Grotesque Elements In A Good Man Is Hard To Find

. In this particular story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor uses grotesque actions and themes to create a plot twist that leaves readers on the edge of their seats. Southern Gothic is a genre which focuses on damaged, delusional characters. Contrastingly, when someone thinks of a grandmother, it is usually of sweet remembrances from when she told stories or gave extra sweet foods before dinner. The grandmother in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, which name remains unknown throughout the story, is portrayed as a manipulator and exceedingly puts her family in a life or death situation. This grandmother is proven to be unsympathetic with the use of manipulation, sneakiness, dishonesty, and unconcerned with her family’s well-being. Throughout the beginning of the short story, the grandmother begins to show manipulation and sneakiness. She wants everything to be her way and to achieve that,

I recognized you at once” which caused the Misfit to say, “Yes’m. But it would have been better for all of you, lady, if you hadn’t reckernized me.” This causes her own son to whisper horrible things about her. After the announcement of this serial killer, the grandmother looks out for herself by asking the Misfit, “You wouldn’t shoot a lady, would you” (Kelly 362)? This shows her carelessness about everybody except her well-being. As Bailey and his son goes in the woods with Hiram, the grandmother and the Misfit began talking about praying as two shots went off. She did nothing but yell “Bailey Boy” and then the mother and two daughters had gone into the woods in expectancy to be with Bailey and John Wesley but according to the narrator, “there was a piercing scream from the woods, followed closely by a pistol report” (Kelly367). As the grandmother grew scared that she would be next, she repeated that he shouldn’t shoot a