, Research Paper

& # 8220 ; A Good Man is Difficult to Find & # 8221 ; is an highly powerful commentary that elucidates Flannery O & # 8217 ; Connor & # 8217 ; s sentiments about faith and society. Like the bulk of her other plants, & # 8221 ; A Good Man is Difficult to Find & # 8221 ; has attracted many & # 8220 ; readings based on Christian tenet & # 8221 ; ( Bandy 1 ) . These Christian explications are justified because Miss O & # 8217 ; Connor is ill-famed for showing Catholic philosophies through her fiction. Once she even remarked & # 8220 ; I see from the point of view of Christian orthodoxy & # 8221 ; ( Kropf 1 ) . This longstanding repute compels every critic of O & # 8217 ; Connor to expose the spiritual strong beliefs encrypted within her narratives. The grandma & # 8217 ; s concluding gesture towards the Misfit is non a minute of grace but instead an highly selfish act intended to salvage her life at any cost. Therefore, the grandma & # 8217 ; s concluding gesture symbolizes society & # 8217 ; s deficiency of echt spiritualty.

Further grounds that supports the impression that & # 8220 ; A Good Man is Difficult to Find & # 8221 ; is a commentary on society & # 8217 ; s deficiency of spiritualty is its correspondence with Geoffrey Chaucer & # 8217 ; s & # 8220 ; Canterbury Tales. & # 8221 ; The narratives conform so closely to one another that 1 must see the possibility that Flannery O & # 8217 ; Connor used the & # 8220 ; Canterbury Tales, & # 8221 ; or more specifically the & # 8220 ; Pardoner & # 8217 ; s Tale, as an lineation for her ain commentary about society & # 8217 ; s deficiency of echt spiritualty. Notably, & # 8220 ; A Good Man is Difficult to Find & # 8221 ; and the & # 8220 ; Canterbury Tales & # 8221 ; seek & # 8220 ; to specify the good adult male and good adult female of their age within a Christian context & # 8221 ; ( Blythe & A ; Sweet 1 ) . The narratives use a journey as a tool to find and specify a good adult male or adult female. Pardoner & # 8217 ; s and O & # 8217 ; Connors parties encounter decease because of their greed of hoarded wealth. The Pardoner & # 8217 ; s message & # 8220 ; radix malorum est cupiditas & # 8221 ; when slackly defined corresponds and strengthens O & # 8217 ; Connors message.

Unusually, the subject of & # 8220 ; A Good Man is Difficult to Find & # 8221 ; centres around two developed characters. The grandma and the Misfit are basically the lone characters of significance. The other characters such as June Star or Bailey Boy simply reflect O & # 8217 ; Connor & # 8217 ; s observations about society. The other characters have small affect on the cardinal subject of the narrative. The Misfit and the grandma seem to be the exact antonym. The grandma seems to be & # 8220 ; a harmless nosy-parker, utterly self-involved but besides diverting & # 8221 ; ( Bandy 2 ) . The Misfit fits the stereotyped dramatis personae of an at large inmate. Ironically, their similarities will allegorise Flannery O & # 8217 ; Connor & # 8217 ; s impression that a good adult male or adult female is difficult to happen.

A actual reading of the grandma portrays an aged southern adult female trying to keep the proper and civilized values of the South. The grandma places great importance on her visual aspect and the sentiments of others. This importance is revealed at the beginning of their journey when the narrative compares the grandma, a contemplation of the yesteryear, to the daughter-in-law, a contemplation of the present:

The kids & # 8217 ; s female parent still had on slacks and still had her caput tied up in a green kerchief, but the grandma had on a navy bluish straw crewman chapeau with a clump of white violets on the lip and a navy blue frock with white point in the print. Her neckbands and turnups were white organdie trimmed with lacing and at her neckline she had a pinned a violet spray of cloth violets incorporating a sachet. In instance of an accident anyone seeing her dead on the main road would cognize at one time that she was a lady ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 267 ) .

Clearly the grandma believes that how you look reflects what sort of individual you are. The grandma makes an attempt to transfuse her & # 8220 ; refined & # 8221 ; values in her grandchildren. When the kids insult the grandma & # 8217 ; s native province of Tennessee she contemptuously replies & # 8220 ; In my clip kids were more respectful of their native provinces of their parents and everything else & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 268 ) . A insouciant reading of the narrative illustrates an guiltless aged adult female who is by and large a good individual.

The critics & # 8217 ; reading of the grandma drastically differs from that of O & # 8217 ; Jimmy conorss. They view the grandma as a self-involved bias adult female & # 8220 ; fighting with the displacement from the antebellum values of line of descent and breeding to those of a hard currency oriented civilization & # 8221 ; ( Owens 1 ) . This is difficult for many readers to accept because she frequently invokes images of their ain grandma. Her biass are common among older southern persons retrieve who times before the civil rights motion. The grandma gustos in the wit of the Citrullus vulgaris she ne’er received because a & # 8220 ; nigger boy Ate it when he saw the initials, E.A.T. & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 269 ) . She besides casually comments that a Negro kid without bloomerss would do a glorious image to paint. The grandma believes herself to be a frequenter of & # 8220 ; societal decorousness in a universe of savages & # 8221 ; ( Bandy 6 ) . She frequently complains about the decay of regard and trust in today & # 8217 ; s society. She candidly believes that everything in society including people & # 8220 ; is acquiring awful & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 270 ) . Her negative positions of society make her & # 8220 ; a adult female with neither values nor ethical motives, though she would be shocked to be told so & # 8221 ; ( Bandy 6 ) . The grandma & # 8217 ; s self-involved nature and affinity with the antebellum societal system indicates she excessively is evil.

The Misfit is the ideal of a lost psyche engulfed by immorality. He has a complete deficiency of spiritual religion. An illustration of this deficiency of religion is revealed when he responds to the grandma & # 8217 ; s bespeak to pray by stating & # 8220 ; I don & # 8217 ; t want no hep, I & # 8217 ; m making alright by myself & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 276 ) . This doctrine has brought the Misfit to the decision that there is & # 8220 ; nil for you to make but bask the few proceedingss you got left the best manner you can-by killing person or firing down his house or making some other beastliness to him & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 277 ) . The Misfit besides & # 8220 ; trusts nil that he has non himself witnessed, touched, weighed and measured & # 8221 ; ( Bandy 7 ) . Critic C. R. Kropf best summed up the Misfit & # 8217 ; s doctrine by saying, & # 8220 ; the Misfit believes that in the present unsure province of thing & # 8220 ; meanness & # 8221 ; is the lone reply & # 8221 ; ( 2 ) . The Misfit & # 8217 ; s evil nature warrants him to swear cipher. The Misfit is genuinely an evil character that has a complete deficiency of religion and compunction.

Though Bailey and June Star are of littl

vitamin E importance, they do let us to derive some penetration in to Flannery O’Connor’s observations about modern society. Bailey is a submissive male who is easy manipulated by others ( Blythe & Sweet 1 ) . The bright parrot shirt indicates his submissive mentality on life. Bailey represents the deficiency of authorization in modern society. Small June Star is an highly ill-mannered kid who has no regard for grownups. She does non believe twice about her abuse directed at Red Sammy’s married woman. June Star is the perfect indicant of the diminution in polish in society. O’Connor’s auxiliary characters depict a blue image of modern society.

Red Sammy is another character that appears to be truly good individual. When scrutinized, it is discovered that Red Sammy represents evil. Critic C.R. Kropf interpreted Red Sammy as & # 8220 ; a devil figure in metaphorical snake pit & # 8221 ; ( 2 ) . Kropf came to this account because of the similarities between Red Sammy and the Devil. The colour ruddy found in Sammy & # 8217 ; s name is a obvious mention to hell and the Devil. Queerly, Sammy keeps a chained monkey outside his place. The monkey can be interpreted as & # 8220 ; a grotesque farce of fallen adult male & # 8221 ; ( 2 ) . Red Sammy & # 8217 ; s married woman is even described as & # 8220 ; burnt-brown & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 269 ) . This is decidedly a mention to the fires and utmost heat of snake pit. Associating Red Sammy with the Satan fits the subject of the narrative absolutely.

The grandma & # 8217 ; s actions are centre of argument among critics. Interpreting the struggle between the grandma and the Misfit is the key to unlocking O & # 8217 ; Connor & # 8217 ; s message. The scene & # 8217 ; s ambiguity has compelled many critics to reason over its intended reading. Critics dispute whether the grandma & # 8217 ; s gesture towards the Misfit should be interpreted as & # 8220 ; a item of true, godly grace and religious penetration & # 8221 ; ( Clark 1 ) , or as & # 8220 ; the ultimate selfish act, designed to salvage her ain life at any cost & # 8221 ; ( Bandy 1 ) . Despite the statement of some critics, the grandma because of her evil properties, allegorizes society & # 8217 ; s deficiency of echt spiritualty.

The concluding and most of import scene of the narrative begins when the grandma recognizes the Misfit. Immediately, the destiny of the household is sealed because the Misfit rapidly points out & # 8220 ; it would hold been better for all of you, lady, if you hadn & # 8217 ; T of reckernized me & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 273 ) . The Misfit admits that he would prefer non to hit a lady, but because of his complete deficiency of spiritual religion knows at that place & # 8217 ; s & # 8220 ; nil for you to make but bask the few proceedingss you got left the best manner you can-by killing person & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 277 ) . The Misfit so instructs his pack to get down killing the household. The grandma, concerned merely with herself, & # 8220 ; stumbles urgently from one scheme to another, non rather acknowledging to herself that the Misfit will kill her merely every bit casually as he has killed the remainder of her household & # 8221 ; ( Bandy 5 ) . She rapidly refers to her antebellum values and regards the household of the Misfit. This is the grandma & # 8217 ; s futile & # 8220 ; technique of the insincere compliment & # 8221 ; ( 5 ) , for she is despairing to appeal to the Misfit & # 8217 ; s virtuous feelings. Unfortunately, the grandma will non acknowledge to herself that the Misfit is pure immorality. Suddenly recognizing & # 8220 ; her [ antebellum ] regulations, so reliable in the yesteryear, have failed & # 8221 ; ( 5 ) , the grandma cleverly references the name Jesus. It is really evident & # 8220 ; that the Grandmother & # 8217 ; s faith is wholly of the lip-serving assortment & # 8221 ; ( 8 ) . Her deficiency of spiritualty is revealed when she inquiries her ain religion by stating, & # 8220 ; Possibly He didn & # 8217 ; t raise the dead & # 8221 ; ( O & # 8217 ; Connor 277 ) . The grandma, still believing she can salvage her life, exclaims & # 8220 ; You & # 8217 ; re one of my ain kids! & # 8221 ; ( 278 ) . She so touches the Misfit merely to be changeable three times in the thorax. The grandma eventually realized that she and the Misfit are basically the same.

The grandma and the Misfit are two people who live merely for themselves. Critic Kathleen G. Ochshorn stated & # 8220 ; Despite their obvious differences, the Misfit and the grandma are bound by their concern with visual aspects and superficial reputability & # 8221 ; ( 2 ) . The Misfit knew the full clip that the grandma lacked echt spiritualty. His comment & # 8220 ; She would hold been a good adult female if it had been person at that place to hit her every minute of her life & # 8221 ; illustrates the Misfit & # 8217 ; s belief that the grandma & # 8217 ; s spiritualty was merely skin deep. Flannery O & # 8217 ; Connor smartly crafted two characters that appeared to be exact antonyms. Ironically, their similarities revealed the deficiency of echt spiritualty in modern society. A good adult male or adult female is genuinely difficult to happen.

Bandy, Stephen C. , & # 8220 ; & # 8216 ; One of my babes & # 8217 ; : the misfit and the grandma, in & # 8216 ; A Good Man Is Difficult to Find & # 8217 ; , & # 8221 ; in Studies in Short Fiction, Vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 107-111. Gale Research. 2001. Document Number A19638483

Blythe, Hal, and Charlie Sweet, and, & # 8220 ; O & # 8217 ; Connor & # 8217 ; s & # 8216 ; A Good Man is Difficult to Find, & # 8217 ; in The Explicator, September 22, 1996, Vol. 55, No. 1, pp. 49-51. Detecting Authors. Gale Group, 1999, Reproduced in Detecting Collection. Farmington Hills, Mich: Gale Group. December, 2000. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.galenet/servlet/DC/ Document Number: CD2101209255

Kropf, C.R. , & # 8220 ; Theme and Setting in & # 8216 ; A Good adult male Is Difficult to Find & # 8217 ; , & # 8221 ; in Renascence, Vol. XXIV, no. 4, Summer, 1972, pp. 177-206. EXPLORING Short Stories. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Detecting Collection. Farming Hills, Mich. : Gale Group. December, 2000. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.galenet.com/servlet/DC/ Document Number: CD2112200084

Ochshorn, Kathleen G. , & # 8220 ; A Cloak of Grace: Contradictions in & # 8216 ; A Good Man is Difficult to Find & # 8217 ; , & # 8221 ; in Studies in American Fiction, Vol. 18, no. 1, Spring, 1990, pp.113-117. EXPLORING Short Stories. Gale Research, 1998. Reproduced in Detecting Collection. Farmington Hills, Mich: Gale Group. Decmber, 2000. hypertext transfer protocol: //www.galenet.com/servlet/DC/ Document Number CD2112200082

O & # 8217 ; Connor, Flannery. & # 8220 ; A Good Man Is Difficult to Find. & # 8221 ; Literature: Reading, Reacting, Writing. Laurie G. Kirszner and Stephen R. Mandell explosive detection systems. Fort Worth: Harcourt, 2001. 254-259.

Owens, Mitchell. , & # 8220 ; The map of signature in & # 8216 ; A Good Man is Difficult to Find & # 8217 ; , & # 8221 ; in Studies in Short Fiction, Vol. 33, no. 1, pp. 101-106. EXPLORING Short Stories. Gale Research. 2001. Document Number A19638482