Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find

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Religion continuously proves itself as the most resilient institution alive today; men live in its shadow, die in its honor, and torture in its name. More often than what followers would like to admit, several churches are notorious for persecuting individuals with different mentalities, as well as sexual and social behaviors. Despite the injustice, a blossom of hope continues to bud in the frigid environment. Individuals from religious factions realize that it is faith and acceptance, not conformity, which makes their institution strong. Flannery O’ Connor was a woman who saw the hate and intolerance of some religious practices and sought to change it. Her short story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a call-to-action for society because it conveys the importance of acceptance through its characters and resolution.
In addition to demonstrating the value of tolerance, the Grandmother is the first character who serves as a caveat for the public in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”. Throughout the story, the Grandmother attempts to present herself as the archetypical “good”, spiritual old woman. Ironically, she is a particularly repugnant human being. She is set in her archaic mentalities, pretentious, and selfish. In the beginning, her egotism becomes evident when she rejects her family’s desires to go to Florida and insists on traveling to Tennessee, where she could, “visit some of her connections” (O’ Connor 61). Irving Malin, professor and literary critic, also notes that the Grandmother is an unpleasant because she, “…forces her family to obey her… [and] she sees them as an extension of herself…” (Bloom 21). Although she processes a blatant disregard for others, she still considers herself highly. Furthermore, the Grandmother is als...

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... not just religion. Good men are not only hard to find, but they are impossible to find. Within each individual, both benevolent and malicious concepts are embedded. Humanity can help facilitate the development of each− negatively or positively.

Works Cited

Bloom, Harold, and Aaron Tillman. Bloom's Major Short Story Writers: Flannery O'Connor. Broomall: Chelsea House, 1999. Print.
Krakowiak, K. Maja, and Mary Beth Oliver. "When Good Characters Do Bad Things: Examining The Effect Of Moral Ambiguity On Enjoyment." Journal Of Communication 62.1 (2012): 117-135. Communication & Mass Media Complete. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
May, Charles E., ed. Critical Insights: Flannery O' Connor. Pasadena: Salem Press, 2012. Print.
Piotrowski, Nancy A. Salem Health : Psychology & Mental Health. Pasadena, Calif: Salem Press, 2010. eBook Academic Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 16 Apr. 2014.

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