Observations In A Good Man Is Hard To Find

Observation

In her story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” Flannery O’Connor shares the tragic experience of a grandmother and her son’s family during their trip to Florida. Although her son, Bailey, and his family act coldly and disrespectfully towards her, the grandmother maintains a positive, cheerful attitude and loves them all. When they stop by Red Sammy’s barbeque during the trip, she reflects on the golden years of the past when people would respect each other and trust in one another’s goodness (O’Connor 501). As the family continues their trip, the grandmother recalls a planation in the area that she visited as a young lady and influences the children to convince their father to take them to the house (O’Connor 502). As the family travels down the wooded, unpaved trail, the grandmother suddenly recalls that the plantation is actually in Tennessee. In her embarrassment, she accidently frees her cat from its cage and it causes her son to wreck (O’Connor 503). Then, a car filled with three armed men slowly approaches them. As the men inspect the scene, the grandmother recognizes that the leader is the Misfit, a criminal on the loose. As the other two men take the rest of the family in the woods to kill them, the grandmother tries to appeal to what remained of the man’s integrity and capacity to

As the Misfit shares his life story with the grandmother, he shows what a purposeless life he leads. In his anger towards his unjust treatment, he decides to devote his life to destroy the lives of others. In fact, he kills the grandmother and her entire family. However, after the Misfit completes his evil act, he says, “It’s no real pleasure in life” (O’Connor 508). Through his statement, the Misfit shows that his actions of evil towards others never bring him satisfaction and his life feels