Callista Wilson
ELA
8 December 2017
ELA
8 December 2017
How The Grandmother Develops In "A Good Man Is Hard To Find"
(In the short story, "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" by Flannery O'Conner, the grandmother changes throughout the story as her views about The Misfit develop). Generally, the grandmother is protective towards her family and values the trait of goodness. When she hears that a criminal named "The Misfit" has escaped from prison, she immediately decided that she must keep her family far away from him. She states,"I wouldn't take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it. I couldn't answer to my conscience if I did" (1). Later in the story when the grandmother's entire family is murdered by the Misfit, she surprisingly decided to change her negative views about him. Before The Misfit shoots her, she listens to his story and determines that it is a person's intentions instead of their actions which makes them good. The grandmother states," Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!"(22) Overall, the grandmother changes as a character when her opinion about The Misfit changes. She was previously disgusted by the idea of her children being near him, but later speaks to him as if he were one of her own. This change of perspective occurs at the climax of the story and can be seen as one of its major themes. 
I agree that the grandmother changed when she met the misfit, but I am very curious about why she might have changed her views about him to an almost positive outlook. I don't know if you have any thoughts on this, but it seems very weird to me, that she seems to like him even after he kills her children and grandchildren. It also seems odd, that she didn't try and get her family to escape once she realized who he was.
ReplyDeleteI agree with what Carly said, it is a little odd how she completely changed her views. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteGreat analysis although I don't think she necessarily realizes that a persons intentions overcome their actions; I think she realizes that people are flawed (including herself) and accepts that as a part of her and a part of everyone. It would have been easy for her to continue with her hateful and judgy personality had she have lived through the encounter with the Misfit; the threat of death being applied to her was the only thing that was able to change her personality.
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