In the short story “ A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor the grandma isn’t just a regular sweet old lady. Through out the story she proves herself to be a lousy and conniving mother and grandmother. Not only does she deceive her family, but also herself. A close look at her words and actions show the grandmother to be manipulative, over critical, and over compensating in her own judgments of herself.
The very first characteristic of the grandmother shown is how manipulative she is. In the beginning of the story the readers find out that the family is taking a trip to Florida and that the grandmother doesn’t wish to go there. So with out delay the grandmother goes to work trying to change Bailey, her son’s, mind. The grandma isn’t confrontational she is more subtle. She never comes right out and says, “I don’t want to go to Florida!” Instead she makes little indirect comments to Bailey to hopefully change his mind.“…The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here that it says he did to these people. Just you read it. I wouldn’t take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it. I couldn’t answer to my conscience if I did.”(926) When her first attempt fails, she immediately takes a different angle. The grandma now turns her attention to the mother. The grandmother tries to tell the mother that it would be more enlightening for the children, so she tells her, “The children have been to Florida before… You all ought to take them somewhere else for a change so they would see different parts of the world and be broad. They have never been to east Tennessee.”(926) In spite of her efforts none of the attempts to change their minds worked. Instead of being honest she tried to manipulate the parents into thinking it was all about the children. First it was their safety then it was broadening their experiences. It is clear to the reader that the grandma’s mind isn’t on the kids, but instead her own happiness. In addition to her manipulative side the grandmother is also very critical of those around her, she could probably even be called hypocritical. In the midst of the grandmother trying to persuade the parents to go to Tennessee she is busy making judgments of her daughter in law. The first judgment the grandmother makes is a comparison to the mothers face and a cabbage. “… Whose face was as broad and innocent as a cabbage…”(926) Her next …show more content…
If she had, she would realize she is far from perfect, just like everyone else. Being a “good person” to the grandmother depends on the family and social class a person comes from. Her true colors are revealed when the Misfit shows up. If the grandmother was a good Christian woman she would have begged the Misfit to spare the lives of her family, not once did she ask this of him. The grandmother was to busy begging for her own life. “I know you wouldn’t shoot a lady! I know you come from nice people! Pray! Jesus, you ought not to shoot a lady.”(934) This one act shows what kind of character she really has. She isn’t worried about the rest of her family, just her own selfish
The very first characteristic of the grandmother shown is how manipulative she is. In the beginning of the story the readers find out that the family is taking a trip to Florida and that the grandmother doesn’t wish to go there. So with out delay the grandmother goes to work trying to change Bailey, her son’s, mind. The grandma isn’t confrontational she is more subtle. She never comes right out and says, “I don’t want to go to Florida!” Instead she makes little indirect comments to Bailey to hopefully change his mind.“…The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here that it says he did to these people. Just you read it. I wouldn’t take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it. I couldn’t answer to my conscience if I did.”(926) When her first attempt fails, she immediately takes a different angle. The grandma now turns her attention to the mother. The grandmother tries to tell the mother that it would be more enlightening for the children, so she tells her, “The children have been to Florida before… You all ought to take them somewhere else for a change so they would see different parts of the world and be broad. They have never been to east Tennessee.”(926) In spite of her efforts none of the attempts to change their minds worked. Instead of being honest she tried to manipulate the parents into thinking it was all about the children. First it was their safety then it was broadening their experiences. It is clear to the reader that the grandma’s mind isn’t on the kids, but instead her own happiness. In addition to her manipulative side the grandmother is also very critical of those around her, she could probably even be called hypocritical. In the midst of the grandmother trying to persuade the parents to go to Tennessee she is busy making judgments of her daughter in law. The first judgment the grandmother makes is a comparison to the mothers face and a cabbage. “… Whose face was as broad and innocent as a cabbage…”(926) Her next …show more content…
If she had, she would realize she is far from perfect, just like everyone else. Being a “good person” to the grandmother depends on the family and social class a person comes from. Her true colors are revealed when the Misfit shows up. If the grandmother was a good Christian woman she would have begged the Misfit to spare the lives of her family, not once did she ask this of him. The grandmother was to busy begging for her own life. “I know you wouldn’t shoot a lady! I know you come from nice people! Pray! Jesus, you ought not to shoot a lady.”(934) This one act shows what kind of character she really has. She isn’t worried about the rest of her family, just her own selfish