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A Good Man Is Hard To Find Misfit Analysis

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Desperate times call for desperate measures. In Flannery O’Connor’s short story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, the Misfit is depicted as a violent criminal who has escaped from the federal penitentiary. At first, the Misfit appears to be compassionate towards the grandmother, but when the grandmother identifies the Misfit as the escaped criminal, the Misfit becomes volatile and eventually violent towards the family. Although many would assume that the Misfit is psychotic, he opts to kill the family in order to save himself from being put back in the federal penitentiary. In order to comprehend the thesis, it is essential that one understand the psychological makeup of the Misfit. The Misfit accepts that he is not “a good man”, but he isn’t “the worst in the world neither” (O’Connor, 619). The Misfit has made his fair share of mistakes but more importantly, is conscious of his shortcomings and his strengths. A major strength that the Misfit possess is that he does not pass judgement onto others because everyone has done wrong, including himself. “I found out the crime don’t matter. You can do one thing or you can do another, kill a man or take a tire off his car, because sooner or later you’re going to...be punished for it” (O’Connor, 620). In the eyes of the Misfit, all crimes are held to the same degree, because no one is better than anyone else or …show more content…

Upon further evaluation into the psychological makeup of the Misfit, one can better understand the Misfit’s character and his desire to be free. At first, the Misfit appears well in the company of the family, but when the Misfit is identified as the escaped criminal, he becomes violent towards the family. Although many would assume that the Misfit is psychotic, he opts to kill the family in order to save himself from being put back in the federal

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