A Good Man Is Hard To Find By Flannery O Connor

In Flannery O’Connor’s short story “A Good Man Is Hard To Find,” the grandmother embodies a multitude of negative qualities. She focuses on her outward appearance, including physically looking like a “lady” (370) and acting supercilious towards her family. Her obsession with her outward appearance causes her to neglect her inward character. Therefore, she behaves arrogantly and selfishly, with no regard for her family and their feelings. The grandmother’s encounter with The Misfit makes her recognize her obsession with her outward appearance.
Throughout the story, the grandmother’s main concern is the family member’s and even The Misfit’s impression of her as a lady. She believes that her physical appearance affects the way her family perceives

Upon identifying The Misfit, the grandmother recognizes that she is in a life-threatening situation and tries to appeal to The Misfit’s conscience. Originally, the grandmother begs The Misfit not to kill her because she is a lady: “‘You wouldn’t shoot a lady, would you?’” (376). She believes that, because of her outwards appearance as a prim and proper lady, she has an elevated status. The grandmother thinks that once The Misfit understands her status, he will spare her. When her efforts prove to be futile, she finally looks inward: “the grandmother’s head cleared for an instant” (379). The grandmother’s clear head signifies that she is experiencing an epiphany. After her realization, her character undergoes a dramatic shift. Throughout the story, the grandmother had a perceived superiority and, as a result, acted condescendingly towards her family members. However, after her her head clears, she talks to The Misfit as if he is her equal: “‘Why you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!’” (379). The grandmother recognizes that The Misfit and she are both children of God, and therefore she does not have an elevated position over him. She sees him as equivalent to her in status, contrary to how she regarded her family. Previously, the grandmother acted narcissistically and neglected the needs of her family. After her character change, however, “She reached out and touched [The Misfit] on the shoulder” (379). For the first time in the story, the grandmother actively reaches out to another person and makes a conscious effort to understand him. Rather than using flattery or begging for her life, she endeavors to connect with The Misfit on a deeper level in a way she never did with her