise. Moreover, she is so fixated on getting her own way at the family vacation that as Keil demonstrates “She tells lies about a ‘secret panel’ (449) to get her grandchildren to throw fits in the car to coerce Bailey into taking a side trip to a nonexistent house from her flawed memory. Her insistence on having her own way and sneaking Pitty Sing, her cat, into the car, despite her knowledge that Bailey would not allow this, directly causes the accident.” (Keil, Katherine) This shows that the grandmother does not fit for grace as she lies about the secret panel in a house, but exaggerates the situation to make it seem more interesting than it actually is for the children and have them get excited and beg to go.

The grandmother is a manipulator, yet the kids are blind towards it because they don’t see that she is only doing that because she wants to silently clarify that she will always get her way; All they see a fun grandmother who came up with the best idea. Not to mention that she is self-centered to not think about how her actions will affect others. Later, the grandmother endeavors to persuade the misfit that she notices the good in him and that God does too, but the misfit sees right through her and realizes that he knows more about Jesus than she ever will because he had a lot of time on his hands to hang onto faith and to put things in God’s power where he was held in the penitentiary. The misfit believes that he does not belong in there for the reason that he did not kill his father considering the police station never showed him his records of proof that he did such a cruel thing. He says, “My daddy died in a nineteen ought a nineteen of the epidemic flu and I never had a thing to do with it. He was buried in Mount Hopewell Baptist churchyard and you can go see for yourself.” (453) This raises questions about whether the criminal justice system is trustworthy. Although it is difficult to see any sort of innocence in him due to the precise killing he has done to a family of strangers, which shows that this could have not been the first time he’s committed murder. Knowing that her family has just been killed, she begins to “Pray!Jesus, you ought not to shoot a lady I’ll give you all the money I’ve got!”(454) to present how everyone confides in grace regardless of the sins one has participated in. The grandmother’s sin is how she doesn’t care for anyone but herself and will throw people away if they don’t live up to her expectations. She is cold-hearted. But the cold-hearted symbolizes deep lonesome and hurt.

O’Connor illustrates how grace waits for us with its arms held wide open, yet we choose to ignore it when it isn’t beneficial for us.In this case, the grandmother faced grace once she knew that the misfit wasn’t going to let her go. She gave up and relied on grace by putting her situation in the Lord’s hands, craving that feeling that everything will be okay. That’s what God does for us, shows us that everything happens for a reason and that it allows us to grow into the person we are meant to be. Acknowledging this through faith gives us humans comfort of knowing that a higher power will forgive no matter what; It calms everything around you and heals your inner body scar, no matter the size. O’Connor presents this story to show how grace can still be visually perceived by those who are deeply broken, yet many people refuse the grace of God because they choose to not let go of the weight on their shoulders. The misfit “needs the grandmother to act in this way. His ability to act as he does, that is, instinctively, according to his script, depends on the willingness of others to act in some prescribed manner. The grandmother initially does just that. She performs all of the expected turns: She appeals to his sense of gentility (“You wouldn’t shoot a lady, would you?”), his sense of social superiority (“I know you’re a good man. You don’t look a bit like you have common blood.”), his sense of morality (“You could be honest if you’d only try.”), and finally his greed (“I’ll give you all the money I’ve got!”).” O’Connor wanted to show how there is no such thing as a good person, everyone has a bad side. Flannery O’Connor shows this through the misfit as he believed there is no real right and wrong; life doesn’t have a point is Jesus is always questioned.

In the end, O’Connor insists on taking responsibility for your actions. Don’t pretend it didn’t transpire, don’t pretend it was someone else’s fault, simply admit you were responsible to avoid conflict later. Flannery O’Connor incorporated the theme of religion to reveal how no matter the type of sinner you are, we are all equal and share the same values as we have all have good and evil within us. We all come to terms with grace in the time of need, even though we do nothing to deserve it or earn it. Yet when we lean on to grace we believe that we do earn it, but God doesn’t owe us anything. However, he will liberatingly give grace to those who ask with a heartfelt apology and acknowledge that they are sinners.

Works Cited

1. Keil, Katherine. ‘O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find.’.’ Short Story Criticism, edited by Jelena Krstovic, vol. 111, Gale, 2008. Gale Literature Resource Center,
2. Bayless, Ryan S., and Allen H. Redmon. ‘‘Just Call It’: Identifying Competing Narratives in the Coens’ No Country for Old Men.’ Contemporary Literary Criticism, edited by Jennifer Stock, vol. 442, Gale, 2019. Gale Literature Resource Center,
3. O’Connor, Flannery. “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” The Bedford Introduction to Literature: Reading, Thinking, Writing, by Michael Meyer, Bedford/St. Martins, 2008, p 445-455.

Flannery O’Connor’s first novel, Wise Blood, she changed people’s minds about what a southern writer was and ushered in a new wave of attention for southern writers. O’Connor, as a southern writer, who is similar to others from a proportional spot by the sets of specific expectations for perusers outside of that area. One explanation behind accordingly numerous notices of O’Connor as a southerner is why this reality was frequently underlined as another standard of notice-needed to embrace to not just with the novel’s setting of Eastrod, Tennessee, yet with a suspicion about southern craftsmanship that had been trumpeted a long time before O’Connor started her profession. O’Connor wrote, A Good Man Is Hard To Find, in 1955 while using religion as a theme for her works by expressing her experiences growing up as a Catholic in the South.

Flannery O’Connor’s Catholic childhood impacted most her fiction, regularly earning analysis as a result of her unmistakable, once in a while brutal depiction of confidence. O’Connor’s extraordinary grandparents had been kind of the essential Catholics to quantify in Milledgeville, Georgia, and her family stood call at the overwhelmingly Protestant South. O’Connor went to chapel school and routinely visited Mass related to her family. Despite the fact that her accounts and books are frequently brutal and horrifying, they’re established in her conviction inside the secrets of conviction and godliness. In addition, her characters regularly face savage or shaking circumstances that constrain them into a blaze of emergency that stirs or adjusts their confidence. Snapshots of elegance, a Christian thought, are unavoidable, somewhat like the grandma’s snapshot of effortlessness in A Good Man is Hard to Find. For O’Connor, composing was inseparable from her Christian convictions, accepting that she wouldn’t be prepared to compose were it not for this foundation. During a talk around, A Good Man is Hard to Find in 1943, O’Connor stated, ‘Belief, in my own case anyway, is the engine that makes perception operate.’ She likewise ascribed her longing to record down right directly down to her Catholicism, composing once during a letter, “I feel that if I were not a Catholic, I would have no reason to write, no reason to see, no reason ever to feel horrified or even to enjoy anything.’

The story takes place in Atlanta, Georgia in the 50’s as a family is taking a road trip yet there is some disagreement on where to go. All of the family members besides the grandmother want to go to Florida as she has her disagreements for a different location. The grandmother did not like the idea of Florida due to serious crimes as a criminal known as “The Misfit” is out of the slammer and is somewhere located in Florida. The grandmother wears a dress and cap with blossoms on it so individuals will realize she is ‘a lady’ if there’s a mishap. At the point when they pass a cotton field, she says there are graves in it that had a place with the manor and jokes that the estate has ‘Gone with the Wind.’

The family stops at an eatery called the Tower, possessed by Red Sammy Butts. Red Sammy whines that individuals are deceitful, clarifying that he as of late let two men purchase fuel using a loan. The grandmother inquires as to whether she’s caught wind of the Misfit, and the lady stresses that he’ll loot them. Red Sam says, ‘A good man is hard to find.’ Back in the vehicle, the grandmother wakes from a snooze and understands that a ranch she once visited is close by. She says that the house had six white segments and lies that the house had a mystery board to cause the house to appear to be all the more fascinating. Energized, the youngsters ask to go to the house until Bailey indignantly yields. The grandma guides him toward a soil street. The family crashes profound into the forested areas.

The grandma abruptly recalls that the house was in Tennessee, not in Georgia. Pitty Sing, the grandmother’s cat, escapes from the bushel and alarms Bailey, who wrecks the vehicle. The mother breaks her shoulder, yet nobody else is harmed. A passing vehicle stops, and three men get out, conveying weapons. One of the men advises the kids’ mom to cause the kids to duck down in light of the fact that they make him apprehensive. The grandma unexpectedly shouts since she understands that he’s the Misfit.

The Misfit tells the other two men to take the two children and the mother into the forested areas. The Misfit says he realizes he isn’t acceptable yet that he isn’t the most exceedingly terrible man either. The grandma asks the Misfit whether he ever supplicates. Similarly as he says no, she hears two shots. The Misfit says he used to be a gospel vocalist and then the grandma begins reciting, ‘Jesus, Jesus.’ The Misfit says he resembles Jesus, with the exception of Jesus hadn’t carried out wrongdoing. A gunfire originates from the forested areas which then appears to the Misfit as he shoots her in the chest multiple times. Bobby Lee and Hiram return, and they all glance at the grandma. At the end of the story it states, “She would of been a good woman,” The Misfit said, “if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life.” “Some fun!” Bobby Lee said. “Shut up, Bobby Lee” The Misfit said. “It’s no real pleasure in life” (O’Connor 13).

A Good Man Is Hard to Find is one of the most well known instances of Southern Gothic writing. Southern Gothic composing centers around odd occasions, erratic characters, and neighborhood shading to make an ill humored and agitating portrayal of life in the American South. Southern history figures unmistakably, and stories normally draw upon the heartbreaking history of subjugation; waiting sentiments of crushed local pride after the Civil War; and confined, regularly ignored areas. Individuals, spots, and occasions in Southern Gothic writing have all the earmarks of being typical from the outset, yet they in the long run uncover themselves to be bizarre, upsetting, and some of the time horrendous. In spite of the fact that she detested the mark, O’Connor was an ace of the class while at the same time keeping a tone of authenticity in her books and short stories. Her exposition, for instance, stresses the facts of her characters’ activities as opposed to their idiosyncratic idiosyncrasies. Notwithstanding the frequently prophetically calamitous, dreamlike tone of her composition, her works consistently contain reasonable activities and decisions. O’Connor grounds the story as a general rule by deemphasizing the ghostly, troubling tone of the setting and concentrating rather on the connections and occasions that drive the account.