Understanding "A Good Man is Hard to Find"
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- Опубликовано: 7 мар 2013
- A quick exploration of Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find," including possible themes, by a college prof
MLA citation: Balcarcel, Rebecca. "Understanding 'A Good Man is Hard to Find'." Online video clip. Sixminutescholar. RUclips, 8 Mar. 2013. Web. DayMonthYearYouWatchedTheVideo.
It seems to me that The Misfit said that the grandmother would be a good woman if there was someone there to shoot her every minute of her life not because he thought she was bad, but rather because when she knew she was about to be shot, she stopped being superficial and spoke in a kind manner to The Misfit, while referring to Godly things, rather than speaking the superficialities she had embodied until the moment of her imminent death. Hence, he felt that if and only if she was about to shot would her best side come out.
Totally agree with you
ruclips.net/video/ish8c4u0hvo/видео.html
very clever
O Connor's stories are bizarre and frightening with a touch of humor.
Thank you! That's exactly what he meant.
GIRRRLLL you are saving me with understanding all my short stories for my english class
I am learning English now. I love the way that you explain stories. Your videos really encourage me to read more of the great stories. Thank you again for making great videos!
I think what really got me was that this poor man had become so deluded from being falsely accused and that he's not killing for bloodlust, but because that's the only way he can find real happiness. This story is really well-written.
Yes, I see your point. I am frustrated with these characters, too. They are rude; they are coarse. In a way, I side with the grandmother, who tries to bring some class to these people. On the other hand, she is bossy and prissy. She annoys everyone. When she meets a hardened person like the Misfit, she has no understanding of what she is up against or when to shut up. Although, he would have killed her, well-behaved or not. I wish they had all appreciated each other while they had the chance.
Oh, man, I absolutely love the collection where this short story come from.
Thank you so much for your videos!! I’m taking English comp. and hate these horrible stories I have to read, but your video analysis always make me feel better and also help me understand the meanings!! Thank you!!
your videos are really helpful for me! my english teacher doesn't explain stories this in depth and I'm really appreciative towards these!!
wonder if the dirt road they went on was a symbolism for the wrong road they were heading in life. kind of a out the box short story
damian herrera Good idea!
yes thank you haha. im trying to get as many ideas to write a three page essay on the literary analysis on this book.
I think it goes even deeper than just the wrong road but it is the path that was chosen by wrong means ie the grandmothers pride and deception, the childrens unruliness and thirst for selfish adventure, the fathers passive nature and caving to tbe childrens unruly demands. O'Connor demonstrates there are many ways to end up on the wrong path thus making a good man truly hard to find
What makes this one of the greatest English language short stories is everything in it speaks with purpose. Road too, I’m sure, so good call.
I’ll say here I’m a little disappointed in an analysis that boils down too this is just a bunch of lousy people, and they got shot together, but maybe in a meaningful way.
Here is what Flannery O'Conner had to say about "A good Man is Hard to Find"
"Much of my fiction takes its character from a reasonable use of the unreasonable, though the reasonableness of my use of it may not always be apparent. The assumptions that underlie this use of it, however, are those of the central Christian mysteries. These are assumptions to which a large part of the modern audience takes exception. About this I can only say that there are perhaps other ways than my own in which ["A Good Man Is Hard to Find"] could be read, but none other by which it could have been written. Belief, in my own case anyway, is the engine that makes perception operate.
The heroine of this story, the Grandmother, is in the most significant position life offers the Christian. She is facing death. And to all appearances she, like the rest of us, is not too well prepared for it. She would like to see the event postponed.
Indefinitely.
I've talked to a number of teachers who use this story in class and who tell their students that the Grandmother is evil, that in fact, she's a witch, even down to the cat. One of these teachers told me that his students and particularly his Southern students, resisted this interpretation with a certain bemused vigor, and he didn't understand why. I had to tell him that they resisted it because they all had grandmothers or great-aunts just like her at home, and they knew, from personal experience, that the old lady lacked comprehension, but that she had a good heart. The Southerner is usually tolerant of those weaknesses that proceed from innocence, and he knows that a taste for self-preservation can be readily combined with the missionary spirit.
This same teacher was telling his students that morally the misfit was several cuts about the Grandmother. He had a really sentimental attachment to the Misfit. But then a prophet gone wrong is almost always more interesting than your grandmother, and you have to let people take their pleasures where they find them.
It is true that the old lady is a hypocritical old soul; her wits are no match for the Misfit's, nor is her capacity for grace equal to his; yet I think the unprejudiced reader will feel that the Grandmother has a special kind of triumph in this story which instinctively we do not allow to someone altogether bad.
I often ask myself what makes a story work, and what makes it hold up as a story, and I have decided that it is probably some action, some gesture of a character that is unlike any other in the story, one which indicates where the real heart of the story lies. This would have to be an action or a gesture which was both totally right and totally unexpected; it would have to be one that was both in character and beyond character; it would have to suggest both the world and eternity. The action or gesture I'm talking about would have to be on the anagogical level, that is, the level which has to do with the Divine life and our participation in it. It would be a gesture that transcended any neat allegory that might have been intended or any pat moral categories a reader could make. It would be a gesture which somehow made contact with mystery.
There is a point in this story where such a gesture occurs. The Grandmother is at last alone, facing the Misfit. Her head clears for an instant and she realizes. even in her limited way, that she is responsible for the man before her and joined to him by ties of kinship which have their roots deep in the mystery she has been merely prattling about so far. And at this point, she does the right thing, she makes the right gesture.
I find that students are often puzzled by what she says and does here, but I think myself that if I took out this gesture and what she says with it, I would have no story. What was left would not be worth your attention. Our age not only does not have a very sharp eye for the almost imperceptible intrusions of grace, it no longer has much feeling for the nature of the violence which precede and follow them. The devil's greatest wile, Baudelaire has said, is to convince us that he does not exist.
I suppose the reasons for the use of so much violence in modern fiction will differ with each writer who uses it, but in my own stories I have found that violence is strangely capable of returning my characters to reality and preparing them to accept their moment of grace. Their heads are so hard that almost nothing else will do the work. This idea, that reality is something to which we must be returned at considered cost, is one which is seldom understood by the casual reader, but it is one which is implicit in the Christian view of the world.
I don't want to equate the Misfit with the devil, I prefer to think that, however unlikely this may seem, the old lady's gesture, like the mustard-seed, will grow to be a great crow-filled tree in the Misfits' heart, and will be enough of a pain to him there to turn him into the prophet he was meant to become. But that's another story.
This story has been called grotesque, but I prefer to call it literal. A good story is literal in the same sense that a child's drawing is literal. When a child draws, he doesn't intend to distort but to set down exactly what he sees, and as his gaze is direct, he sees the lines that create motion. Now the lines of motion that interest the writer are usually invisible. They are lines of spiritual motion. And in this story you should be on the lookout for such things as the action of grace in the Grandmother's soul, and not for the dead bodies.
We hear many complaints about the prevalence of violence in modern fiction, and it is always assumed that this violence is bad thing and meant to be an end in itself. With the serious writer, violence is never an end in itself. It is the extreme situation that best reveals what we are essentially, and I believe these are times when writers are more interested in what we are essentially than in the tenor of our daily lives. Violence is a force which can be used for good or evil, and among other things taken by it is the kingdom of heaven. But regardless of what can be taken by it, the man in the violent situation reveals those qualities least dispensable in his personality, those qualities which are all he will have to take into eternity with him; and since the characters in this story are all on the verge of eternity, it is appropriate to think of what they take with them. In any case, I hope that if you consider these points in connection with the story, you will come to see it as something more than an account of a family murdered on the way to Florida. "
Amanda Garfield j
interesting take.
+1
@FILIP LANGE www.amerlit.com/sstory/SSTORY%20OConnor,%20Flannery%20A%20Good%20Man%20Is%20Hard%20to%20Find%20(1955)%20analysis%20by%207%20critics.pdf I believe have the full excerpt. It's from a book where she talks about her writing.
This was very useful. Thanks for posting it here.
Thank you I am taking a class at college, and your videos help me a lot.
Very insightful and helpful. I would love to see more of Flannery O'Connor's short stories.
Your videos always help me, and you offer such great insight. Thank you
Thank you for this, I have a hard time comprehending while reading but your explanations made the story ten times better.
Your video has greatly helped me understand this story and look at it in so many different views. Keep up the great work!
+Steven Montesantos Thanks so much! Glad these help!
What a wonderful and insightful literary analysis! Thank you for providing this analysis and explaining how dialogue contributes to character development, even if minor!
Wow, those were interesting views, I honestly didn't think about it much after I read it other than "i finally read a whole book for class" but it did make me feel sad that the whole family died. Your video was very interesting, can't wait to contribute your ideas in the classroom soon!
You helped me SO MUCH!!!! I understand the story a lot more now. THANK YOU SO MUCH ILY❤️
Beautifully explained. This story keeps bothering me every now and then . Though I had thought of these themes in a superficial and blurry manner, you gave me much clarity. Thanks
I was looking for you on RUclips to explain to me this story. I am happy you had it. Thank you!
Roofee91 ha,hhdhhhhhhhh
I love the video so much. I wish you are my professor. Keep uploading please!
This story has fascinated me for years, both in terms of what I think I understand and what continues to puzzle me.
"People can be on the wrong path, even though they seem to be on the right path." I think this is the most profound social commentary I've ever heard. It makes sense that this idea has blown over my head in these modern times. Its extremely relevant today in my opinion.
This was kind of a hard read for me, you made it so much clearer thank you so much!! this videos are very helpful keep them coming! :)
You're welcome! And thanks. :-)
As you say, no one changes or grows or is saved in the story. However, if the reader thinks about what O'Connor has done, it may lead to his own salvation. "The Life You Save May be Your Own," the title itself, gives me another way to think about the story, Salvation cannot occur without a genuine desire to be saved. This is why I love O'Connor so much. She is so wise. "The truth does not change according to our ability to stomach it." She is bluntly honest, too.
thank you for your video it has helped me to figure out this story. and try to look at it from different perspective thank you again
It's lovely. I read this story today and was looking for analysis like this.
I have midterms tomorrow and this cleared up everything up for me! Thanks so much!
I'm glad! Hope your exam went well!
Years later this video is helping me with my english class, thank you:3 from the future.
You’re literally a living legend THANK YOU
I am currently writhing an essay about this short story and these are some great points and ideas. Thank you so much
can you share your essay with me
Thank you so much for your videos. These videos help me so much in my college literature class
well u was a great. i hv exam tommorw and never read ths story just right nw with ur awesome video, i feel i get it all, thx alot
Wow. What you said about the scapegoating made a lot of sense. Thanks for the video :)
Thank you Rebecca, you helped me a lot through my semester.
Hi Rebecca, Thank you for this analysis. AGMIHTF was my introduction to Flannery O'Connor and it remains for me the essence of who she is as a writer. For years, I found it extremely unsettling that I identified with the Misfit, but, as you suggest, that may be her point. When the grandmother tells him that he could be one of her own babies, we could see it as an act of desperation, pleading to be spared, or as a moment of clarity. "One of the thieves was saved..." Thanks for your insights.
Consider this story to be an allegory of the death of the Old South. Early on in the story, the grandmother gives the reply "Gone With the Wind," when John Wesley asks, "Where's the plantation?" This is foreshadowing dialogue to the story's ending. The Misfit puts three killing bullets into the grandmother (the Old South), ending four traditional Southern characteristics: a feudal theory of society, a code of chivalry, the ancient concept of the gentleman (in this story, the lady), and a non-creedal faith. May the Old South (and its ladies) rest in peace.
Wow! I couldn't have said it better!
You insight had been paramount! I wish you were in my study group! It would make life easier!
you are one of the greatest synthesizers I have ever met
awesome reflection, thank you!
Thanks for the great ideas
Your video on “My last Duchess” made me start watching your videos because you helped analyze it very well. Ever since, I’ve recommended you to friends and put them into your channel but for this video, I’m lost on what you are talking about. you are not giving enough background on the story. you explain it like the audience (we) have full knowledge of the story but not everyone does because if I did, we wouldn’t be here so to speak
Wow, thank you so much for these! Your videos are being very helpful for my exam about Contemporary North American Literature, so cool
Oh, good! Good luck with your exam!
Thank you so much for sharing your ideas. It was great and more than worthy ;)
I felt really sorry for the mother and the baby. I actually felt sorry for all of them, except the Missfit, who is a blatant psychopath. People don't deserve death for being "annoying" or not to someone else's taste. It actually disturbs me that people try to rationalise the cold blooded murderer in this short story.
you said it best here.
You're welcome! Good luck with your next semester, whatever it brings!
I appreciate the citation very much.
This video helped me a lot. Thanks :)
No cap you saving the fuk out of me! I have reading for my comp ii class and now my professor thinks I’m a genius because I’d the summaries I give 😭
Thank you so much for this! You're awesome 😄
I enjoyed your thoughts on this very puzzling and disturbing story. My take is that the story is a moralistic tale about honesty. Those who are dishonest with themselves and other will pay the price for their dishonesty (chiefly the grandmother, but also the family as a whole in a certain way) and the one who is unfailingly honest (the misfit) will render ultimate judgement. The dishonest life is not worth living. It’s interesting to note the clearly Christian aspect of the story, that the family is redeemed in death.
Beautiful!
Ah thankyou! Saving my time!
Read my dads essay on this as a kid and it scared the hell out of me for about a week
Yes omg I love how you broke that down
Thank you. This video was really helpful.!
You're welcome!
So I am writing a literary Analysis paper on this story. What is a good thesis statement I am kinda struggling. Your video is very helpful.
You should edit your MLA citation to reflect the 2016 update.
Makes sense! Interesting and insightful.
For more insights into this short story, check out my article: vocal.media/families/insight-into-mary-flannery-o-connor-s-short-story-a-good-man-is-hard-to-find
Fantastic insights - an enlightening read that complements the very good video above. Thank you for sharing!
so what does the road trip symbolizes in the story?
Thanks for the video, it has helped me a lot!. I have a doubt about the subtitles as they are perfectly set, Did you add them,?
My son helped me with the subtitles!
Yes, interesting! These characters are beyond saving, but the reader isn't. They wasted their lives being petty and bickering with each other, but we have the chance to learn from them. You are making me want to re-read the story again!
I believe that when the story brings up how the Misfit was served injustice and didn’t do any crime, it adds to the message (that I get from the story) that the Misfit doesn’t want to be bad necessarily but he has those components in him and believes that he might as well use them and let them serve their purpose. It’s almost like he despises his own nature and as humans in the real world, it’s hard to accept ourselves.
Favorite short story I read in high school, that, lord of the flies, and to kill a mockingbird
Chris Missimer Great, great books!
Amazing. As we used to see you.
let me tell you when i see this lady she brightens my night.
I think there is potential at the end of the story that the misfit may change. Although he does shoot the grandmother, it's clear he takes the religious conversation more seriously than her. Just before he shoots her, his eyes are described as "red rimmed and pale and defenseless looking," as if her last ditch compassion (reaching out and touching him and calling him "one of my own babies") breaks through his nihilism or solipsism. He tells the grandmother there is "no pleasure but meanness," but then he tells Bobby Lee (last sentence) "there is no real pleasure in life." O'Connor herself called the Misfit a "spoiled prophet." I don't think the misfit is trying to have "happiness"--he's trying to have truth.
Marvelous
Joe Byrne u
The Sufjan Stevens song implies she affected him "someone's left me creased"
He kills the children and baby. He is too far gone.
"I can fix him"
Thank you!
Thanks for the commentary. I think Flannery uses the Misfit to show redemption and salvation for the family.
I'm having trouble with analyzing the text and cannot find any literary elements or techniques that brings the story alive. How about the theme? Would you say the theme of the story is hypocrisy and self awareness of how flawed she really is? What was the Flannery O'Connor's purpose? I'm still pretty confused. If anyone can answer. Thanks.
It's about we are all sinners but God's grace is bigger than our sin.
OMG you are the best!!!
Marcela Sopo Thanks so much!
Who is the antagonist and protagonist in this story?
After I read this I felt like the misfit was killing because he had served time in prison for nothing. so basically he killed so that it was not wasted time. Does that make sense?
you are great !!!!!
The grandmother had a revelation right at the end, under threat of imminent death--thus the final comment by the Misfit when he says that she would have been a good woman if there'd been someone there to shoot her every minute of her life. The point is that she, like most of us, takes a lot of her life and position for granted, which in O'Connor's mind is a sin.
The misfit meant that if the grandmother had a gun in her face every minute of her life, maybe she would be a loving, empathetic, god loving woman all the time.
Good question! My feeling is that the misfit finds her annoying and bossy. He can imagine that she is always nagging and up on a high horse, thinking she knows best. In that case, he thinks someone should have shut her up or stood up to her (or shot her). Does that help?
As soon as I heard her say “judgmental” I tuned out.
I am taking a class in college and your videos have helped me a lot to understand the stories thank you!
any idea of what the style and tone of the narrator is using?
Daysy Guevara Oh, good! You're welcome!
Hey , so can u explain to me in dummy terms what the misfit ment when he said "she would have been a good lady if she got shot everyday of her life"
You’re so smart. I love your brain
There is beauty in literary academia
Why do you think the writer named this story by this name. What is the theme and symbol in this story?
What music fits to A good man is hard to find? Help me out people for educationl purposes
Badbunny
love it
I have a research paper due over this story but I don't really understand what my professor is asking for and I'm wondering if you could explain it more..?
This is it...
Discuss the family in the story as representative of a typical (Godless) American family. Are they a bleak depiction of the family that has lost touch with God, belief, the value system of religion?
I see what you mean! Yes, that makes sense. He fulfills the societal role that was handed to him and decides to be the criminal that they assumed he was.
Thank you so much... so can you tell the general message of the story
You'll benefit from thinking through this on your own, so I won't spoil that discovery process for you. ;-)
The ground is pure. The sun is love.
There's a song by that name.
Thank you for the Very good analysis as foreign the dark side in this story became clear
i have a presentation for this story and u helped me a lot thnk u so much
What did u present on ? I got to do this story too
True, the family is a little bit shallow but the Misfit is a psychopath... He agrees that he has committed crimes but justice hasn't been served fairly to him. In fact, he even said, "sign everything you do and keep a copy. Then you'll know what you done and you can hold up the crime to the punishment and see do they match and in the end you'll have something to prove you ain't been treated right." That's a clear example of narcissism and lack of empathy. What the hell?
this is very interesting, thoughtful analysis. and i couldn't disagree more with it.
Well what's your take on the story?
I believe that the story is posing a moral dilemma for the reader,challenging you to see that,even in this instance,with characters devoid of redeeming qualities,that this is cold blooded murder.Perhaps,to the author,there is a kind of justice being met out to them because she portrays them as superficial and mean spirited.However,that may be any of us,on any given day.She is asking the reader whether they would be prepared for sudden death or would we be all to human at the end.
Yes! Very good insight! Thanks for helping me see that.
I think the grandmother learns a lot in the story although it is during a very short moment. She realizes through the misfit that she is like him. Her morality is frail and based on silly things like the way people look, their blood, their teeth, etc.
The misfit tells her that she would have been a good woman "if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life." It took her facing her own death to realize her faults. She was full of flaws.
Yes, I agree. She discovers that she has been shallow. Great observation!
You don’t explain good, you explain really well !! 😊
Nice .
I recently read Wise Blood, and I just finished this story. O'Connor sure knew how to pack a punch! My immediate sense is that the Misfit's remark about the grandmother being a good person had she been shot every day is telling us that he recognized her moment of authenticity when she lost her facade and admitted her responsibility for his lot and behavior. I also believe that the Misfit's change in language around pleasure in life at the very end indicates the Grandmother successfully planted a seed of redemption that the Misfit will not be able to escape from and will ultimately benefit from by his time of death. What a remarkable story.