In the story, “Good Country People” by Flannery O’Conner we notice that the title seems to portray almost an opposite sense to how the characters really are in the story. All the characters in the story seem to not fit in with the title, especially the main character Hulga. Hulga is a person that is very unique in many ways. By the end of the story we analyze Hulga’s actions and began to understand that indeed she is not as smart as she thinks. Throughout the story many of Hulga’s actions make us wonder as to why a person with a degree or simply an education does such things that are not acceptable. Her degree in philosophy makes Hulga seem to be a very smart individual however, her lack of common sense convinces us that she is not mentally …show more content…
right. In the beginning of the story we are told about Hulga’s childhood and how she acquired her artificial leg.
The narrator states in the story, “Which had been shot off in a hunting accident when Joy was ten” (353). This is referring to Hulga’s artificial leg she had unfortunately lost in a hunting accident. This leads us to wonder as to why a ten-year-old girl would go hunting and have an accident of such life changing matter. In the story the narrator says, “… the leg had been literally blasted off … she had never lost consciousness” (353). This describes the tragic event of when she lost her leg and she seemed to be fully aware when it happened. This leads us to infer that in fact Hulga’s accident could have been caused by her. Since the beginning of the story the author makes us wonder as to why a ten-year-old would be involved with hunting. This is a way for the author to demonstrate to us that it is possible that Hulga could have been at fault for her artificial leg. This shows us that even at the age of ten Hulga could have not been mentally …show more content…
right. Towards the middle of the story we learn about Hulga’s passion in philosophy and her idea of believing in absolutely nothing. In the article by Mark Basco he states, “Hulga, who has a doctorate in philosophy and displays a disdain for her mother's southern, Christian manners, lives as an aloof recluse on the family farm” (284). This explains Hulga’s disbelief in Christianity and her love for philosophy. Hulga which had gone to a University and had obtained a degree in Philosophy put her in a highly educated position among others in her town. However, instead of being in class as a teacher she stayed at home with her mother and the Freemans. Hulga could not go and teach not only because of her condition, but also because she has never had any interaction with others besides the people at her home. Her lack of being able to teach and communicate with others even though she has a doctorate in philosophy leads us to understand that she lacks common sense which is not normal for a human being. Later in the story, Manley Pointer appears to make Hulga see she is not as smart as her degree in philosophy proves.
Manley Pointer who at first appears to be a noble Christian boy who goes around selling bibles somehow convinces Hulga into going on a picnic with him. Even though Hulga has just met this young man she agrees to go with him because of her interest in him. In the article by Kate Oliver he says, “Prior to their picnic, Joy/Hulga daydreams how she will seduce what she believes is an innocent country boy” (235). This shows that indeed Hulga seemed to be interested in seducing Manley Pointer by outsmarting him. Ironically Hulga later suffers the consequences of leaving with him without knowing anything about him. He tricks her into giving him her artificial leg and she obediently does without thinking much into it. In the end he leaves her alone and steals her leg. This shows that indeed Hulga is outsmarted because of her lack of common sense. Hulga did not realize how dangerous a picnic at night with a boy she had barely
met. In preparations for her picnic with Manly Pointer, Hulga gets ready for meeting up with him at the gate but seems to forgot one very important thing. In the story the narrator states, “She didn’t take anything to eat, forgetting food is usually taken on a picnic” (358). This describes that Hulga went on a picnic without even bringing food because she had forgotten that food is taken to picnics. This leads us to question how can someone forget food on a picnic, it is a necessity. It is common sense for someone that food is to be brought when going on a picnic and Hulga seemed to forget that. This makes us realize that Hulga forgetting that food is to be brought on picnics is unacceptable. Her lack of common sense leads us to believe that she is clueless on some of the simplest things in life and that in unusual for a normal person. All throughout the story the characters seem to reflect the complete opposite of what the story’s title expresses. Hulga is one of the characters that appears most in the story and contrasts with the title very well. Hulga is nowhere near being a good country folk as the title seems to state. In fact, we learn that Hulga might not be mentally right. Even though Hulga has conditions that make her very different compared to the other characters, we later begin to see through Hulga’s actions that she is not responding as a normal person would. In the little actions and through the narrator’s perspective we begin to see Hulga make certain decisions that are unacceptable. In the story we are able to prove that Hulga’s artificial leg and her heart condition had no involvement with what Hulga decided to do or her ability to think. Hulga has proved to be a person that with the exception of having two different conditions, is not functioning as a normal person would.
“Good Country People” is a short story written by Flannery O’Connor in the mid 50’s. The story takes place on farm in Georgia that Mrs. Hopewell owns. Flannery O’Connor uses the characters names and personalities to symbolize that they aren’t really who they think they are. The protagonist Joy-Hulga has a heart condition which and a peg leg. Her heat condition and disability reflects that she is a broken and weak person on the inside. Mrs. Hopewell is Joy-Hulga’s mother, she is very hopeful that her daughter would be something in life but Joy has other visions for herself. Mrs. Freeman works on the farm and her name symbolizes that she is more of a free spirit she tends to live in reality and she is able to see exactly who Joy-Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell really are. In the story a young man named Manly Pointer comes to the farm and says that he is a bible salesman. Mrs. Hopewell assumes he is good country people because he is respectful and a Christian. Manley Pointer tells Mrs. Hopewell that he has a heart condition; at that point Mrs. Hopewell sympathizes with him because Joy-Hulga has the same condition (Flannery O’Connor). At first Joy-Hulga wants nothing to do with Manly Pointer because she is an atheist and he is a Christian. They eventually form a connection because they both share the same condition and Manly Pointer tends to say all the right things to bring her in. Hulga soon realizes that she is not who she thought she was when she is face to face with evil. Manly Pointer is an evil young man and a direct reflection of who Hulga wanted to be.
The story “Good Country People”, by Flannery O’Conner is a work that uses characterization in a new and interesting way to help shape and present the characters of this story. One of the main characters is Hulga Hopewell, also known as Joy Hopewell. This characters name plays a very ironic role in the story. Through the use of such a peculiar name O’Conner helps to develop and build the characteristics of Hulga. In the story “Good Country People” the use of the name Hulga (Joy) Hopewell helps to further build upon the characterization of Hulga and give the reader a deeper understanding of the character.
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
Joy/Hulga has two items that are used alternately to describe her, the eyeglasses that counter her weak eyes and are a sign of her intellectuality, and the wooden leg that she wields through sound and appearance as a weapon against her mother’s solicitude. When Manley Pointer removes her glasses and steals her wooden leg, she is left totally weak and vulnerable. The Bible salesman himself uses the illusion of Bibles as a symbol. He has claimed to have a suitcase full of Bibles to sell, but his moral laxness is revealed when he opens the case to reveal two Bibles, one of which has a hidden
Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People” explores the consequences of hypocrisy and gullibility. O’Connor shows how this terrible combination of hypocrisy and gullibility can affect average families. She intergrades strict Roman Catholic upbringing into all of her character flaws. Every character in the story believes that they are on a higher moral ground, but none of them leads an ethical life. When in actuality, they are all hypocrites that claim they have the honor and higher moral values than they actually do. Throughout the story, the men illustrate the only receptive hypocrisy that is displayed, and the gullibility that is illustrated is by the women.
"Good Country People", by Flannery O’Connor, presents us with a look into the monotonous lives of three women living together on a rural farm. All three women are set in their old-fashioned ways, having experienced very little of life, out on the farm. A bible salesman named Manley Pointer, appearing like nothing more than simple, "good country people"(1), pays them a visit one day. It turns out that this simple countryboy is actually a brilliant con artist who scams the pretentious daughter, Hulga (also known as Joy) into removing her wooden leg, which he proceeds to steal. A great change in Hulga is triggered by her experience with Manley Pointer. Although it was a cruel scam, the bible salesman helps her to see the truth about her education and human nature. Hulga realizes that in addition to book smarts, people skills are also crucial in navigating the real world.
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.”
When looking into works of literature, some stories seem to be similar to others. They can have a similar setting, point of view, theme, or sense of language and style. However, all of these points could be very different as well and could cover different theme or style. Flannery O’Conner’s “Good Country People” and Alice Walker’s “Everyday Use” have some contrasting elements, such as their points of view and use of symbolism, but their similarities in the underlying theme, language, and the setting of these stories reveal how these two stories are impacted by education on both the individual and their family.
...ated and had a Ph.D. in Philosophy. She could not call her daughter a schoolteacher, a nurse, or a chemical engineer and that bothered her. These people and episodes in Joy's life made her a very miserable person. They made her hate all that surrounded her, which included flowers, animals, and young men. This is why Joy changes her name to Hulga when she was twenty-one years old. She believed the name represented her as an individual. The name was fierce, strong, and determined just like her. The name reminded her of the broad, blank hull of a battleship. Joy felt the name reflected her inside and out. It separated her from the people who surrounded her that she hated the most.
The characters and their traits in the short story, “Good Country People,” play a major role in enhancing the plot of the story. The short story’s main character, Hulga Hopewell, is a physically impaired thirty-two-year-old woman who uses her physical complications as
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
Hulga’s education is connected to her lack of faith in God, especially in the mind of her mother. She tells Manley that she doesn’t ...
In “Good Country People” there are two characters who believe that they are superior to others. Mrs. Hopewell describes herself as having “no bad qualities of her own” (DiYanni pg.189). She also takes it upon herself to categorize the people she meets as either, “good country people” or “trash,” (pg.188, 189).There do not seem to be any shades of grey in her thinking. Joy/Hulga Hopewell also sees herself as superior, but her superiority lies in her intellect. She makes it known that were it not for her ill health she would be at a university teaching people who “knew what she was talking about” (pg. 191). Although Joy/Hulga believes herself to be intellectually superior she is fooled by the Bible salesman to such an extent that he is able to steal her wooden leg (pg. 200).
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.
In the case of Hulga, the physical damage was done at the young age of ten, as told in the story. She was, however, able to care for herself and able to walk with the assistance of a false leg made of wood, and she had had over twenty years to learn to accept her disability. Hulga was, however, very sensitive about her false leg, as she explains to the new male interest in her life, “No one ever touched it but her” (O’Connor 456). The male interest she now had, was met as a Bible salesman, and was very curious and insistent about her false leg. As he continued to pry, Hulga explained, “It joins at the knee. Only at the knee” (O’Connor 456). She exclaimed this to her new beau to set his mind at ease and to keep him interested. The physical damage to her leg was a hindrance, but not a total debilitating disability. This being said, she was still not very interested in sharing information about her false