A good man is indeed hard to find. Flannery O’Connor is a strong believer in faith, and in this short story, she makes speculations about society and human nature. Using the character the grandmother in the tale, she exhibits her as a representation of all her observations about the inherent characteristics in people. A Good Man is Hard to Find questions the true qualities of human nature and sends readers messages that are most likely ignored and almost never uttered out loud. From this cynical tale, Flanery O’Connor conveys human nature relating to misconception, selfishness, and transformation.
Through the grandmother’s misguided definition of a “good man,” Flannery O’Connor points out the human nature of misconception. In the story, the grandmother is seen to thoughtlessly value the morals of what makes a “good man.” She also considers herself morally superior than others by the nature of her being a “lady”; and because she considers being a lady “good”, based on the matter of appearances of looking “nice” and “respectable”, she frequently judges others. The grandmother first determines Red Sammy to be a “good man” after he complains about letting two strangers charge their gasoline. However, in applying the term to Red Sammy, her principle of a “good” person becomes misguided, and changes into the definition of gullibility, which is a clear reflection of her. This is because the grandmother herself is also gullible enough to be tricked by faith into blindly accepting the “divinity of Jesus.” The Misfit is the second person she labels a “good man” in an attempt to appeal to some kind of value. In this case, her definition of the term develops into blind faith because only with an alignment with her own belief of not wanting to shoot a respectable lady would she consider “good”. By misguiding the grandmother’s definition of the term, Flannery O’Connor conveys the notion of human misconception; respectable appearance, gullibility and blind faith are certainly none of which are truly “good.” “You’ve got good blood! …show more content…
You ought not to shoot a lady!” The grandmother in this passage demonstrates the characteristic of being selfish for trying to save herself; thus forming the question, “Are all humans inherently egotistic?” Flannery O’Connor is perhaps merely suggesting yes, and that when people were brought into this world, a certain fixed formula of selfishness was developed in each individual. Then again, the fact that the grandmother never once relinquished begging for her life also suggests that selfishness is the very drive for the desire to survive in life. In fact, the grandmother sees herself as the center of the universe and is constantly within her own mind, body, and life. However, being selfish doesn’t necessarily mean that humans do not possess the capacity for sacrifice. The fact that individuals’ actions are all motivated by a selfish feeling proves so. In times where one puts others before themself and makes sacrifices, is when one feels the need to act upon their selfish reasons for, for example, sycophancy or love. All in all, Flannery O’Connor is indicating that the grandmother’s actions would have been similar to that of anyone’s because selfishness exists in everyone. The only difference to her actions was that she didn’t feel like she particularly has a legitimate reason to sacrifice herself. Through the grandmother’s final action, powered
Through the grandmother’s misguided definition of a “good man,” Flannery O’Connor points out the human nature of misconception. In the story, the grandmother is seen to thoughtlessly value the morals of what makes a “good man.” She also considers herself morally superior than others by the nature of her being a “lady”; and because she considers being a lady “good”, based on the matter of appearances of looking “nice” and “respectable”, she frequently judges others. The grandmother first determines Red Sammy to be a “good man” after he complains about letting two strangers charge their gasoline. However, in applying the term to Red Sammy, her principle of a “good” person becomes misguided, and changes into the definition of gullibility, which is a clear reflection of her. This is because the grandmother herself is also gullible enough to be tricked by faith into blindly accepting the “divinity of Jesus.” The Misfit is the second person she labels a “good man” in an attempt to appeal to some kind of value. In this case, her definition of the term develops into blind faith because only with an alignment with her own belief of not wanting to shoot a respectable lady would she consider “good”. By misguiding the grandmother’s definition of the term, Flannery O’Connor conveys the notion of human misconception; respectable appearance, gullibility and blind faith are certainly none of which are truly “good.” “You’ve got good blood! …show more content…
You ought not to shoot a lady!” The grandmother in this passage demonstrates the characteristic of being selfish for trying to save herself; thus forming the question, “Are all humans inherently egotistic?” Flannery O’Connor is perhaps merely suggesting yes, and that when people were brought into this world, a certain fixed formula of selfishness was developed in each individual. Then again, the fact that the grandmother never once relinquished begging for her life also suggests that selfishness is the very drive for the desire to survive in life. In fact, the grandmother sees herself as the center of the universe and is constantly within her own mind, body, and life. However, being selfish doesn’t necessarily mean that humans do not possess the capacity for sacrifice. The fact that individuals’ actions are all motivated by a selfish feeling proves so. In times where one puts others before themself and makes sacrifices, is when one feels the need to act upon their selfish reasons for, for example, sycophancy or love. All in all, Flannery O’Connor is indicating that the grandmother’s actions would have been similar to that of anyone’s because selfishness exists in everyone. The only difference to her actions was that she didn’t feel like she particularly has a legitimate reason to sacrifice herself. Through the grandmother’s final action, powered