In “ Good man is hard to find”, by Flannery o’Conner explores the themes of mortality, family dynamics and the concept of grace. With the whole story of the protagonist (the grandmother) was mainly prioritizing her selfishness and manipulation including her desires over the family needs. Her interactions also highlighted the tensions within the family and revealing the deeper issues of communication and understanding. Which made me question a lot about the grandmother as I continued reading the story. But the main encounter was with the misfit that served as a critical turning point and emphasizing the conflict between good and evil. O’Conner’s uses of violence forces a moment of existential reckoning and illustrating that true grace often emerges in the face of despair. Including that with the grandmother’s final act of compassion. Had suggested to me as the reader as a glimpse of redemption. Therefore overall O’Conner intricately weaves these themes of confront the complexities of human nature and the search for genuine goodness.
Aryanah Francis
So after reading “ The Lesson” by Toni Cade, I can see that the essay shifts focus away from the socioeconomic theme that could have been more explored into a intricate dynamic in the character development, relationship and identity. One possible approach that could have been analyze the narrators point of view, on how her defiance and internal conflict including the eventual introspection reflecting her coming of age process. But with the subtle tension between Miss Moore’s and Sylvia shows more about their personalities and the cultural divided between them. Also another interesting thing is the importance of the setting because how Bambara contrast the world of Harlem with the affluent Fifth Avenue store. In other words I would have renamed the essay title as “ Beneath the Surface”.
