A Good Man is Hard to Find
Since the beginning of mankind there is been an unsolved issue of good versus evil. We see this controversial issue in everyday life, Such as Television, Newspaper, etc. " It is not difficult to label the agent of evil in Flannery O' Connor's signature story, "A Good Man is Hard To Find", says John, Desmond. The family is described as a typical modern family, which has all type of problems. Agreeing with each other is one of the biggest problems the family faces. The story starts of where Grandma is in disagreement with her son about where they should plane there next family trip to. After much discussion they decided on going to Florida. The story makes a twist when their car gets into an accident and they have an encounter with Misfit, who has a rough upbringing which his behavior often showed. Misfit can be described as, "been pictured as a modern Pascal who wagers wrong (Cobb), a rigorously empirical Doubting Thomas (Scouten 63), a mental "thoroughbred with a curious and active nose" (Currie 149), and an instinctive scholar plumbing reality (Jones 837)", says Gary, Sloan. The Misfit got enjoyment and pleasure in hurting others because his experience of life had shown how others found enjoyment and pleasure in hurting and harming him. O'Connor's is trying to say that "A Good Man is Hard to find." While comparing Good versus Evil, it seems humans tend to show Evil and hide there goodness with in them, and after something evil has accord then they think about good.
Grandma and the Misfit are two complex people because they stand for many different things. In the Story Misfit Represent Evil By killing the whole family and Grandma Show goodness when she tries to tell Misfit that "You've got good Blood! (O'Connor 317)" and that he wouldn't shoot a lady. The most reasonable interpretation of these two characters is that they represent O' Connor's view on evil in society. The final comment of the story seams to be showing a change in misfits' life. Misfit seems to be thinking about goodness and probably thinking that evil is not the answer to the problems in his life. The story shows us that a lot of people are evil, but when they are in trouble they will think of god, as grandma did in the story. At the end of the story Misfit regrets killing grandma, and says that "she would have been a good woman if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life. (O' Connor 318)." The story is trying to tell us that do not flight all the time and be evil, because you never know what may happen to one. O' Connor is trying to tell us that every man has good and evil in him, but some time we only see one side of them and forget that they have another side as well. The final comment of the story implies that even though misfit seams evil, there still might be some goodness in him. Misfit has gone through so many challenges in his life that have made him this way, because he has no faith.
No one is born good or evil; it is one's environment and the people they encounter in life which makes them good or evil. A lot of time it is not the individual's fault of the way they are, they might have seen so many bad doings that, they are use to it and might think that it is right. One is not born with a vision of knowing what is wrong and what is right in life, but learns when something happens to them or when people try to teach them what is right or wrong. Also in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" there is a lot of conflict of religion. At one point grandma is saying "oh Jesus" the readers are not sure if she is praying or cursing. As she was saying "oh Jesus" she was praying so that her life would be saved as she did not want to die. It is weird how man remembers god when he is in trouble. One always thinks of god when something bad or wrong is happening in life. At the same time if something good happens he does not think about god or thank god for the happiness they receive. Grandma in the story never mentioned god before at any time until she has a gun pointed at her. The story seems to imply how the modern man become spiritual when he feces evil. O' Conner is trying to show one that man is selfish and only thinks about god in times of need, because even till today man acts in this way and only thinks about god when he is in trouble or surrounded my evil.
"She would have been a good women, The Misfit Said, If it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life (O'Connor 318)." clearly states that in this world the most evil person, can also have a good heart and have some goodness in them. Although he try to show it but for some reason he hide it back and would not let it come out. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" was the perfect title for this story because O'Connor believed that, Good man are hard to find because even if one has good in them it don't come out and they keep it inside and not revile it to others. There are several of ways to define good and evil, but everyone has good in them regardless if they want to show it or not, and at the same time there is evil which everyone has.
In conclusion, O' Connor believes good and evil do exist on this earth and is in different shape and form. Also that modern man remembers god in times of need, security and helplessness. O' Connor showed in the story the different and make one wonder can one be only one sided or one just chooses to lean toward one side. Some characters might represent someone one know in their life or could even represent one nature. Every mankind has good and evil in them, but sometime one only see one side and never see the other side even though one knows mankind has both sides in them.
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