Analysis Of Good Country People By Flannery O Connner

Hulga Hopewell, a major character in Good Country People by Flannery O’Connner gives off a sense pessimism through her character. As an educated woman in an ironic story setting, Hulga suffers from the conflicts with Mrs. Hopewell that led her to be resentful, motivated academically, and self-preserved. From the very beginning of the short story, the author establishes her character by stating her reality. She lost her leg at the very tender age of ten, and it is later revealed that she has heart problems. Another thing that makes me sensitive to her situation is the setting she lives in. She has a PhD in philosophy yet she is in a household that is the direct opposite. Her whole reality is ironic in every sense. She portrays herself as a very educated individual yet she ends up falling romantically for an individual that is the opposite of her who ends up taking advantage of the situation. Leaving her vulnerable and helpless yet the end of the short story, Hulga ends up facing a situation that she always tried to stay away from through her education and

Mrs. Hopewell has never reacted to Hulga or her behavior in a positive way. She always had something to say about her daughter and for that reason; Hulga resented her mother and her mannerism. Her mother is an individual that is very positive at heart and sees people as “good country people”, which is ironic because both individuals she says that to, turn out to be bad. Hulga on the other hand, guards herself from the reality of the world through negative thoughts and actions; she doesn’t see the positive in things. Therefore, Hulga’s education in philosophy shapes her into yet it doesn’t save her from misfortune that happens to her at the end of the story. Even with her guard up and her philosophy background, Hulga still falls victim to the atrocities of life, the atrocities of believing in a positive