Analysis Of Flannery O 'Connor In A Good Man Is Hard To Find'
Was Flannery O’Connor A Christian? In “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” one can tell that Flannery O’Connor is a dark person, and may even question if she is a Christian or not. In this short story, some people may think Flannery O’Connor may not be a Christian because of The Misfit character. Despite The Misfit character, I believe Flannery O’Conner is Christian and she shows it in several places throughout the short story through several characters. The first example in “A Good Man Is Hard to find” is shown in the conversation between Red Sam’s wife and the grandmother. Red Sam’s wife said to the Grandmother, “It isn’t a soul in this green world of God’s that you can trust” (O’Connor 440). I believe the statement made by Red Sam wife shows
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that Flannery O’Connor is a Christian and believes in God. If Flannery O’Connor was not a religious person then I believe Red Sam’s wife would not have referred to this world as God’s world. I believe she would have made Red Sam’s wife say, “It isn’t a soul in this green world that you can trust.” Saying it this way still has a meaning that a person cannot trust anyone in this world. When Flannery O’Connor referred to “the world of god’s” (O’Connor 440) in the statement, she made it a religious statement. Flannery O’Connor also shows her religious views through the grandmother during the conversation between the grandmother and The Misfit.
During their conversation, the grandmother asks The Misfit several times “Do you ever pray?” (O’Connor 446). Later on in the story, the grandmother tells The Misfit, “If you would pray, Jesus would help you” (O’Connor 447). I believe this is O’Connor expressing how she feels about the power of prayer. On page 447, O’Connor writes, “Finally she found herself saying, “Jesus, Jesus” meaning, Jesus will help you…” This is Flannery O’Connor actually talking to Jesus in the short story. The Misfit says “Jesus was the only one that ever raised the dead, and he shouldn’t have done it” (O’Connor 448). This statement by The Misfit shows that Flannery O’Connor knows the stories of the bible. O’Connor’s obvious knowledge of the Bible adds to the evidence of Flannery O’Connor being a Christian. On page 448 O’Connor writes,
“I wasn’t there so I can’t say he didn’t,” The Misfit said. “I wisht I had of been there,” he said, hitting the ground with his fist. “It ain’t right I wasn’t there because if had of been there I would of known. Listen lady, “he said in a high voice, If I had of been there I would of known and I wouldn’t be like I am now.”
I think this passage shows the trouble Flannery O’Connor has experienced in the past being a Christian. The passage above most likely portrays some of the thoughts that went through O’Connor’s head when she was
diagnosed with her disease. On page 448 there is a passage that I think confirms that Flannery O’Connor is a Christian. Since The Misfit just finished explaining why he does not believe in Jesus, I think Flannery O’Connor finishes with this passage to prove that Jesus is real. The passage states, “She saw the man’s face twisted close to her own as if he were going to cry and she murmured (the grandmother), “Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!” I believe the grandmother had no reason to say this. I think this is actually God speaking through the grandmother to The Misfit. Through the short story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” one can tell that Flannery O’Connor is a very dark person and questions her Christianity. Through the evidence I have presented, I think Flannery O’Conner was a dark person but was also a Christian.
Work Cited
O’Connor, Flannery. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” 1955. Back to the Lake. Ed. Thomas Cooley. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2012. 436-49. Print.
that Flannery O’Connor is a Christian and believes in God. If Flannery O’Connor was not a religious person then I believe Red Sam’s wife would not have referred to this world as God’s world. I believe she would have made Red Sam’s wife say, “It isn’t a soul in this green world that you can trust.” Saying it this way still has a meaning that a person cannot trust anyone in this world. When Flannery O’Connor referred to “the world of god’s” (O’Connor 440) in the statement, she made it a religious statement. Flannery O’Connor also shows her religious views through the grandmother during the conversation between the grandmother and The Misfit.
During their conversation, the grandmother asks The Misfit several times “Do you ever pray?” (O’Connor 446). Later on in the story, the grandmother tells The Misfit, “If you would pray, Jesus would help you” (O’Connor 447). I believe this is O’Connor expressing how she feels about the power of prayer. On page 447, O’Connor writes, “Finally she found herself saying, “Jesus, Jesus” meaning, Jesus will help you…” This is Flannery O’Connor actually talking to Jesus in the short story. The Misfit says “Jesus was the only one that ever raised the dead, and he shouldn’t have done it” (O’Connor 448). This statement by The Misfit shows that Flannery O’Connor knows the stories of the bible. O’Connor’s obvious knowledge of the Bible adds to the evidence of Flannery O’Connor being a Christian. On page 448 O’Connor writes,
“I wasn’t there so I can’t say he didn’t,” The Misfit said. “I wisht I had of been there,” he said, hitting the ground with his fist. “It ain’t right I wasn’t there because if had of been there I would of known. Listen lady, “he said in a high voice, If I had of been there I would of known and I wouldn’t be like I am now.”
I think this passage shows the trouble Flannery O’Connor has experienced in the past being a Christian. The passage above most likely portrays some of the thoughts that went through O’Connor’s head when she was
diagnosed with her disease. On page 448 there is a passage that I think confirms that Flannery O’Connor is a Christian. Since The Misfit just finished explaining why he does not believe in Jesus, I think Flannery O’Connor finishes with this passage to prove that Jesus is real. The passage states, “She saw the man’s face twisted close to her own as if he were going to cry and she murmured (the grandmother), “Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!” I believe the grandmother had no reason to say this. I think this is actually God speaking through the grandmother to The Misfit. Through the short story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” one can tell that Flannery O’Connor is a very dark person and questions her Christianity. Through the evidence I have presented, I think Flannery O’Conner was a dark person but was also a Christian.
Work Cited
O’Connor, Flannery. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” 1955. Back to the Lake. Ed. Thomas Cooley. 2nd ed. New York: Norton, 2012. 436-49. Print.