Many of us know the story of Jesus Christ, how he became our savior by dying on the cross for all the sins of the people. Countless Christians live their lives as a reflection of their appreciation to what they believe to be the most worthy, powerful, selfless thing that a person could do. Meanwhile, there are others who like to propose the thought that Jesus did die for us, but question if what he did was successful. If Jesus has not been successful, than there is nothing wrong with simply causing meanness in the lives of others. How then, is this outlook or belief on life affecting the violence in the story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”?
An author does not put violence in their story just because they enjoy writing about it or because the readers like reading it, there is more to it; a deeper meaning. There must be a reason behind the violence and a way for it to bring meaning to the bigger picture. Flannery O’Connor is an unusual writer, especially for Christian authors, as her interests focus on the violence and spiritual disorder of the modern world.
“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, is about a family: Baily, his wife, their two kids June and John Wesley and their grandmother whom were all going on a trip to Florida. The grandmother seemed to have an eye for adventure and she had a strong faith in God; but she was really not respected by her grandchildren nor her son. ‘“John Wesley a stocky child with glasses, said, ‘If you don’t want to go to Florida why dontcha stay at home?’ He and the little girl, June Star, were reading the funny papers on the floor. ‘She wouldn’t stay home to be queen for a day’ June Star said without lifting her little head.(678)” They always were rude to her and neither parents s...
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...fit’s point of view on Jesus causes him to not in let any good, or help in his life. As he shared his views with the grandmother on Jesus, he looked as if he was going to cry. The grandmother, being the kind and loving woman she was, reached out to comfort ‘The Misfit’ in his time of need and confusion. Flannery used this moment to state once and for all the necessity of violence to this story as instead of accepting the comfort; ‘The Misfit’ shot and killed the grandmother. This seems like a cruel and unnecessary act of violence and a harsh way to end this story, however, this act further highlights the fact that those who believe Jesus Christ did not die for our sins cannot simply accept that he did as fact. That if they have lived a life of violence, even though they may believe in God, that do not believe that one act of forgiveness can erase who they have been.
In Flannery O’Conner’s, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” the story begins with the family going on a road trip to Florida. The Grandmother who is very critical, selfish, judgmental, forgetful, and dishonest and almost enjoys manipulating others to get her way. The Grandmother holds herself in very high regard and
While reading Flannery O’Connor “A Good Man is Hard to Find” we read that a family of five are on a roadtrip to Florida where they go every year. We have The Grandmother who derailed her family from the actual road to see a house she thought was in those parts of town. When all of a sudden her helpers are the murders she is afraid of. The murder “The Misfit” kills off the rest of her family and leaves her to dwell in her sorrow that she will be next. The Grandmother tries to maneuver her way out of dying by sweet talking The Misfit into thinking she can love him as her own child and that he doesn’t have to kill anymore. When she tries to reach for him he moved back and shot her. The Grandmother didn’t want him to be violent anymore and thought
“A Good Man is Hard to Find,” written by Flannery O'Connor tells a story of a dysfunctional family on a roadtrip to Florida to illustrate the theme of self-awareness. The main protagonist in this story is the self-centered Grandmother whose lack of self-awareness is the reason why her family, including herself, are murdered by The Misfit (the Floridian convict). Throughout the story, the Grandmother considers herself as a good woman; however, it is through dialogue that reveals her true self. In reality, she is selfish, manipulative, inconsiderate, and dishonest. No matter how much she attempts to manipulate others into thinking she is full of integrity and a good example to follow, her actions contradict everything she wants people to believe.
In all four of the mentioned stories, this presence of Christian signs-of-the-times can be seen. Set in the early fifties, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" tells of the murder of a vacationing Georgia family by an escaped felon called the Misfit. ...
Works Cited Bandy, Stephen C. "One of my babies": The Misfit and the Grandmother in Flannery O'Connor's short story 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find'. Studies in Short Fiction; Winter 1996, v33, n1, p107(11). O’Connor, Flannery. The Complete Story of the. Farrar, Straus, and Giroux.
The granny and the misfit are two completely opposite characters that possess two different beliefs. The grandmother puts herself on a high pedestal and the way she calls the misfit ‘a good person’ based upon his family background gives the reader an idea of what the grandmother acknowledges to be considered as ‘good’. Self absorbed as sh...
It is sometimes problematic for readers to view O’Connor as a religious writer since none of her characters seem “good.” Her narratives and short stories seem to bring readers to the instant where a “bad” character is ready to transform, but the reader never sees the results. O’Connor considered herself a writer with “Christian concerns” and showed readers through her stories and her vision of a world where what is routinely thought of as improvement is actually the opposite. She proves humankind’s need for the cryptic grace of God, a gift that is offered swiftly in normal settings. Violence is a means to awaken characters to their own moral insufficiency, to take away their qualities so that there is nothing left but a humiliated personality ready to accept redemption.
Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find is one of the most well-known short stories in American history. A Good Man Is Hard to Find is a disturbing short story that exemplifies grace in extremity as well as the threat of an intruder. The story tells of an elderly grandmother and her family who embark on a road trip to Florida. The grandmother is a stubborn old woman with a low sense of morality. While on the trip, the grandmother convinces her son to take a detour which results in a broken down car and an encounter with a convicted fugitive, The Misfit. Although the grandmother pleads for mercy, The Misfit kills off the rest of her family. Through the grace she finds in her extreme circumstance, the grandmother calls The Misfit her own and implores him to spare her life. The Misfit does not oblige her and states after her death, “She would have been a good woman if it had been someone to shoot her every day of her life.” Through Flannery O’Connor’s disturbing and shocking display of the grandmother’s demise, she gives the reader a sense of the threatening power of an intruder and the idea of extreme situations bringing about a state of grace. The reason for such a powerful work may have resulted from Flannery O’Connor’s religious upbringing as well as the state of the nation at the time.
“A Good Man Is Hard To Find” by Flannery O’Connor explores the complexity of human nature. The unnamed grandmother is a perfect example of how contradictory a person’s beliefs and standards can be. She is indirectly manipulative, yet she holds herself to a higher, purer standard than the other characters. Not to mention, the grandmother is not as she first appear, and she is stuck on the views of the past and how they apply to her as a lady, whether the views are correct or not.
“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” was written in 1955, and at this time, women were beginning to fight for many rights and freedoms. The grandmother is a wealthy, white, self-centered woman. However, the way in which Flannery O’Connor depicts her is quite contrary. O’Connor surrounds her life with men, even to the point of stating only one of the names of one of her grandchildren, “Bailey” (667-669). O’Connor is emphasizing the fact that women are disparaged—although it may appear at this time in
Jeffrey Lilburn wrote a literary criticism, “Faith and Religion in Wise Blood”, of Flannery O’Connor’s novel, Wise Blood, describing her writing as “violent, dark and grotesque, yet spiritual and religious.” When supporting his point that the book is grotesque and dark he refers to the incident when Haze, the main character, murders a man by running him over with his car. Additionally, Enoch, another main character beats and strips a man for personal gain. These two examples exemplify the outrageous amount of violence, gratuitous violence at that, yet he also makes the point that the author balanced the grotesque nature of the book with the spiritual nature, or the lack thereof.
Although “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a short story, the text deeply analyzes and exhibits diverse characters and the consequences behind their actions. Flannery O’Connor and her use of the Southern Gothic style places the Misfit and the Grandmother, two opposing persons in the literal sense, to convey that in unusual circumstances and places ones true character can be revealed.
Never once as the Grandmother was begging for her life, did she stop and beg for the life of her family. Her tactic to save herself went from “You wouldn’t shoot a lady would you?” (O’Connor), to “You’ve got good blood! I know you come from nice people” (O’Connor), then lastly to “If you would pray, Jesus would help you” (O’Connor). Yet to every beg the Grandmother made, the Misfit was completely honest with her, admitting that he would hate to have to kill a lady, but he would do it, admitting that he did come from good people but that he is not good, and admitting that he does not want Jesus’ help, that he is perfectly fine alone. Because the Misfit was so honest and open about who he was and his flaws, the Grandmother realized that she is not a “Good Man”. That she has been lying to herself and the people around her. The Misfit allowed the Grandmother to come to terms with who she really is a person. The Misfit giving her this eye opening realization before taking her life gave her the redemption she needed so
In conclusion, Flannery O’Connor used violence in her short stories in order to give her characters an event that changes their entire viewpoint, beliefs, and actions in life and shows them the reality of it. These acts of violence can be seen in A Good Man is Hard to Find, Good Country People, and Everything that Rises Must Converge.
Flannery O 'Connor utilizes multiple biblical references, such as Jesus raising the dead, to create a foundation for what the Grandmother and Misfit believe in terms of morality. The Grandmother references Christianity in a positive and redeeming sense while the Misfit claims that “Jesus was the only One that ever raised the dead, and He shouldn 't have done it. He shown everything off balance” (O’Connor 151). Her reality before the incident was the people such as the Misfit were evil, while those similar to her who grew up in the classic traditions of the south were better off. Although she was raised in a highly religious and proper setting, she does not realize the fault in her logic until she is staring down the barrel of a gun. The grandmother attempts to use this religion to save her life by telling the Misfit about prayer and salvation. By asking the Misfit "Do you ever pray?" and then repeatedly saying “pray, pray, pray”, she is attempting to show him the fact that he does not have to do evil acts because of his past (O’Connor 149). Because the Misfit does not view himself as evil, his reality is that his actions and beliefs are morally