Summary Of A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O Connor
Every individual has been tempted to give in to vices. This common occurrence is also one that writers have always attempted to analyze. St. Cyril of Jerusalem wrote: “The dragon is by the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the father of souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.” This dragon, or temptation, is the pitfall for many souls that strive to reach heaven, and the inspiration for many writers. One writer that knew this inspiration well was Flannery O'Connor. Through the proud grandmother in “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” the mysterious and betraying Tom T. Shiftlet in “The Life You Save May Be Your Own,” and the egotistical Mrs. McIntyre and the entitled Mr. Shortley in “The Displaced
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Shiftlet, a mysterious bum that shows up at the home of Lucynell Crater and her daughter Lucynell Crater, immediately sets his sights on the old, dilapidated car that is stored in the shed. In an attempt to convince the woman to let him repair the car, he agrees to stay and repair things around the home as a sign of good faith. He even takes the time to teach the daughter, both mute and deaf, to say the word “bird” and earn the mother’s trust. She creates a plan to entice Tom to marry miss Lucynell or, as she believes, give him the opportunity to “...live in a permanent place and get the sweetest girl in the world…” (O’Connor 59). Tom agrees to this plan and the pleased woman fails to notice his subtle way of getting more pieces for the car from her. Once married, his greed convinces him to leave his new bride at a diner and to set off to the town of Mobile. His greed is still present, however, it is his pride that does not allow him to see his own shortcomings. It is only when he prays “Oh Lord! Break forth and wash the slime from this earth!” that the reader finds him destined to succumb to the dragon on the side of the road (O’Connor 66). Tom’s pride never allows him to recognize that he is not on the road to the father of souls. O’Connor leaves the reader watching Tom attempt to outrun the rain and his fate as a soul lost to temptation, a warning to heed the lesson of St.
Shiftlet, a mysterious bum that shows up at the home of Lucynell Crater and her daughter Lucynell Crater, immediately sets his sights on the old, dilapidated car that is stored in the shed. In an attempt to convince the woman to let him repair the car, he agrees to stay and repair things around the home as a sign of good faith. He even takes the time to teach the daughter, both mute and deaf, to say the word “bird” and earn the mother’s trust. She creates a plan to entice Tom to marry miss Lucynell or, as she believes, give him the opportunity to “...live in a permanent place and get the sweetest girl in the world…” (O’Connor 59). Tom agrees to this plan and the pleased woman fails to notice his subtle way of getting more pieces for the car from her. Once married, his greed convinces him to leave his new bride at a diner and to set off to the town of Mobile. His greed is still present, however, it is his pride that does not allow him to see his own shortcomings. It is only when he prays “Oh Lord! Break forth and wash the slime from this earth!” that the reader finds him destined to succumb to the dragon on the side of the road (O’Connor 66). Tom’s pride never allows him to recognize that he is not on the road to the father of souls. O’Connor leaves the reader watching Tom attempt to outrun the rain and his fate as a soul lost to temptation, a warning to heed the lesson of St.