Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a very
odd short story. Firstly, the grandma is super annoying. She never seems to
stop talking and she passes judgment on everyone and everything. She is
incredibly egotistical because she never stops talking about her wants, her
needs, or her opinions. Furthermore, her entire family is killed entirely
because of the grandma’s actions. Had the grandma listened to the other adults
for a second none of the murders would have occurred. She brought her cat when
she was asked not to, she lied to the kids, and she did not admit her mistakes.
Also, she even fakes an injury to be sympathized with… Her pride and self-admiration
is what ultimately kills the family. She also never asks the Misfit to spare
her family. She only wishes for him to spare herself. Even after she had ruined
everything she is still only thinking about herself. In this story, everything
is according to the grandma. Things are good only if she deems them so and she
believes that people should live by her moral standards. She basically inconveniences
everyone for her own selfish desires. It is interesting because The Misfit is
actually a very self-aware and non-judging person. He seems very wise actually.
When I was reading the story I really did not mind The Misfit even though he
murders people for the sake of it. The grandma’s last line is thought-provoking
when she says “you’re one of my own children!”
(508). I think that this is some sort of moment of enlightenment for the
grandma. Maybe she realizes that it is not all about her. I think she begins to
care about The Misfit just as she should care for her own children. At this
moment, I think some of her egocentrism has diminished. O’Connor makes some
powerful remarks throughout the story. I think that the main point is to
consider others in everything. Nobody is worthy to pass judgment, and those who
pass judgment are those who will suffer. The grandma considers herself a good
Christian lady, but she is definitely hypocritical. Maybe by the end she is
actually a Christian when she realizes that she is equal to The Misfit. I am
not really sure what the whole deal is with her being obsessed with being a
lady. To her, it is as if being a lady is the best thing a person can be. She
even begs The Misfit not to kill her simply because she is a lady. A lady is a
woman who obeys societal expectations of a woman: politeness, Christian views,
femininity, etc. I guess the grandma believes that because she is a lady, she
is superior to most people. This short story is very strange. I like it, but it
definitely has a shocking twist to it. The grandma got what was coming to her
which was sad but well deserved in some ways.
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