A Good Man is Hard to Find :: A Good Man is Hard to Find

I think that Flannery OConnors short story A Good Man is Hard to produce is written partially in order to convert volume who have not yet fully accepted the Christian faith. OConner, herself being a tight believer in Christianity, probably thought that writing this story will help make people who arent really living by the Christian rules to seriously consider doing so. Flannery OConnor was deeply concerned with the values and the direction of the youth at the time. She believed that Christ was no longer enough of a priority to the people of her generation. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" is representative of Flannery OConnors concern for the priorities and values of the 1940s. An example of this, in "A Good Man is Hard to Find," involves the grandmothers strong, gray heritage. She dresses with the intention that anyone who finds her dead on the road will know she was a lady, and she is always telling stories of southern gentlemen courting her. Then, the Misfit, wh om she "knows" is of quality, southern blood, shoots her and her family, despite her belief in southern hospitality. Grandma is a woman who believes in God, but it seems that her belief isnt really strong up until her confrontation with the Misfit. From what I understand, most of her work follow a similar pattern. The main face(s) are in some kind of trouble and at the end they see the light of Gods ways and have their redemption. Christians have often criticized her works for being immoral but in actuality she uses these extreme situations and portrayals to express the power of God in a positive light. The immoral character of the Misfit is very skillfully portrayed, as is the enlightened character of Grandma. Most of the characters in A Good Man is Hard to Find and, probably her other works, go through some kind of methamorphosis, a change in their views of the world and in their perceptions about life and death. Such character in this particular story is Grandma and, in my opinion, the Misfit. I think that the Misfit is constantly experiencing a deep inner struggle and this is revealed in his conversation with Grandma. Of course, OConners skillful portrayal of his helps the reader to detect some obscure details of the Misfits behavior, which are key elements in determining the Misfits state of mind.