Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Hopewell take care of "important business" every morning over breakfast. Mrs. Hopewell gets up every morning at 7:00am and lights the heaters. Afterwards she gossips with Mrs. Freeman. Joy, who is thirty-two years old is Mrs. Hopewell's daughter and extremely educated, takes her time coming in. Mrs. Freeman has two teenage daughters, one married and pregnant, and one not. The girls are a big topic of conversation. Mrs. Hopewell employs the Freeman's and they've worked out because they are good country people. Before the Freeman's came, people had only worked for Mrs. Hopewell for a year at most. Joy is a fairly grumpy lady, but her mother lets her be because she has a wooden leg. When she was ten her leg was shot in a …show more content…
Manley opens his Bible to remove whiskey, cards, and condoms. Hulga is not impressed and demands her leg back and loses all romantic spirit. Manley packs up his things along with her leg. He tells her that he is just as smart as he is because has fooled her and stolen her leg. He is also an even bigger believer in nothing than she is, his bible sales is all a scam. Through the loft opening, Hulga watches Manley leave. Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman watch him leave too. Mrs. Hopewell thinks he was selling bibles to the black people who live in that direction. It's not clear what Mrs. freeman thinks but she gets the last word in the story. I expected this story to be about some weird Amish country people, but it ended up being slightly different. I believe the motive of this story is to present the idea that not everyone is what they seem. Manley, when first presented, seems like a kind man who sells bibles, and what could be more holy than that kind of work? He also spends time with Hulga and gets to know her despite her disability. Then in the end steals her fake leg and tells her that he is smarter than her and believes in nothing more than she does. So, he is, in fact, the least holy man of
“Good Country People” is a story about Joy Hopewell, a very well educated young woman living in the rural south. Joy lost a leg in a hunting accident when she was ten and since then had been forced to wear a wooden replacement. She also had a weak heart and it was this affliction that forced her to remain amongst these “good country people” whom she considered to be intellectual inferiors. Though she had great confidence in her intelligence she had very little self-esteem. Joys’ handicap made her feel ugly, so ugly that much to her mothers’ dismay, she had her name legally changed to the ugliest one she could think of, Hulga. One day a traveling bible salesman named Manley Pointer made a sales call and ended up having dinner with the family.
O'Connor crafts the story so that the plot does not actually begin until insight into the characters has been provided. The limited omniscience persona of the narrative voice alternates between Joy and her mother, Mrs. Hopewell. The exposition provides an understanding of how the characters have developed the personality traits they possess when the drama begins to take place, which is on a Friday evening during the Spring sometime during the mid-1950s. The exposition demonstrates how Joy develops the social and philosophical assumptions that deeply affect the way she sees herself and relates to others.
Mrs. Freeman's name is ironic because she is burdened by the land that she works, so is not really free. Mrs. Hopewell?s name is also ironic, because she trys to provide hope, but is in fact empty in her talk. Each one of these characters names, Hulga, Mrs. Freeman, and Mrs. Hopewell, show the symbolism used by Flannery O'Connor. Hulga, the daughter to Mrs. Hopewell, was actually named Joy at birth. At the age of ten, Joy lost one of her legs in a hunting accident, and from that point on became a depressed realist.
He has qualities of “good country people” by selling bibles and “not attending college but devotes his life to Christian service” (178). His appearance and name is a great symbol that signifies of something that is not real which connects to Hulga’s name. Manley’s name has an impact towards Hulga because his name signifies a manly figure which is a missing part in Hulga’s life. On the other hand his last name Pointer symbolizes great divulge of something amazing that will stand out in Hulga’s way. However his name is seen as a false and in reality symbolizes the emptiness of a male presence and the revelation that her life consists of only falsities. O’Conner also used a great mirror description between a bible and his name. Manly pulled out two bibles though one “was hollow and contained a pocket flask of whisky, a pack of cards and a small blue box with printing on it” (192). O’Conner used this hallow bible filled with several profane and contrary items as a symbolism to expose the meaning of Manley’s true self character. Manley is seen as a true nihilist, and through his name, hollow bible and false Christian morals he has revealed himself towards Hulga, as a true meaning of simply believing in nihilistic
...y and mind. The name is opposite to her real name Joy, with Catholic features. Hulga is the character who rejects society, Catholic religion and any human contact. But Joy is the personality inside Hulga who wants to mix with people. When she is with Manley in the hayloft and he has her wooden leg, Joy-Hulga dreams about the possibility of staying with him the rest of her life: " "Put it back on," she said. She was thinking that she would run away with him and every night he would take her leg off and every morning put it back on again."
He takes advantage of others by using religious beliefs to his advantage, exactly the opposite of what Christians do. This allows speculation that his supposed “Bible” that is, in fact, a hollowed out Bible filled with whiskey and condoms. Hulga tells the Bible Salesman: “You’re just like them all — say one thing and do another. You’re a perfect Christian.” (467). The comment made by Hulga suggests that she now sees the hypocrisy that is connected to religion, but throughout the whole story, Hulga’s view of hypocrisy is limited. This is a powerful revelation that for the audience because it suggests that she is a hypocrite too. Hulga believes that she is above conventional morality sheds religion to pursue philosophy, so she can live an ethical life than religious people around her. But with all her knowledge, it only makes her blind to where she cannot see her own
The passage relies on the setting of the story. It is written in 1955 and women were not seen as equal to men as they are in contemporary times. Women had more of a domestic role, while men were educated and worked to support the family. In that time, a country family had religious valves that Joy did not follow, unlike her mother. Mrs. Hopewell did not appreciate Joy’s success in her education. She believed girls went to school for their enjoyment not as a serious scholar, seeking intellect and a greater understanding of the world. Joy getting a Ph.D. in Philosophy is seen as a disappointment for a woman like Hrs. Hopewell. In an addition to the historical setting, the physical setting of their home on the farm plays a role in this story. For someone who is living in a rural area with wide-open acre...
The story is center around a small cast. In it Mrs. Hopewell and her daughter Joy, who had her name changed to Hulga, live on a farm with their tenants Mrs. Freeman’s and her two daughters- Glynese and Carramae. Interestingly, Mrs. Hopewell calls the Freeman Girls, Glycerin and Caramel while refusing to call her own daughter anything but Joy. “Good County People”, is told through the interactions of this dysfunctional gaggle of ladies, and their chance encounter with the Bible selling con-artist Manley Pointer. It is a story of a few not so, “Good Country People.”
Her artificial leg is made from wood, not flesh and bone. Her “superior intelligence” comes from books, not real world experiences. In actuality, Hulga’s artificial leg and “superior intelligence” are completely useless. Hulga’s poor eyesight symbolizes her blindness to reality. Hulga’s poor vision prevents from seeing through Manley’s disguise as a good country boy. Instead of seeing what’s inside of people, Hulga only sees superficial traits. Hulga’s eyeglasses do not help her to see Manley’s wicked intentions. Hulga spends all of her time reading philosophy books to learn about the world, instead of learning about the world through real interaction. Hulga also associates her doctoral degree with her intellectual superiority to “good country people.” Hubbard states that Hulga defines good country people as people who can be easily seduced because of their simplicity and lack of knowledge. It is ironic that a young, simple-minded boy could manipulate an intellectually superior woman. Hulga’s weak heart symbolizes her emotional weakness to seduction and her lack of compassion for others (Oliver). Manley seduces Hulga to the point where she wants to be a part of him. O’Conner states that Hulga allowing Manley to remove her artificial leg “was like surrendering to him completely. It was like losing her own life and finding it again, miraculously, in his.” Because Hulga
O’Conner believed that one must be shocked into salvation to be saved. Thus, Hulga’s trauma is the start of her journey to redemption. Ironically, Manley Pointer was used as an “agent of God” to change Hulga’s life even though he was lying when he said he has devoted himself to Christian service. The moment of truth for Joy occurs when she realizes she has been swindled and Pointer was only after her prosthetic. However, the fleeting feeling of belonging to someone and being completely surrendered has placed a new yearning in her heart. According to O’Conner’s beliefs, the path to salvation is not easy and it is marked by suffering and disaster, but the joy and hope that results is worth any pain along the way. Whether “redemption” is the right word or not, every person will have a moment in their life when they are stripped of control and must rely entirely on a constituent beyond their
Hopewell’s love for her daughter Joy, Mrs. Freeman also has tremendous love for her own daughters, Glynese and Carramae. Her affection for them is demonstrated by her constant need to disclose every mundane detail concerning their personal affairs to Mrs. Hopewell. However, regarding her flaws, Mrs. Freeman’s faults are not quite as extreme as the other characters’ flaws. Instead her faults are mostly mere annoyances. Her obsession with knowing the latest gossip about everyone combined with her inability to admit to any wrongdoing is not necessarily harmful, only irritating. Regardless of her minor offences, she ultimately has a good heart and only the best of intentions for those around
The first name Manley, might suggest to the reader that he will fill a male void for Hulga. The reader is told that Mr. and Mrs. Hopewell are devoiced and there is no other mention of her father in the story. Also, the fact that Hugla sees herself as being hideous suggest that she probably doesn’t have many if any male suiters. While the last name Pointer, could suggest that he will most likely reveal, or point out something in Hugla’s life. Manley is a skilled conman and is able to trick both Mrs. Hopewell, who believes that he is good christian and Hulga, who thinks she is to smart to be fooled by anyone. At the end of the story the reader learns that not only is Manley not a bible salesman, but that his name isn’t even Pointer. “You needn’t to think you’ll catch me because Pointer ain’t really my name. I use a different name at every house I call”(O’Connor 1644). He then goes on to say to Hulga “ you ain’t that smart”(O’Connor 1644). Manley had tricked Hulga into thinking that he was a good Christian and that he was interested in her sexually, but really what he wanted was her false leg and some might also suggest to humiliate her.
...cares for her and thus encourages her into letting down her guard and trusting him. This becomes Hulga?s downfall and the most important theme of O?Connor?s story: people aren?t always what they appear or ?you can?t judge a book by its cover.? Her narcissism allows Manley to talk her into removing her leg. He grabs it and runs off with it, but not before letting her know that he has played her for the fool. O?Connor?s comprehensive character development leads her readers into complacently judging Hulga as superior to the other characters in her story. She takes this a step further in her development of Manley Pointer as an innocent. Through this development, O?Connor lulls her readers into stereotyping the characters into the personas she wants them to see. Hulga?s epiphany is thematic. The ultimate irony is that not only is Hulga duped by Manley, her readers are too.
There are many themes within Flannery O’Connor’s short story “Good Country People”. Religion is definitely one of the more prominent themes that the story holds. Like most of O’Connor’s works, it plays a big part in the actions or characteristics of the main characters. This is all on the surface however. The more important and less accentuated theme is the various facades the characters create for themselves. These facades prevent them from facing their true “grotesque” selves. These facades also hide their weaknesses that they have no wish to face ort just can’t understand. People must be comfortable with every aspect of themselves, because certain people, who in this story are represented by Manley Pointer’s character, can easily exploit their weaknesses. He’s “good country people” and “the salt of the earth” as Mrs. Hopewell refers to Manley Pointer who really is a demon that they must face. A demon to remind them of their weaknesses.
The first character we encounter is Mrs. Freeman. She is the wife of Mrs. Hopewell's tenant farmer. She is a very outspoken woman, and "she [can] never be brought to admit herself wrong on any point" (O'Connor 180). Mrs. Freeman is a gossip; she is nosy and she "ha[s] a special fondness for the details of secret infections, hidden deformities, assaults upon children" (O'Connor 183).