Education And Religion In Flannery O Connor's Good Country People

In “Good Country People” by Flannery O’Conner, education, religion, and physical attributes play a major role in forming ones’ identity. “Good Country People” is a fairly complex story of life presented as a simple tale about good country people. Religion being one of the most prominent beliefs playing contradictory roles in the main characters of the story, however, the important part is the false impressions Hulga and Manley Pointer have created for themselves. Education and religion show both positive and negative throughout the story, the author shows the differences in the characters and how much education plays factor in the two main characters’ lives, and that religion is not always used for good. Those two points by themselves are very

important in American literary history. Because it had an involvement in everyone’s life. Neither what the self-identity showed through the characters, the complete opposite is who they truly showed they were. “Good Country People” had the most significant influences in American literature history, because it illustrates the impacts of education, religion and self-identity/attributes that helps shape society today based off the past.
Education plays a major role in ones’ identity. Flannery O’Connor used two characters to show a significant difference in education levels and how different the outcome of their lives had been because of it. Hulga, one of the main characters in the story was a 32-year-old woman who spent most of her life in school. She excelled at everything she did that involved reading or writing. She went on to receive her Ph. D in Philosophy. To Hulga’s peers, she seemed much more educated than any of them were, which made her even feel wiser than everyone. Yet she had nothing going for herself because she was more focused on her education. At the time Hulga was growing up education was something that was not high priority to other women and other families. Even Hulga’s mother feels that education is not very important and was something that would be a big waste of time. Even though she remained very proud of her daughter and everything that she did. Because Hulga had a higher urge to meet favorable education standards, she was very different from others. Manley, however did not have a seemingly high urge to pursue education as his income came from a different route that involved minimal education. He did not seem to care much about his educational preferences either. The author used two different characters and gave them different education levels on their lives, and pointed out that having an education was something very important. Education in “Good Country People” has many significant points in American literature history. For example, one may debate that women in the “Good Country People” era went to school for fun, not really going to receive an education, but the ultimate goal was to get married and raise a family. In this case, this did not happen for Hulga, she was not concerned with a family much or anyone as her focus was strictly on her education. “You could not say “My daughter is a Philosopher” that was something that had ended with the Greeks and Romans. All day Joy sat on her neck in a deep chair, reading” (O’Conner). Although she had her degree, she never obtained a job, nor got married and still lived at home with her mother. In today’s society, it is much different in which women and people in general show interest in their education, they go because a degree is needed for just about any occupation and it is needed to support their family since roles are changing and men are no longer the primary head of household.
Religion is a factor that is used in many different ways through different people.

It had an effect on all aspects of life and Flannery O’Connor definitely used it to show difference in the characters in “Good Country People”. Manley, for example, was a young bible salesman who used religion to get the things he needed, such as money, necessities, etc. He would use the bible to hide pint size bottles of whiskey and condoms to sell to customers on the street. Religion was obviously nothing Manley had taken seriously. Flannery O’Connor uses religion in Hulga as her being atheist. So, she had no belief in a higher God or higher spirits. Not only did Flannery O’Connor show this being a practice of Hulga but a religious belief from her mother as well. The author writes and shows a time where religion and such religious beliefs determined many characteristics of how everyday people were during that time. The religious aspect in “Good Country People” shows significance in American literature history that provides a frame of reference of background information needed to understand the story. O’Conner wrote “Good Country People” in the mid 1950’s which was a big shift from times prior to then and definitely different from the 21st century times today. O’Conner showed history throughout “Good Country People.” For example, “I see you have no family Bible in your parlor, I see that is the one lack you got!” (O’Conner). Thus shows, how O’Conner created the literary work with a sense of

time and place. This impacts society today because O’Conner shows readers how religion was practiced in the 1950’s. If O’Conner did not write “Good Country People” we would not be able to study and receive the insight of his message in literature today. For example, this helps society understand how religion was practiced in the 1950’s, which would allow us to compare how religion was practiced then compared to now.
Exterior features can be what one may think creates an individual’s identity. On the other hand, others may feel that it is about what is interior that creates their identity. O’Conner writes, “it takes many people to make a world” (O’Conner). Hulga felt she was an outsider and did not feel that they would fit in with anyone nor anything. Hulga was left with a prosthetic leg due to a traumatic injury which made her fairly dependent on her mother for the physically challenging activities of daily life. “She took care of it as someone else would his soul, in private and almost with her own eyes turned away” (O’Conner). Thus, even though Hulga was getting older she had to realize that her leg being gone was a part of her identity that she could never get away from or change. Therefore, the significance of identity in American literature history is important because it could help one to understand how to come to terms within their self and their true identity. For example, it can help a reader relate to a character in a story that can eventually help them understand who they really are. Although, it takes all kinds of people to make this world, in “Good Country People” both characters had identity issues that many people in society face today, such as people tending to play devil’s advocate. For example, Manley portrayed his identity from everyone, because he did not trust anyone. Also, Hulga and Manley both felt that they were outsiders and enjoyed not fitting in with society.
Various scenarios in “Good Country People” were used to point out significant influences and important factors in American Literature history.

In opposite ways O’Conner used two characters in one story to show differences when it came to everything and how different their lives were. O’Conner compared the two to show not only their point of views on the topics, but how the world emphasized on the importance of them as well. For example, having an education, walking with faith and wisdom in personal chosen religion and accepting true identity can be critical to one’s life. Many people are faced with different situations that lead them into being someone they did not set out to be or simply do not know how they want to be. Therefore, it is important for one to rely heavily on themselves to get things accomplished due to their own personal beliefs. Thus, one may note, there can be times that everyone can be selfish to a certain extent and other times people can be there with other arms and willing to help without wanting anything in

return.
In conclusion, the historical contexts of literary works are a vital component to understanding the significant influences on American literary history. O’Connor had a made many points throughout “Good Country People” to symbolize how important they were in American literature. “Good Country People” had a big impact on society today and how literature is viewed. “Good Country People” illustrates the impacts of education, religion and self-identity/attributes that helps shape society today based off the past. Education is held to a higher standard than in was back in the mid 1950’s. Therefore, its contents are essential to how the past literature work shapes and educates the readers in today’s society. One may note, how big of an impact education has on an individual’s mind when they study American literature stories, like “Good Country People.” Religion is practiced and expressed in many other different ways now. As the spiritual world has expanded and there are more people interested in different religions, studying literature helps identify different religions other than what was practiced back then. On another note, self-identity and physical attributes have taught society today from American literature history because it gives many people insight on how identity can affect people in many different ways such as Hulga and Manley in “Good Country People” because of how O’Conner portrayed their characters throughout the story. In all, O’Conner’s short story “Good Country People” is the most influential on American literature history considering all of the facts shown in the story.