Preview

A Good Man Is Hard To Find Literary Analysis

Good Essays
Open Document
Open Document
306 Words
Grammar
Grammar
Plagiarism
Plagiarism
Writing
Writing
Score
Score
A Good Man Is Hard To Find Literary Analysis
Every person in this world has a certain moral that they live by. A belief system that can guide them and dictate how they perceive others. In the story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, she writes about a family on what seem to be a simple trip that somehow turns into a spiritually awakening. She uses setting, unique characterization, and foreshadowing to show the readers how two conflicting moral codes can lead one character to find grace peace at their moment of death. This story begins with Bailey and his family making a trip from Atlanta to Florida. The grandmother states that she would rather go to Tennessee to her friends. She uses every possible scheme to change her son’s mind. She even goes as far to show her son
Continue Reading
View Writing Issues

You May Also Find These Documents Helpful

  • Satisfactory Essays

    Foreshadowing In A Good Man Is Hard To Find
    • 135 Words
    • 1 Page

    Foreshadowing In A Good Man Is Hard To Find

    In Flannery O'Connor's short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” O’Connor uses Foreshadowing of the family’s fate, sadistic and dramatic Irony, and biblical allusions to develop a well planned, beautiful short story. O’Connor was born in Savannah, Georgia and raised as devout Roman Catholic. Therefore, her background explains why the family drives through Georgia on their way to Florida, and why her stories have strong moral characters and biblical references. These remain familiar to the writer and helps create a believable story. The story’s foreshadowing begins when they pass a gravesite containing six white crosses, because the six family members would soon be murdered.…

    • 135 Words
    • 1 Page
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    Thematic interpretation of “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
    • 254 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Thematic interpretation of “A Good Man is Hard to Find”

    Flannery O’Conner portrays many messages through her story “A Good Man is Hard to Find”. Religion is shown throughout the story from the Grandmothers point of view. She is a classy lady and judges many on her knowledge of Christ to determine whether or not they should be considered “good”. This story displays that God’s grace can be received by anyone, in any form and that each and everyone can be saved, according to the Grandmother’s judgment, actions, and epiphany. The Grandmother spent most of her life criticizing others on how to achieve her view of gods expectations. She believes that if you are good then you must come from a good family and live through the beliefs of the church. In the end, during the Grandmother’s epiphany she receives gods grace and tries desperately to pass it on to the Misfit, believing that anyone can be saved by god. However, he is pure evil and does not understand the feeling of “good” even though it may lay deep inside him. The Misfit rejects the presence of God in his heart, and that is the main cause of his evilness. The Misfit conscious threatens his evil and he then, decided not to accept his chance to receive God‘s Grace. The Grandmother lived her life judging what is “good” and in the end ironically ended up in the most evil hands, the Misfit.…

    • 254 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” Literary Analysis
    • 1115 Words
    • 5 Pages

    “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” Literary Analysis

    “A good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O'Conner depicts a southern family, who is at odds about where they should go for a family vacation. They will eventually agree to head for Florida, once in the car the family will go through a series of events that will shapen each indivudal character. One of the main characters in the story, “The Grandmother”, who is known for her critical , savvy ways gives the audience her definition of what exactly it means to be a lady. The Grandmother and her family will be put to death by an escaped criminal by the name of the Misfit, who the grandmother warns the family of before there voyage to Florida. In the story one will see that although the Grandmother had not been a known convicted felon, like the Misfit, her way for thinking and immoral behavior was no different than that of the Misfit and that they were alike in many different ways. Although the Grandmother in “A Good Man is Hard to find”, tries to portray herself has a good role model and a Christian lady one will later see as story evolve that she was a woman contrary of her word and was indeed the ultimate “misfit”.…

    • 1115 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    “Revelation” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find
    • 220 Words
    • 1 Page

    “Revelation” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find

    In two of Flannery O?Connor?s short stories, ?Revelation? and ?A Good Man is Hard to find? we find a lot of similarities in the author?s portrayal of the characters as well as themes. ?O?Connor?s stories are challenging because her characters, who initially seem radically different from people we know, turn out to be, by the end of each story, somehow familiar- somehow connected to us.? (424) However, each story also depicts it?s own unique tell of spirituality and understanding. O?Connor?s ?Revelation? is a tale of a middle class women, Ruby Turpin, who is certain about her place in society, as well as the rest of the town?s social standing. She judges people instantly and reflects on what kind of person she would be if given a choice between two equally undignified options. ?A Good Man is Hard to Find? tells the story of a family that prepares to go on vacation but before they reach their destination they take a detour prompted by the grandmother and after a car accident come in counter with a serial killer who has recently been released from jail. Both stories take place in the south and take the reader on a journey to a deeper emotional awareness, as well as beg empathy of the reader for both the protagonist as well as the…

    • 220 Words
    • 1 Page
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O Connor
    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O Connor

    Perspectives of Life and Religion In O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” she displays how life and religion plays a huge role when the Grandmother crosses path with the Misfit. Although the Grandmother and the Misfit are the main characters, they did not cross paths until the tragic car accident. This story is intriguing because it beginned as a constant battle over where the family should take their trip rather it was Tennessee or Florida. The Grandmother had her mind made up on traveling to Tennessee, but her son, Bailey was not convinced.…

    • 706 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Foreshadowing In A Good Man Is Hard To Find
    • 1108 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Foreshadowing In A Good Man Is Hard To Find

    In Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, multiple themes are conveyed through her use of foreshadowing and irony as well as a consistent point of view. The story centers around the major conflict between the Misfit and the grandmother along with her family. This story can be viewed in many ways because of the unusually large number of themes used in this story ranging from religion to society and class. Foreshadowing can be found throughout the story leading up to the brutal execution of the family beginning with the grandmother’s comment on her elaborate outfit for the road trip to the “hearse-like” (373) vehicle the Misfit drove. O’Connor’s clever use of irony stands out in this short story. She uses a wide range of irony to get across her message. Third person point of view was used for the short story. The point of view was limited because the reader is informed of only the grandmother’s…

    • 1108 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    In Flannery O 'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard To Find'
    • 1129 Words
    • 5 Pages

    In Flannery O 'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard To Find'

    In A Good Man is Hard to Find, Flannery O’Connor tries to show that we are all one of the same and that all man can receive God’s grace. In the short story we are compelled by the completely opposite mannerisms of The Misfit and the grandmother; one character who believes she has no faults and with weak moral convictions. O’Connor uses irony to exemplify two individuals with different moral codes to reveal the notion that all men are ultimately punished, but can achieve grace through attainment of self-awareness and compassion.…

    • 1129 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Satisfactory Essays

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find Misfit
    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find Misfit

    One of the utmost unforgettable lines from “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” originates from the Misfit when he says, “She would have been a good woman if it had been someone there to shoot her for every minute of her life (O'Connor).” Flannery O’Connor’s illustration of Christianity can be seen in within this text. Certainly, the plot ends with an appalling conclusion, and this leaves the reader with liberty to understand the central idea of this story. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is largely influenced by divine authority and other elements within the story.…

    • 558 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Satisfactory Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O Connor
    • 550 Words
    • 3 Pages

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O Connor

    The story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is about a family who goes on a road trip. The reader is introduced to a character that first appears to be confused about life and religion but later comes across as more knowledgeable about religion and his own existence philosophies than the other characters portrayed in the essay. The characters consist of the Grandmother, the parents, the two kids, the cat, and of course the Misfit, a murderer who had escaped from jail.…

    • 550 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Powerful Essays

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find Foreshadowing
    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find Foreshadowing

    In Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find," the gruesome ending comes as quite a shock. But, upon a second read, signs of an ominous end permeate the work. Hints of the family's tragic finale exist throughout the plot until the time of the first murder. The story contains pervasive images of death and to foreshadow the ultimate demise of the nameless family at the hands of the malicious Misfit and his henchmen.…

    • 1477 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Powerful Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    Foreshadowing In A Good Man Is Hard To Find
    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Foreshadowing In A Good Man Is Hard To Find

    Candidly, after reading “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor for the first time, I was completely shocked by the violence and the story’s tragic ending. While, I grasped elements of the foreshadowing she used throughout the story, such as mentioning the dangerous Misfit was “aloose” in the first paragraph, Red Sammy’s reference to two men failing to pay for gas, and the odd name and spelling of the town of “Toombsboro” the family was outside of when the Grandmother awakened and mentioned the plantation (Kirszner & Mandell, 2012). Nevertheless, I failed to fully anticipate the impending doom and the brutality O’Connor had planned for the family. As a result, the stunning ending was as disorienting as a bright, burst of light flashing in my eyes…

    • 450 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    A Good Man is Hard to Find
    • 1397 Words
    • 4 Pages

    A Good Man is Hard to Find

    A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor is a short story that depicts a family road trip to Florida that ends in an abysmal tragedy when they meet the Misfit, a remorseless convict who has escaped from prison. In the beginning, the Grandmother is obsessed with everything worldly and superficial. She is completely focused on herself in relation to how others think of her. Towards the end of the story, the grandmother finds herself in ominous dialogue with The Misfit. In the story, The Misfit represents a quasi-final judgment. He does this by acting like a mirror. He lets whatever The Grandmother says bounce right off him. He never agrees nor disagrees with the grandmother, and in the end, he is the one who kills her. At the end of the story, before the Grandmother meets her fate, she has a moment of redemption. She finally distinguishes The Misfit for who he really is, not a psychopathic killer on the loose; but a person just like herself. The Misfit, being a man who is not created from social class; he is a simple human being just like the grandmother. At this point she sees herself in relation to everyone else. She finally realizes that she is not made by her class. Society makes the class, and she just fits into it. She shows this by claiming that The Misfit could be one of her own children. This story is meant to be interpreted as a parable, whereby O'Connor made skilful use of symbolism to bring about messages such as the social-superiority and the lack of spiritual faith that exist amongst common people; and the grace in humans is exposed, only when facing adverse and fatal circumstances.…

    • 1397 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    A Good Man Is Hard to Find - 4
    • 1874 Words
    • 8 Pages

    A Good Man Is Hard to Find - 4

    Many people struggle with the idea of what it means to be a “good” person and what it means to be a “bad” person. The human quest to be good drives virtually everything we do but sometimes in the end may not amount to enough. We all want to be good, but it 's not easy. If you ask an evil person and a good person the same question, "Are you a good person?" Who do you think is more likely to say yes, the good person or the evil person? Everyone has their own opinion about certain issues, and they depend on their values, judgment, and beliefs to see them through their difficulties. Flannery O’Connor, an American writer, was quoted as saying "I see from the standpoint of Christian orthodoxy. This means the meaning of life is centered in our Redemption by Christ and that what I see in the world I see in relation to that" (Contemporary Authors 402). In the short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find," Flannery O’ Connor illustrates her argument of good and evil through a grandmother who struggles with her own insincere sense of goodness, and the Misfit who represents evil. Only true goodness illuminates when in the face of something bad. In the story a character who views herself as good comes to realize that this goodness that she believes she has cannot protect against the works of evil.…

    • 1874 Words
    • 8 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Better Essays

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find
    • 1120 Words
    • 5 Pages

    A Good Man Is Hard To Find

    Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a traumatic short story about a family, that is taking a trip to Florida, but never makes it because of their run in with the outlaw the Misfit, who in the end kills the whole family. Throughout, the story O’Connor shows what a good man is through the Characterization of the Misfit, the grandmother, and Bailey.…

    • 1120 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Better Essays
    Read More
  • Good Essays

    The Misfit
    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages

    The Misfit

    In Flannery O’Connor’s short story, A Good Man Is Hard To Find, she narrates a trip taken by a family of six to the sunshine state of Florida. From the beginning we can tell that the grandmother does not want to go because a criminal had escaped prison. Throughout the short story we follow the road trip right up to when the family has a car accident and they find themselves face to face with The Misfit. By the end of the story the family is murdered, however we learn that The Misfit knows who God is, but no longer believes. In this essay I will provide the reader with how we can relate to The Misfit, and the connection O’Connor had to this character.…

    • 617 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Good Essays
    Read More

Related Topics