A Good Man is Hard to Find - Critical Essay

A Good Man is Hard to Find -  Critical Essay

1. INTRODUCTION - 

In,"A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor, it describes a grandmother from the south. This piece of literature goes into description of how a woman that holds herself so highly above others and judges people around her so quickly...is the one that suffers the most. This story truly exihibits a play on words. The true meaning and emphasis behind the word "man" takes on a whole other definition in this writing.

A. THESIS STATEMENT - 

In "A Good Man is Hard to Find", the use of the word "man" in the title is not simply referring to the male gender; the title is a play on words, which speaks to a larger context of humanity.

2. BODY -

A. SUMMARY - 

The use of the word "man" in this story isn't specifically speaking of one male, or of the sex in particular.    The way the grandmother uses the term man is quite insulting, and used in a broad sense. She thinks positively or highly of no one genuinely. If she acts civil, it's because she would be gaining something from the "positive" interaction. The term is disposable. Through different actions she takes, and things she says, it will show you exactly what the author wanted you to see and realize.

B. CRITICISM/ANALYSIS - 

The first example would be the grandmothers lack of insight on herself. She never refers to herself how she does everyone else. Claiming she is a "lady", as though her status and class will get her further in life regardless of her true feelings and treatment of others. She exhibits dishonesty when she hid the cat in the car, she chose not to tell her son that the directions to the house were incorrect, she also decided not to plead for the life of her son, wife wife or her grandchildren...but only that of her own. Ladies of virtue wouldn't do that. But she chooses to almost flatter people and butter them up by stating they are good "men".

In her mind, those surrounding her are not her peers. She almost acts as though she were God herself. So when addressing people as "men" it isn't really one person, it's indirectly her feelings towards humanity. She feels that general society hold nothing against her, and they are below her level. What's ironic is the Misfit, the person she claims is a good "man" although he kills her...he provides her with her first true realization is her place in society amongst those "men". Her realization that these people she always frowned upon, all came from the same God, and that she were no different from them. She was one of those men.

3. CONCLUSION - 

Not just only the use of the word "man" but between the grandmothers and the Misfits view on God, his children and their place in the world, really shows us that society overall does try and do what's right. Humanity is good if you believe it is good. Being negative about it, will only attract that negativity and seal your doom. That's what I feel happened to the grandmother. She brought onto herself and her family  karma that she put onto others around her.