Irony In 'Good Country People'

The short story “Good Country People,” uses irony in many ways. But the clear use of irony is portrayed in the story through O’Connors use of character names. The use of irony is presented when characters names contradict what the character represents. In “Good Country People,” O’Connor uses these names to figuratively and literally describe the four main character’s and their flaws.
The first use of irony by using a characters name is shown when the audience is introduced to “Mrs. Hopewell.” Ironically, Mrs. Hopewell is surprisingly full of hope. Her name is ironic due to the simple outlook that she has on the world around her. She believes that you can do anything that you put your mind to. Because of this misinterpretation of the world, she assumes that everything is more simple than it actually is. In the beginning of the story, the author says “Mrs. Hopewell had no bad qualities of her own but she was able to use other people’s in such a constructive way that she never felt the lack,” (p. 2525). This shows how much hope Mrs. Hopewell had in the people around her. Sometimes Mrs. Hopewell lets her optimism get the best of her as well. In the story, Mrs. Hopewell says “She’s brilliant, but she doesn't

Freeman’s name is also ironic to the story, it may not seem like it in the beginning of the story but Mrs. Freeman stands for freedom herself. In the very last line of the story, the author says, “Mrs. Freeman’s gaze drove forward and just touched him before he disappeared under the hill. Then she returned her attention to the evil smelling onion shoot she was lifting from the ground. ‘Some can’t be that simple… I know I never could,’ she said,” (p.2537). This just shows that unlike, Mrs. Hopewell or Joy, she is able to see what goes on around her. The ability to listen and respond gives Mrs. Freeman a real sense of freedom, knowledge. Although Mrs. Freeman is a farmer and seems like she does not know much, she lives up to the name given to