A Good Man Is Hard To Find Analysis Essay

Interpretation of “A Good Man is Hard to Find”

Mary F. O’Connor is a prominent figure in literature – considered by the American population to be a great short story writer. Her literary work is accepted across different reader groups containing awkward, but interesting characters, themes and reflections of her religious views of the world. Then again, O’Conner’s attempt at writing an interpretation to her own story – “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, fails miserably as critics such as Steve Brady attack the author’s actions deeming it unnecessary and contrary to the real message of the story. Inevitably, O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” has spiked up a major debate amongst different reader groups whereby readers differ in interpretation

You are one of my own children! “As she utters these shocking words, “she reached out and touched him on the shoulder. The misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest” (Schilb and Clifford 1295). Bandy disagrees with O’Conner and does not see the grandmother’s role as grace –bringer. He explains that the grandmother is being almost evil and her action is beyond description “Her behavior is the manifest of her character” (Schilb and Clifford 1303). The reason why Stephen takes this position is because he believes that her declaration to Misfit being one of her babies was there to cunningly trick the Misfit. Serenely, it is unclear how such an action can label the grandmother as a graceful woman. She clearly was lying about her relationship to the criminal in order to survive and that is why the Misfit shot her in realization of her trickiness. Bandy asks “Are we to regard her as the unwitting agent of divine grace whose selfishness intentions are somehow transfigured into a blessing? (Schilb and Clifford 1304)”. Indeed the story fails at depicting grace in the grandmother’s role but also fails at portraying Christian