Analysis Of A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O Connor

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Flannery O'Connor's “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is a story filled with contradictions, conflicts, and hypocrisy, demonstrated during the resolution: “‘She would have been a good woman.' The Misfit said, 'if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life” made by the antagonist of the story (O'Connor 1186). In addition, throughout the story there is a parallel pattern formed between conflict and hypocrisy since one could not happen without the other. Therefore, the development of this pattern in the story becomes the central theme and the character’s flaws that helps lead the family to their swift, but untimely end. However, at the end of the story the fatal dispute that occurs between the Misfit and the grandmother because …show more content…

“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” begins, “The grandmother didn't want to go to Florida” immediately creating a discord of interests between the grandmother and the rest of the family (1174). This initial conflict introduced by the narrator leads to the primary display of hypocrisy in the story because the grandmother begins to try manipulating the other family members with the use guilty conscious “I wouldn't take my children in any direction with a criminal like that a loose in it” (1175). Through this quote, the reader …show more content…

During the story the grandmother constantly mentions how life in the past was better “‘children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and every-thing else. People did right then. Oh, look at the cute little pickaninny!’” (1176). However, this statement immediately serves as a contradiction because the grandmother is referencing the southern past when African-Americans were owned as slaves, which promptly exhibits how misconstrued and specious the grandmother's moral compass or sense of righteousness was because “pickaninny” is a discriminatory term used to describe young African- American slaves. In addition, the child's complete disrespect and lack of sympathy for the grandmother helps to destroy the illusion of their perfect southern family displayed by “She wouldn't stay home to be queen for a day” because of their over the top rudeness in their regards to their elders (1175). The narration of the story also leaves clues, foreshadowing the death of the family with “I wouldn't be a bit surprised if he didn't attack this place right here” because of the constant allusions of an encounter with the Misfit (1178). Nonetheless, each interaction between the characters also created an overall mood, suggesting a feeling of foreboding in the story to

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