Analysis of A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery...

Analysis of A Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor In Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard To Find, one is struck by the unexpected violence at the end of the story. However, if you re-read the story a second time, you will see definite signs that foreshadow the grotesque ending. The story begins with the typical nuclear family being challenged by the grandmother who doesnt want to take the vacation to Florida. She has read about a crazed killer by the name of the Misfit who is on the run heading for Florida. Unfortunately, she is ignored by every member of the family except for the little girl, June Star, who can read the grandmother like an open book. The fact that she admonishes Bailey, her son, of this Misfit†¦show more content†¦A strong foreshadowing imagery can be read into these lines. Knowing the definite ending of the story, the grandmother?s elaborate dress symbolizes a preparation for her coffin. When a person dies, they usually are dressed in their best outfit, just like the grandmother was dressed in what seeme d to be her Sunday best. A stronger foreshadowing is when O?Connor states the reason for the grandmother?s immaculate dress, in case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady. She herself predicts her own death. Unfortunately, she doesn?t know this yet. Although this is beyond the parameters of this essay, it is interesting that in the grandmothers mind wearing her best clothes prevent any misgivings about her status as a lady IF she was to die. But as the Misfit later points out, there never was a body that gave the undertaker a tip. The grandmothers perceived readiness for death is a stark contrast to her behavior when she encounters the Misfit; for she shows herself to be the least prepared for death. As the trip progresses, the children reveal themselves as funny, spoiled brats. OConnors desire to illustrate the lost respect for the family and elders among the young is quite apparent in her illustrations of the children. One evidently notices another foreshadowing image when the familyShow MoreRelated Flannery OConnor: A Twentieth Century Fiction Writer Essay829 Words   |  4 PagesThere has been a significant amount critical analysis written about Flannery OConnors short stories and novels. There is a significant amount critical analysis about Flannery OConnor because she used so many styles that have not been used before. Flannery OConnor ranks among he most important American fiction writers of the twentieth century. Flannery OConnor was born in 1925 in Savannah, Georgia, and lived there until her family moved in 1938. OConnor and her family moved to a small Georgia farmingRead MoreA Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery OConnor1196 Words   |  5 PagesA prolific writer, famously known as Flannery O’Connor in 1953, wrote the short narrative titled â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† (Scott 2). However, it was published two years later in 1955, in her second collection of short stories. This particular collection presented the author as a key voice in the ancient American literature world until she met her sudden death in 1964 when she was only 39. The collection also won her tremendous fame, especially concerning her unmatchable creativity and masteryRead MoreThe Moral Structure Of Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard To Find1148 Words   |  5 PagesWorks Cited Bonney, William. The Moral Structure of Flannery OConnors a Good Man Is . Studies in Short Fiction, vol. 27, no. 3, Summer90, p. 347. EBSCOhost, pulaskitech.idm.oclc.org/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=truedb=afhAN=9705041482site=ehost-livescope=site. The ten stories in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find circumscribe a moral and thematic center (Bonney). William Booney’s article was written as if the grandmother is actually grasping the savingRead MoreA Proposal1240 Words   |  5 PagesSeiter 1 Allison Seiter Introduction to Literature Brian Leingang April 1, 2013 A Proposal: A Good Man is Hard to Find In 1953, the short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find† was published in the anthology Modern Writing I by Avon Publications. Around the year 1955, a collection of short stories by Flannery O’Connor became published. The themes of these stories range from baptism to serial killers and then to human greed and exploration. For theRead MoreA Good Man Is Hard to Find OConner Essay example1745 Words   |  7 PagesFlannery OConners Analysis: A Good Man is Hard To Find A Displaced Person Through her assortment of unpalatable characters and violent actions, OConnor tries to show grace at work in the world. According to her beliefs Christ, the Incarnate Son of God, has shown that God so loved the world that He became man Himself. Yet this God is not accepted by men, so they have to be shocked into a recognition of their need for Him and the salvation He offers. (MAYER, 1976) In this analysis IRead MoreIdentify Irony in Flanners Oconnors a Good Man Is Hard to Find1421 Words   |  6 PagesThe Irony in Flannery O’Connor’s Irony is a significant rhetorical technique used in demonstrating a condition which is conflicting or expression whereby the result is the exact opposite of what is anticipated. This device of literature creates absurdity in the story according to its tone. Irony has an element of indirectness hence making the writing interesting to the reader. In the story of Flannery O’Connor’s â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† Irony has aided deeper comprehension and understandingRead MoreQuestions for Critical Thinking1690 Words   |  7 PagesQuestions for Critical Thinking A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor 1) What is the grandmother’s attitude toward the South as opposed to the rest of her family’s attitude, particularly her grandson’s? How do you account for the difference? In the short story â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† the grandmother’s attitude toward the South is that the â€Å"old South† was better than the current South. For example, in paragraph 14, John Wesley, the grandson, states â€Å"Let’s go through GeorgiaRead MoreDeep Rooted Work On A Hard Man1427 Words   |  6 PagesResearch Paper: Deep Rooted Work on a Hard Man Flannery O’Connor was born March 25, 1925, in Savanah, Georgia. She went to what is, now Iowa University and majored in literature. She’s primarily known for her short stories but was a novelist. Flannery O’Connor passed away in 1964 after losing a battle with lupus. The piece of writing that I will be discussing is titled: â€Å"A Good Man is Hard to Find,† she wrote this work in 1953 along with several other short stories (Biography.com Editors)Read MoreCompare/Contrast: A Good Man Is Hard to Find with Hills Like White Elephants917 Words   |  4 PagesCompare/Contrast: Good Man with Hills Currently, a plethora of outstanding stories have been written. What makes a story, though? The answer is the elements that the author includes into his or her writing, such as symbolism and imagery. Hills like White Elephants, written by Ernest Hemingway, and A Good Man is Hard to Find, written by Flannery OConnor, are just two examples of admirable work. Each writer incorporated plenty of elements to improve the story. Since the amountRead MorePsychoanalytical Criticism of â€Å"a Good Man Is Hard to Find†1403 Words   |  6 PagesPsychoanalytical Criticism of â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find† A seemingly innocent family vacation can turn into a disaster if the members of the family only care about themselves. In the story â€Å"A Good Man Is Hard To Find† by Flannery O’Connor, a self-absorbed Grandmother, too consumed with her own opinions, fails to address the views, feelings and overall well being of others. Her family is not much different in their self-interested ways. This leads them straight to the Misfit whose childhood trauma