A Goodman is Hard to Find
In " A Goodman Is Hard To Find" Flannery O'Connor suggest that the Misfit is psychologically unstable based off his murderous actions as well as his blatant denial of his actions. O' Connor suggest that the Misfit suffers from anxiety and uses denial as a defense mechanism by mentally distorting his actions as more acceptable.
The Misfit has escaped from jail, and was put in jail because he allegedly killed is father. His denial is evident because he claims that this is untrue : "It was a head doctor who said what I had done was kill my daddy but I known that for a lie." ( O'Connor 194). It is possible that the Misfit had a rough childhood and could have been abused by his father; the reason why he murdered him. He mentally suppressed the incident and believed that he was wrongfully punished for what he had done; "ain't recalled it till this day" "'I call myself the Misfit, because I can't make what all I done wrong fit what all I gone through in punishment'" (O' Connor 195) His mentality of unjust treatment is what caused the Misfit to treat all others with ill intent.
This Misfit also shows signs of anxiety when he states that "children make me nervous." Suggesting that not only his father but other adults were unkind to him as a child as well, so he does not know how to handle the presence of children. When the grandmother begins to plead with him not to kill her she states that "she knows he is a good man and does not come from common blood" (O'Connor 192) he suggest sarcasm when he states " yes ma'am." "no finer people in the world." "daddy's heart was pure gold"( O'Connor 192). He is also contradictory because when asked by the Grandmother if the murder was a mistake, the Misfit knew it wasn't a mistake because "they had the papers on me" ( O'Connor 195).
The Misfit continues to suggest that his mentality is unstable when he compares himself to Jesus who never committed a crime. "It was the same case with Him as with me except He hadn't committed any
The Misfit has escaped from jail, and was put in jail because he allegedly killed is father. His denial is evident because he claims that this is untrue : "It was a head doctor who said what I had done was kill my daddy but I known that for a lie." ( O'Connor 194). It is possible that the Misfit had a rough childhood and could have been abused by his father; the reason why he murdered him. He mentally suppressed the incident and believed that he was wrongfully punished for what he had done; "ain't recalled it till this day" "'I call myself the Misfit, because I can't make what all I done wrong fit what all I gone through in punishment'" (O' Connor 195) His mentality of unjust treatment is what caused the Misfit to treat all others with ill intent.
This Misfit also shows signs of anxiety when he states that "children make me nervous." Suggesting that not only his father but other adults were unkind to him as a child as well, so he does not know how to handle the presence of children. When the grandmother begins to plead with him not to kill her she states that "she knows he is a good man and does not come from common blood" (O'Connor 192) he suggest sarcasm when he states " yes ma'am." "no finer people in the world." "daddy's heart was pure gold"( O'Connor 192). He is also contradictory because when asked by the Grandmother if the murder was a mistake, the Misfit knew it wasn't a mistake because "they had the papers on me" ( O'Connor 195).
The Misfit continues to suggest that his mentality is unstable when he compares himself to Jesus who never committed a crime. "It was the same case with Him as with me except He hadn't committed any