The Character of Hulga in Good Country People by Mary Flannery O'Connor

The novel indicates that her mother, from the early part of her life, felt a sense of separateness and unworthiness and that she "never felt at home anywhere, or that she belonged anyplace" (111). Consequently, from Pecola's birth, her mother placed upon Pecola the same shroud of shame, weakness, and inadequacy. The circumstances surrounding Pecola's first period are consistent with the vulnerability of her position. Pecola is not even with her own mother when it happens. There is a real sense that Pecola cannot participate in traditions, or receive wisdom from previous generations, because her family life is so unhealthy.

As June Star demonstrates, the family treats the grandmother with great reproach. Even as she is driving them all crazy with her constant comments and old-fashioned attitude, the reader is made to feel sorry for her. It is this constant stream of confliction that keeps the story boiling, and eventually overflows into the shocking conclusion. Of course the grandmother meant no harm, but who can help but to blame her? O’Connor puts her readers into a fit of rage as “the horrible thought” comes to the grandmother, “that the house she had remembered so vividly was not in Georgia but in Tennessee” (125).

After her husband’s death, Blanche’s personality was completely altered. First, she became very insecure. “I can’t stand a naked light bulb, any more than I can a rude remark or a vulgar action.” Blanche does not like to be seen in bright light, she believes that she is getting old; therefore her beauty has a lot of flaws, and if people were to see those flaws, she would end up alone, which is the last thing she wants, knowing that she craves attention. Blanche feels very lonely because she has no support in her life, that is why she needs people to depend on, “I want to be near you”, she told Stella. Also, Blanche has developed a bad habit of lying.

Amanda becomes unnerved when she finds out Laura has dropped out and spent her days strolling and wandering around by herself. Laura could not continue on with her schooling for her nerves were so bad she shook with fear and even threw up when she had to give a presentation. Laura had a case of being extremely shy and socially awkward. Ama... ... middle of paper ... ...o happen to be leading to a life both their parents aspired for them to live. In both stories Laura and Catherine's conquered what they had been holding them back.

Emotionally shut out and neglected by her mother, taunted and teased all the time by her mother and her new husband, frequently called UGLY and told she was not welcome and unwanted. Home life was so bad Clare took herself off to social services and asked to be put into a home but was refused, feeling helpless and life was not living she attempted suicide by swallowing a bottle of bleach. "I felt sick, happy and sad. I was happy because tonight if the bleach worked I would die. No more Tomorrows.

23. Ibid., 251. 24. Ibid., 58. 25.

“I wish you wouldn’t run off to that laundromat in the middle of the night, Callie.”(6) She doesn’t have any friends and she only has her mom who smokes, gets drunk, and is a poor role model for Callie which causes Callie to be sad and to have a poor life. Callie has never been to school and that is what makes her so lonely. She wants her and her mom to have a better relationship. “I love it when I make my mom laugh.” (12) She feels sorry for her mom and always tries to make her happy. She has long blonde hair and blue eyes.

One of the times being when Constance thinks of someone buying her a new dress, but keeps her mouth shut and doesn’t press any further. It’s horrible that since Constance has been treated like this for so long, she’s gotten the habit of keeping her thoughts to herself out of fear for being “ungrateful”. The most terrifying part was proven at the very beginning when she did not care at all about Constance’s well being, a point made time and time again, especially when Constance was so angry with being “ugly” to her mother, that she drank Domestos, a bleach that kills germs since Constance was always told the she was just an “ugly germ” by her very own mother. It makes me more terrified and sad when Constance did not die of the bleach, that Carmen was very unwilling to go to the doctor and didn’t even want to go near her. The agonizing moments felt from this moment is only the beginning of the horrible relationship, that at some points was very emotional.

As an outcast, Jane realizes at an early age how much class affects the behavior of people in society. Jane would be punished by Mrs. Reed regularly, which may have fueled her rebellious nature. A specific example would be when Jane was sent to the “red room” by Mrs. Reed as punishment for fighting with her son. This was the room where Mrs. Reed’s husband was found dead. This shows that Mrs. Reed had absolutely no respect for Jane as an individual as Mrs. Reed knew that Jane believed that the room was haunted.

When Helen Keller was young, her peers described her as a “wild and unruly child” (Whitman). Helen Keller would throw temper tantrums because she couldn’t understand her parents. As Helen grew older her tantrums became worse. Another thing Helen was could not do was, she couldn’t write or speak, so in turn she came up with her own signals. For example, when she wanted ice cream she would put h... ... middle of paper ... ...d and American Foundation for Overseas Blind.