Week 9 Discussion

An idea that I was able to understand in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” that I would have missed if I had not read the article by the author is the growth of a character overtime for example I saw the grandmother as someone that’s self-centered and extremely snarky for example, “In my time,” said the grandmother, folding her thin veined fingers, “children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else. People did right then. Oh, look at the cute little pickaninny!” When I read this, it seems as if she was throwing shade at the kids, and the attitude before this quote she would dress up nicely and show off. Then towards the end of the reading when she was shot, she changed and started to see the Misfit as one of her children. From reading that article I would not be able to understand why she switched in an instant, she began from being selfish at the beginning to attempting to care at the end.

After reading the article in activity 1 and “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, a idea I came across that I would of missed if I did not read the article was ideas about violence, irony and redemption. In the story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” a family is deciding to take a road trip to Florida, however the main protagonist the grandmother is against the idea of going to Florida because there’s a criminal on the loose known as the misfit. The grandmother portrays herself as this good Christian woman while still using racial slurs. In the story the grandmother consistently mentions the misfit. Talking about how the misfit would rob the dinner even if it was only 2 cents in the register. Ironically, the family ends up taking a detour from the route to Florida because of the grandmother. The family then which ends up in a violent car crash while navigating through the woods. Then ironically the misfits end up meeting the family at the worse time. The misfit starts having the family killed off one by one. While leaving the grandmother for last pleading for her life.

Flannery O’Connor’s own essays can shed light on her stories in a unique way. For example in her essay, she talks about grace and redemption which are key themes in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Reading her essay might reveal how she uses these themes deliberately in the story to challenge readers’ perceptions.

There are many things that the article created based on the story “A good man is hard to find” Highlights. One of the main things that the article helps bring light to is the Christian aspect of the story that is both very important and can also to extent be easily forgotten without reading the article. In the story, one of the most important characters is the grandmother. Although the grandmother likes to portray herself as this good, upstanding Christian lady, her morals show different. It isn’t until the complete end of the story that she has an “epiphany”  losing that superiority complex of hers, and realizing that she is flawed just like everybody else, even calling the misfit one of her children, to the point where even though the misfit is still gonna kill her, and does, he recognizes it as a truthful and honest/compassionate act from the grandmother.

In Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” the author masterfully intertwines themes of grace, redemption, and the macabre, unveiling profound meanings within the narrative. Digging  into O’Connor’s work reveals the significance of the Misfit, not merely as a villain but as a pivotal figure in the grandmother’s moment of enlightenment. This character’s complex role exemplifies O’Connor’s exploration of the potential for redemption in even the most flawed individuals. Her insightful reflections underscore the violent climax as essential for awakening, challenging conventional perceptions of good versus evil. Furthermore, O’Connor employs the Southern Gothic backdrop not just as a setting but as a conduit to delve into the deeper aspects of human existence, prompting readers to reassess their judgments. Through a detailed understanding of O’Connor’s objectives, the story transcends mere crime storytelling and evolves into a profound exploration of faith, ethics, and the intricate facets of human behavior. This narrative, rich with existential queries and moral ambiguity, encourages a reevaluation of the binary notions of sin and virtue, illustrating O’Connor’s belief in the complexity and redeemability of the human soul..

In “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor explores deep ideas like redemption and the complexity of human nature. Without her article, I feel like someone would miss the religious themes and symbolism in the story. O’Connor’s explanation of characters, like the Misfit, helps us understand their deeper meanings and challenges our assumptions about good and evil. Overall, her insights add layers to the story, making it more thought-provoking and meaningful.

While reading “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” one idea that stood out to me was the topic of redemption. The grandmother’s character arc, mainly, highlights the possibility for alternate and increase even in the face of drawing close chance. At first glance, she seems to be a shallow, self-focused person who’s most effective worried with her personal comfort and dreams. However, as the story progresses and she faces the threat of dying at the hands of The Misfit, we see her go through different phases. She tries to attraction to his humanity and indicates compassion in the direction of him in his final moments. This surprising display of empathy reveals that there is more intensity to her person than initially meets the attention and demanding situations our preconceived notions about who can be deemed “desirable” or “bad.” This exploration of redemption provides a sense in hope while reading this story.

When we first started reading this story it was confusing. I felt lost not knowing what the true meaning behind this story was. Reading the article written by the author, he said there would be goodness in the story eventually. Continuing reading the story and stopping to talk about what has happened already. More towards the end the grandma’s words to the Misfit changed the way he is, it had him rethink about the life choices he has made. The first time reading the story I didn’t understand what happened at the end but when I read the article written by the author when he mentioned about a situation where there will be goodness made me realize the goodness was in the Misfit. All throughout the story the family but mostly the grandma did not have any goodness in them. But, the misfit after hearing the grandma last words he changed his mind and told himself that there was no joy in killing anymore.

If I hadn’t read Flannery O’Connor’s article about “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” I might have missed some of the story’s deeper meanings when it came to religion. Her article explains how she intended to explore themes like the grandmother’s change of heart or her epiphany, which we talked about in class, and the idea of grace. Without this background, I really don’t think I would’ve realized that the ending was very important towards the topic of religion, or I would’ve thought it wasn’t deeper than what it was. O’Connor’s article helped me see how the story goes beyond just a tale of crime and punishment, diving into complex moral and religion questions.  After reading the article I went back to reread “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” and to be honest it was a whole different read. I started to think more about the smaller things and try to interpret.   

Upon reading the three pages and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” the article highlights particular significant ideas that one may miss without reading. Firstly, the article mentions how the violence in the story helps to reveal more profound spiritual themes, particularly when the Misfit commits a violent act. This assists in understanding the grandmother’s transformation when she confronts death. Secondly, the article provides a more complex view of the grandmother’s character. She is portrayed as neither entirely good nor entirely evil, but having positive qualities despite her imperfections. This allows us to view her character in a more intriguing light. Also, the article discusses symbols in the story, such as the grandmother’s hat and the cat’s name, which have hidden meanings that enhance the story’s depth. By understanding these signs, we can develop a better understanding of the author’s intentions. Therefore, the article helps us gain a more profound understanding of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by illustrating its themes, characters, and writing style.

HELLO, So,I do feel like I would have missed some things from the story if I didn’t read the essay which was the Activity 1 that professor make us read in the starting of the class to clear us the story more.Firstly,the essay delves into the Misfit’s character, revealing him as a symbolic representation of the South’s conflicted religious identity, adding layers of philosophical tension to his menacing nature. Secondly, O’Connor’s exploration of religious themes contrasts the grandmother’s superficial faith with the Misfit’s intricate theological ponderings, enriching the narrative’s exploration of morality and redemption. Additionally, the article analysis of symbolism, such as the grandmother’s hat symbolizing misplaced values, and literary techniques like foreshadowing and irony, accentuates the story’s suspenseful climax. Although I would not have understand the story better until I have read the article it helps me alot in understanding the story well.

“A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” what resonated with me the most was the absence of morality and selfishness. The grandmother, as the eldest member of the family, wished for other family members to follow her desires and guidance to fulfill her dreams, placing her own wishes above everyone else’s. In the final section of the essay, she said: “If someone had been holding a gun to her head all her life, she would have been a good person all the time.” This tells me that she is someone willing to be a good person or consider others only when her life or safety is threatened. She and the criminal are confidants who understand each other at the deepest level. Yet, it is such a confidant who understands her, who personally ends the lives of her and her family, making her pay the highest price for her selfishness. I believe that the reason the grandmother shows concern for her family at the end of the story is because someone is pointing a gun at her at that moment, threatening her life. Throughout her life, the grandmother did not spend much time thinking about others. It’s only in the last moments of her life, or when faced with a threat, that she’s willing to become such a “good person.” This demonstrates that she knows how to be a good person but chooses not to unless her life is in danger, habitually placing her own interests above the feelings of everyone else.

Hello professor. Honestly I do feel like I would have missed few things in the story . One of those things are that if I did not read the article before reading the story; While in class, after we finished reading the article, I was left with feeling kind of “left off”. Unfortunately I did not understand where the story went and found myself wanting to read more. When reading the article, the description of the grandmother and of the misfits portrayed them out to be somewhat of these characters that left a bad taste in your mouth, at least in regards to the grandmother the image of her personality is distorted.  After reading the actual story, the grandmother is not as bad as she is made out to be, In the end of the story the grandmother shows that she does care for her family and is not the selfish witch that the readers thought she was.

A significant idea that I came across in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is the theme of morality and redemption.The grandmother presents herself as a morally upright Christian but instead demonstrates selfishness and manipulation throughout the story. Without reading the article I would’ve thought that it was going to be centered around a man in the story but in reality the grandmother in the story lacked morals more than the Misfit, she just likes to portray herself in a certain way, very ladylike and elegant but she lacked a lot of care even for her own family, the misfit says at the end of the story ” she would have been a good lady if there was somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life”, this shows how the misfit viewed the grandmother as a deceitful person who was just crying for mercy and saying the nicest things while a gun was pointed to her.

I would have overlooked the importance of the parental role if I hadn’t read the article before reading the story. I think it would have been important for the parents to have a say in it, even though the grandma gets all the spotlight. They didn’t appear to be discussed much, and they gave off the impression of being rather absent parents. Even when they were dealing with the outcast, the father remained silent and did not say or do anything. With her kids, the mother also gave off the impression of being absent and uninvolved. The grandmother’s pride and selfishness was not discussed in the story. Her priorities, such as finding the home from her past, took priority over her family’s well being. It seems as though the parents, although having children, have no obligations. It appears as though they are not parenting their children. Additionally, it seems as though Bailey, the husband, has no obligations as a man. It’s as if he failed his wife and kids by not intervening to save them when the Misfit kidnaps the family. They also don’t enforce rules for their kids. They don’t punish or interfere with them, allowing them to act and do as they choose.

Had I not read the article prior to the story, I believe I would have overlooked the significance of the parents’ roles and their actions within the narrative. I felt they were hardly mentioned, and they seemed to be very unassertive when it came to disciplining their children. The father also didn’t do much or say much, even when they were dealing with the misfit. The mother seemed to be uninvolved and passive with her children as well. The article didn’t talk about the grandmother’s self-centered behavior.  She was more concerned about her own desires, like finding a house from her past, than with the safety of her family. By the grandmother not using a road map for directions to find this house from her past, led to the car accident. She seemed more worried about getting attention for herself, then checking on her family after the car crash. I feel if I hadn’t read the article prior to reading the story I might have missed how the grandmother’s behavior changes. She comes across as selfish at the beginning, but by the end of the story she shows a sense of concern and compassion.

In the article I feel as if it’s really just about the grandmother and how much of a narcissist she is . She’s too self absorbed and doesn’t really care about anyone else’s feelings. Also the grandmother is also a racist ignorant person. It’s as if the parents have no responsibility even though they have kids . It’s really like they’re not raising their kids. It’s also like Bailey the husband doesn’t have any responsibility as the man . Kind of like he failed his children & wife because he does nothing to save them when the Misfit takes the family . Also they don’t discipline their children . They let them do whatever they want and act however they are without repercussions or reprimanding them . Also I read this when I was in middle school so it’s actually a refreshing experience to re read it again . But I still felt the same way about reading it when i read it in middle school .

One of the specific ideas that I came across in “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” that I would have missed if I had not read the article, “Flannery O’Connor On Writing” was the gesture. I knew that this scene in the story was deeper than I thought it was. At first, I thought she said that just because she was scared. Although, after reading the article I am aware that she said this because she felt she was responsible for the Misfit. Also, this scene could’ve been a turning point for the Misfit. After reading the article it is possible that he will seek out to be the prophet he was made to be and it was because of that moment with the grandma. I think these points definitely make sense looking back at the story. Although, I would have never thought of this myself. The article gave me good insight into this moment. 

When I read the story I did comprehend the significance of the grandmother’s behavior towards the Misfit at the end of the story. Her calling him one of her own children seemed like a sudden change, but now I see it differently. Throughout the story, the grandmother judged people based on superficial appearances, like saying the Misfit must come from nice people, the grandmother had a selfish behavior making the family fall into the tragedy,In that moment, facing death, she showed genuine care and acceptance. It’s like she finally saw beyond the surface. After reading the article I realized the deeper religious themes in the story, like the struggle between good and evil, the grandmother’s attempts to bring the Misfit to Christ reflect Connor’s vision of redemption of the actions throwout the history. It’s tragic that she only grasps this after the tragedy of the other members. The Misfit’s past and his longing for connection with his father add layers to his character, making the grandmother’s gesture even more critic and emotional.

The idea that I came across in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” in which I would’ve missed if I hadn’t read the article by the author in Activity 1 was basically the importance on the changes in emotions to the grandmother because at first, she seemed like she didn’t really care about anything but herself. Then throughout the whole story she kept expressing to the Misfit about how she felt. By the end of the story before dying, the grandmother’s emotions changed and actually felt like a grandmother to the Misfit as she saw him as one of her kids. I would’ve probably missed the purpose of the change in emotions if I hadn’t read the other article because it played a big role in the story for the grandmother, from being careless to actually caring for someone. I actually find changes in emotions significant because it shows how people can change from the way they used to be.

(“A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is also in my used textbook — now I can say that the title is “The Literary Experience” by Beiderwell/Wheeler. I recommend it even for those works within it that aren’t part of this course, they’re great! But this isn’t part of my word count, heh) When I read this short story on my own, it never so much as crossed my mind that there might be a False Prophet reflected in The Misfit; it’s especially baffling considering that my source has both a biographical paragraph stating that “[Flannery O’Connor’s] works are essentially religious, in that they express her Catholic vision of the world as a fallen place in need of redemption”, and this quote by St. Cyril of Jerusalem: “The dragon is by the side of the road, watching those who pass. Beware lest he devour you. We go to the Father of Souls, but it is necessary to pass by the dragon.” Honestly, the religious overtones to characters and not just dialogue could’ve decked me in the face, and I still would have just shaken my head at some *nebulous evil that inspires senseless violence* and gone about my day, so Baudelaire was right. Something else I only noticed after reading the preceding article was the structure of the confrontation that demonstrates some of O’Connor’s vision: the many attempts and failures of the grandmother to get The Misfit to see the light of Christ. All of her platitudes glance past him because she doesn’t know him at all — and even when he dumps his tragic history she still can’t synthesize any of it effectively until everyone else she traveled with (except Pitty Sing, a cute immortalization of her now that I think of it) has been murdered. “You’re one of […]

The article does not touch on how the parents act, and it did not describe how little of a role they played in the story. Throughout the story, the parents were hardly mentioned. They clearly were extremely passive with disciplining their children, and the mother was even referred to as a “cabbage”. The father also did very little while the family was being taken by the Misfit. The article did not discuss the narcissistic tendences of the Grandmother. She was extremely concerned about her appearance and how she wanted things to go in the car. She derailed their trip by looking for a house from her childhood without a map, removing them from the main road and causing the accident. The Grandmother also did not check in with her family to make sure they were alright after the car crash. Her main concern was with herself, and whether she would get attention if she was injured.

The specific idea that Flannery O’Connor brings into her explication of “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is violence as a conduit of grace. In that view, violence was not an end but was the means of shaking the characters out of their complacency to make room for grace. Violence was not an end but a means of shaking the characters out of their complacency to make room for grace. In that view, there is a purpose served deeper than mere sensationalism. It makes the reader face the moral and existential issues of the characters, which eventually leads toward the spirituality of insights and deliverance through the happenings of violence. Violence in O’Connor’s stories is a theme that would trigger one to think deeply about spiritual growth, as it symbolizes the complex nature of man’s existence and possible transformation through grace. In addition, O’Connor’s study of Catholicism as an underpinning influence in the literary repertoire context highlights the rich theological foundations that mark the author’s brand of storytelling. Her statement, “All my stories are about the action of grace on a character who is unwilling to support it,” reveals how deeply religious themes and motifs are woven into her fiction. These tales of O’Connor are remythologized through the overlays of Christian mysteries such as sin, grace, and redemption. Such invites the reader to grapple with precisely the questions of faith and morality that are their own and of all human beings. By framing her stories within the Catholic context, O’Connor interpreted her stories to allow penetration of the paradoxes of man and the perennial tug-of-war between transgression and redemption.

  If I hadn’t read the article before reading the story I think that  would have misunderstood what significance has0 the gesture of the grandmother had at the end of the story. When she expressed to the Misfit that he was one of her children, I believe that it was her way to after all, seeing someone without a superficial eye. Through the whole story the Grandmother made up her perceptions about others based on what they have with expressions like “I know you’re a good man. You don’t look a bit like you have common blood. I know you must come from nice people!” I think that if I hadn’t read the article I would have missed a lot of the grandmother’s behavioral components. At the beginning of the story I found her very selfish but at the end as she found herself facing death she finally did something that for the first time in the story she behaved like a caring grandmother.

The only idea I would have missed in “A Good Man Is Hard to Hard to Find” had I not read the author’s article would be the designated roles of prophet and witch. While reading the story, I was irritated by the Grandmother’s blatant racism and biases towards people of color and her manipulative tendencies that inevitably resulted in the massacre of her entire family. Readers interpreting the grandmother as a witch may have seemed drastic and unnecessary, but location and time do affect one’s interpretation of written works. While reading, I grew to understand why some referred to her as a witch -hypocrisy aside, the lady was insufferable and had a ‘familiar’ like pet. I also noticed O’Connor reasoning to refer to the Misfit as a prophet – despite him killing the grandmother, his innate understanding of humanity shifted because of the conversation he had with her. The Misfit’s perception of justice and good and evil is warped, and O’Connor essentially used the Misfit to demonstrate any individual’s ability to change/shift mindsets.