Mrs. Hopewell In Flannery O Connor's Good Country People

How does Flannery O’ Conner’s characterization of Mrs. Hopewell in the short story “Good Country People” contribute to Hulga’s believed intellectual superiority but ultimate blindness?
Flannery O’Conner’s short story, “Good Country People”, follows Mrs.Hopewell, a divorced woman, who lives on a farm with her daughter Joy and her tenant family. Joy, who spitefully changes her name to Hulga, is 32 years old and has a philosophy degree that leads her to look down upon those around her. Disabled by a hunting accident and a heart condition, she is constrained to her rural home. When a bibles salesman, Manley Pointer, arrives one day he invites her on a date. She accepts in an attempt to display her superiority, but his true nature is soon revealed,

Mrs.Hopewell portrays herself as someone who lives a straightforward life, commonly using expressions such as “Nothing is perfect” or “[T]hat is life!” (O’Connor 281). Hulga is clearly agitated by these sayings, especially because of their simplicity and lack of depth. One of Mrs.Hopewell’s core beliefs is that “good country people are the salt of the earth” and that “it takes all kinds to make the world go round” (O’Connor 287). Although Hulga looks down upon statements like this, they actually contribute to her tendency to believe everyone around her to be simpleminded, while she is educated. Her lack of awareness is hinted at when Mrs.Hopewell thinks about the daughters of her tenant family, claiming that “what she admired in those girls was their common sense” (O’Connor 291), suggesting that Hulga has no such quality, as otherwise, it would not be necessary to make such a statement. This is evident when Manley reveals his true nature and the only words Hulga has left are “aren’t you just good country people?” (O’Connor 298). Words that were once a part of her mother’s ignorant expressions are now a part of her reaction. She seems to be in disbelief that anyone could possibly have outsmarted her, or even have been more than they appeared to be on the surface. Therefore despite her education,

Hopewell’s more manipulative side also highlights Hulga’s blindness, just like the cliche expressions. It becomes clear that Mrs.Hopewell portrays herself in a particular manner when it comes to her dialogue, especially through her frequent cliches. Internally, she is more calculating and opinionated. For instance, she is described as being “able to use other people’s [bad qualities] in such a constructive way” (O’Connor 281). Hulga shares this characteristic when it comes to her attempt to seduce Manley, “[s]he imagined that she took his remorse in hand and changed it into a deeper understanding of life” (O’Connor 293). Despite their shared qualities, Hulga’s believed superiority hinders her ability to look deeper. While she is resentful of her mother’s simple expressions, she does not know what she actually believes about others. This emphasizes Hulga’s lack of awareness of her mother’s true beliefs, which in turn highlights her inability to think critically about others. Furthermore, Mrs.Hopewell’s misleading comments regarding her religion also reveal faults in Hulga’s thinking. When Pointer first arrived, Mrs.Hopewell lied about having a Bible in her bedroom instead of admitting “[i]t was in the attic somewhere” (O’Connor 287). Hulga being an atheist suggests that she finds fault in religion. Nonetheless, after Pointer reveals that he does not believe in God, Hulga is left repeating “You’re a fine Christian” and claiming that they all “say one thing and