A Good Man Is Hard To Find Setting Analysis

A key component in all short stories is the setting. The setting can act as an additional character which moves the story along and creates drama. In short stories, the author must paint a detailed picture quickly and effectively, while being able to not give too much information so the plot cannot effectively move along. The three short stories that portray a good setting that ties the story together are; “A good man is hard to find” by Flanery O’Connor, “The Chrysanthemums” by John Steinbeck, and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman. The setting for “A Good Man is Hard to Find” sets up the story by having the family travel from Georgia to Florida when they take an isolated road where an escaped convict could possibly be

The story begins with a discussion about the trip's location and the grandmother's immediate abrasive behavior. The family's journey to Florida is set up as a road trip through the rural South, adding to the setting's significance. As the story progresses, the family takes an isolated road, that the grandmother thinks is the right road, that leads them into the path of an escaped convict known as "The Misfit." The setting of the story serves as a strong inner feeling of impending doom or misfortune, foreshadowing the danger that awaits the family. The use of the Southern setting can also highlight the family's cultural values, including their religious beliefs and their understanding of

The story follows a woman named Elisa, who is confined to her home and garden while her husband is away. The setting emphasizes the isolation that Elisa feels and her desire to break free from her simple, lonely, unhappy life. The harsh environment and lack of resources in the setting highlight the struggle for survival in this time period, while Elisa's chrysanthemums represent her need for beauty and fulfillment in her life and in a difficult world. The setting of "The Chrysanthemums" is significant because it helps to create a sense of confinement and limitation that mirrors Elisa's own experience. The fact that she is stuck on a farm with no real prospects for the future helps to further reinforce her sense of hopelessness and despair, while the barren landscape around her shows just how harsh the reality of life during the dust bowl