“A Good Man
is Hard to Find” was disturbing. I don’t think I understood it very well. I
knew that as soon as the grandmother started talking about the Misfit he would
make an appearance. The grandmother in
the story doesn’t seem to appreciate her son and his family. She lives with
them but refuses to treat her son as an adult. She is very self-absorbed and
selfish. She acts like one of the children. Neither father nor mother stands
out as fully developed individuals and are one-dimensional characters. The plot
seems to stand on the inter play between the grandmother and the Misfit. The misfit seems to take his evil as common and
pervasive. The grandmother seems to feel that since she is a lady she is above
that commonness. Misfit is a paradox. He apologizes to the family because he
doesn’t have a shirt on and then tells them he stole the clothes but what
happened to the previous clothes owner? Why apologize for that social blunder
but appear resigned and matter of fact about taking the lives of men, women and
children. Showing no mercy for the children goes against every societal taboo. I know at the end of the story the grandmother
says that Misfit is one of her children. I do not understand this line. Is she identifying
with evil? Or is she trying to illicit sympathy from Misfit?
I was very shocked that the misfit made an appearance! This was my first time reading "A Good Man is Hard to Find." In all honesty, I initially believed that the Misfit was a very minuscule part of the novel. In my opinion, O'Connor did an excellent job making a connection. I feel her message was profound and quite moving. I believe the Grandmother is trying to find a sense of morality as she begins to taste the bitter reality of death. I do believe there is a part of her that wants pity from the Misfit, but I believe another part acknowledges death is encroaching upon her. You bring up some excellent points for discussion! Great post Vanessa!
ReplyDeleteYou mention a sense of morality, but whose are you talking about Misfit or grandmother's?
ReplyDeleteI believe she sees that misfit and herself are no different--they, as well as the rest of the world, are all God's children. They is no more distinction between what the grandmother considers good and bad, gentlemen and ladies. She has professed all her life to be a Christian but has always judged everyone on their social standing and material possessions. She has received God's grace at the end of her life so maybe the detour was no accident
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