essay about a good man is hard to find

A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary

Are you about to write  A Good Man Is Hard to Find theme essay? Then, make sure to check this sample out! Here, you’ll find the story’s summary, moral lesson, themes, and other aspects of the analysis. Keep reading to get some inspiration for your A Good Man Is Hard to Find thesis! 

A great writer Flannery O’Connor has always been a central figure in American literature. Just like her colleague Nadine Gordimer, she covered the moral issues in her bizarre stories. Her short story A Good Man is Hard to Find provides a solid ground for literary analysis. Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find analysis will help you better grasp the story.

Introduction

A Good Man is Hard to Find appeared in 1955 and remains a widely-discussed story up till nowadays. Flannery O’Connor combined the most thoughts-provocative issues of that time in a short piece (Kinney 1). Although society has developed since then, people still deal with the problems mentioned by Flannery O’Connor. A Good Man is Hard to Find analysis will discuss two key themes of the story: selfishness and individualism.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Summary

A Good Man is Hard to Find is a tragic short story about a family. A grandmother, father, mother, and three kids are going to visit Florida. At first sight, they seem to be good country people. However, there are many pitfalls. Their older children – John Wesley and June Star – are very boorish and ignorant. The mother devotes herself to her kids, not having enough time to live a fulfilled life. The father seems to be annoyed by his children. Finally, the grandmother thinks only about herself, not paying enough attention to the family.

Despite the rumors about the escaped prisoner, The Misfit, the family goes on a trip. While on the way to Florida, the grandmom suddenly remembers an old plantation. Many years ago, she was astonished by its incredible beauty. So, she convinces Bailey, the father, to go off the road and visit that place. Being unsure if she is pointing in the right direction, the grandmother loses her control. As a result, she does not manage to hold her cat. It jumps on Bailey’s shoulder, causing a car accident.

Fortunately, everybody stayed alive. But then, the real troubles start. Trying to deal with the situation, the family hopes somebody will stop by them and offer help. Suddenly, the car appears on the road. The three men get out of the car, and the grandmom recognizes The Misfit among them. In desperate attempts to save her life, the grandmother tries to convince the criminal that he is a good man. She asks him to pray to become closer to Jesus. However, her effort is useless. Ultimately, The Misfit commands to kill all the family members and kills the grandmom himself. That is how dramatically the story ends. 

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Literary Analysis

Selfishness and individualism are the essential themes covered in the story A Good Man is Hard to Find . In the story, the grandmother prioritized her interests rather than the interest of her family. As a result, the tragic ending occurred to everybody. With the example of the grandmom, the author shows how the desire to achieve personal needs affects society.

Selfishness

The main character of the story – the grandmother – is an entirely selfish woman. Her selfishness reflects in the way she acts, the way she interacts with her family, and even in the way she dresses up.

The grandmother is always concerned about her appearance. She is obsessed with the idea of being a lady. So, she dresses up in elegant dresses and fancy hats. She hopes that “in case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady” (O’Connor 2). Thus, she does not spend time with her grandchildren or help her daughter-in-law with household chores. Instead, the grandmother devotes all her time to herself, choosing appropriate dresses and hats.

Besides being ignorant, the grandmom is also a manipulative woman. She effectively manipulates her family members to suit her interests. For example, she takes her cat on a trip despite Bailey’s prohibition against doing that. She just thinks her cat would miss her if she left it alone at home. As a result, the cat becomes a cause of a terrible car crash.

Moreover, the grandmother manipulates her family to see a plantation she saw many years ago. After taking a nap in the car, she suddenly remembers a beautiful place she visited while young. She wants to recall these memories, so she urges her son to go off the road. The grandmother is sure that Bailey will not be willing to spend much time on an old plantation. Thus, she lies to her grandchildren’s children about a secret panel with plenty of silver in that house. The woman says: “It’s not far from here, I know. It wouldn’t take over twenty minutes” (O’Connor 5). In reality, she does not know for sure how long it would take to reach that place. However, her sense of self-importance makes her lie to her family. She manipulates her son to achieve the desired result.

Grandmom’s selfish purposes create dangerous circumstances for the family. Being under the pressure of his mother, Bailey follows her directions. As a result, they get into a car accident and meet The Misfit. 

Individualism

In addition to selfishness, the grandmother’s character traits also include individualism. In the story, the woman’s individualism is confronted with the individualism of the Misfit. Both characters achieve their own needs through surrounding people. They take whatever they need and move forward, not taking into consideration the needs of others. As a result of this behavior, the world becomes a place where “community holds no value” (Hooten 198).

Both the grandmom and The Misfit are predisposed to be humane. For example, the woman tries to convince the prisoner about the significance of spiritual values. Thus, she has a clear image of what kindness means. Similarly, The Misfit seems to be a well-behaved person from first sight. For instance, he apologizes for being dressed improperly. Nevertheless, in the inner battle of good and evil, evil wins in both characters. 

Therefore, individualism takes the upper hand in the character set of both: the grandmother and the Misfit. While being ignorant of other people, the woman and the criminal destroy society. Their individualistic nature becomes a real threat to the surrounding people. 

The analysis of A Good Man is Hard to Find reveals an intriguing aspect. The grandmother and The Misfit have very similar personalities. They both are ready to lie, manipulate, and murder to fulfill their desires.

A Good Man is Hard to Find essay covers Flannery O’Connor’s concern. The themes of selfishness and individualism worry the author. This issue is critical and should be dealt with immediately. If people keep being selfish individualists, the world will become a group of “self-focused wanderers without a community who use others as means to their own ends” (Hooten 197).

• Gresham, Stephen. Things Darkly Buried: In Praise of A Good Man Is Hard to Find. 2010, Shenandoah , 1-2: 17-18. Web.
• Hooten, Jessica. Individualism in O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find. 2008, The Explicator , 4: 197-198. Web.
• Kinney, Arthur F. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Overview. 1994, Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press 1-2. Print.
• O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man is Hard to Find. 2 011, Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing: Custom Edition . X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 1-12. Print.

How do you start A Good Man Is Hard to Find analysis essay?

The best way to start an essay on A Good Man Is Hard to Find is to state a clear thesis statement. First, decide on the main points you are going to present. Then, develop a strong thesis, including those ideas. Put everything in words and impress your audience from the very beginning of your essay.

What is the main theme of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

A Good Man Is Hard to Find covers a lot of crucial issues. However, the central theme is the destructive nature of selfishness and individualism. Flannery O’Connor points out that these traits lead to the establishment of an immoral society.

How would you describe the grandmother in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The grandmother is a woman from the Old South. She considers herself an elegant and graceful lady. In fact, she is a selfish, judgmental, and manipulative granny. She gets what she desires by disrespecting the people that surround her.

What is the message in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

Flannery O’Connor’s message is that human compassion and grace may change even the most ignorant person. It is best seen during the final encounter between the grandmother and The Misfit.

Is the Misfit a good man?

It is a controversial question, and the reader needs to decide for himself. On the one hand, The Misfit is a dangerous escaped convict. He does not feel responsible for his actions and does not believe in God. On the other hand, he compares himself to Jesus. The Misfit gets into a deep philosophical conversation with the grandmother.

What literary devices are used in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

A Good Man Is Hard to Find is full of literary devices. The author uses symbolism, irony, foreshadowing, and philosophical thoughts that awaken conversations. These literary devices help the reader understand the story’s moral and experience it better.

Cite this paper

• Chicago (N-B)
• Chicago (A-D)

StudyCorgi. (2020, July 8). A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary. https://studycorgi.com/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-analysis-essay-example-summary/

"A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary." StudyCorgi , 8 July 2020, studycorgi.com/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-analysis-essay-example-summary/.

StudyCorgi . (2020) 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary'. 8 July.

1. StudyCorgi . "A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary." July 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-analysis-essay-example-summary/.

Bibliography

StudyCorgi . "A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary." July 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-analysis-essay-example-summary/.

StudyCorgi . 2020. "A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary." July 8, 2020. https://studycorgi.com/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-analysis-essay-example-summary/.

This paper, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary”, was written and voluntary submitted to our free essay database by a straight-A student. Please ensure you properly reference the paper if you're using it to write your assignment.

Before publication, the StudyCorgi editorial team proofread and checked the paper to make sure it meets the highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, fact accuracy, copyright issues, and inclusive language. Last updated: December 4, 2023 .

If you are the author of this paper and no longer wish to have it published on StudyCorgi, request the removal . Please use the “ Donate your paper ” form to submit an essay.

Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Literature › Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on May 25, 2021

Frequently anthologized, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” exemplifies Flannery O’Connor’s southern religious grounding. The story depicts the impact of Christ on the lives of two seemingly disparate characters. One is a grandmother joining her son’s family on a trip to Florida. Accompanied by a silent daughter-in-law, a baby, two unpleasant children, and her smuggled cat, she wheedles the son into making a detour to see a plantation that she remembers from an earlier time.

Moments of recognition and connection multiply as the seemingly foreordained meeting of the grandmother and the killer she has read about in the paper takes place. She upsets the basket in which she has hidden her cat; the cat lands on her son’s neck, causing an accident. Soon three men appear on the dirt road, and the grandmother recognizes one of them as the notorious killer the Misfit.

Flannery O’Connor/National Catholic Register

O’Connor weaves the notion of punishment and Christian love into the conversation between the Misfit and the grandmother while the grandmother’s family is being murdered. Referring to the similarity that he shares with Christ, the Misfit declares that “Jesus thrown everything off balance” (27), but he admits that unlike Christ, he must have committed a crime because there were papers to prove it. When the grandmother touches his shoulder because she sees him as one of her own children, she demonstrates a Christian love that causes him to shoot her.

This story typifies O’Connor’s mingling of comedy, goodness, banality, and violence in her vision of a world that, however imperfect, most readers inevitably recognize as part of their own. O’Connor views the world as a place where benevolence and good intentions conflict with perversity and evil, and her protagonists frequently learn too late that their lives can crumble in an instant when confronted by the very real powers of darkness.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Kessler, Edward. Flannery O’Connor and the Language of Apocalypse. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1986. Orvell, Miles. Flannery O’Connor: An Introduction. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1991

Share this:

Categories: Literature , Short Story

Tags: American Literature , Analysis of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , criticism of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , essays of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find appreciation , Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find guide , Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find plotFlannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find story , Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find structure , Flannery O’Connor , guide of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , Literary Criticism , notes of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , plot of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , story of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , structure of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , summary of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , themes of Flannery O'Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Related Articles

You must be logged in to post a comment.

A Good Man is Hard to Find

Flannery o’connor, ask litcharts ai: the answer to your questions.

Welcome to the LitCharts study guide on Flannery O’Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find . Created by the original team behind SparkNotes, LitCharts are the world's best literature guides.

Good Man: Introduction

Good man: plot summary, good man: detailed summary & analysis, good man: themes, good man: quotes, good man: characters, good man: symbols, good man: theme wheel, brief biography of flannery o’connor.

Historical Context of A Good Man is Hard to Find

Other books related to a good man is hard to find.

• Full Title: A Good Man is Hard to Find
• When Written: 1955
• Where Written: Milledgeville, GA
• When Published: 1955
• Literary Period: Southern Gothic
• Genre: Southern Gothic Short Story
• Setting: Twentieth Century Rural South
• Climax: The Grandmother reaches out and touches The Misfit, exclaiming, “You’re one of my own children,” and he shoots her three times.
• Antagonist: The Misfit
• Point of View: Third-person, mostly following the Grandmother

Extra Credit for A Good Man is Hard to Find

Fifteen Minutes of Fame. At the age of five, a photographer came to take photographs of one of O’Connor’s chickens, which she had taught to walk backwards. Film footage of this later made national newsreels.

Not Well Received. At ten years old, O’Connor began to write a series of sketches of her family members. Later in life, she described the collection, “My Relatives,” as “not well received.” Many of her family members were apparently displeased with how they were portrayed.

A Summary and Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ is one of the best-known short stories by Flannery O’Connor (1925-64), who produced a string of powerful stories during her short life. First published in the collection A Good Man Is Hard to Find in 1955, the story is about an American family who run into an escaped murderer at a plantation.

Before we offer an analysis of some of the key details of the story, here’s a brief summary of its plot.

Plot summary

The story is about a grandmother, her son named Bailey, Bailey’s wife, and the couple’s three children, named June Star, John Wesley, and simply ‘the baby’. The family are going on holiday to Florida. At the beginning of the story, the grandmother points out to her son that a notorious criminal, known as the Misfit, is on the loose and she doesn’t think they should be going on vacation to Florida when the Misfit is rumoured to be heading there.

On their way to their destination, the grandmother tells the children a story of how she was courted by a wealthy man who used to leave her a watermelon every day with his initials, E. A. T., inscribed in it. However, one day a black boy saw the word ‘EAT’ on the watermelon and ate it. This story amuses the children.

The family then stop off for lunch a barbecue diner, The Tower, run by a man named Red Sammy, who talks to the grandmother about the Misfit. It is Red Sammy who remarks, ‘A good man is hard to find’, in reference to the dangerous convict on the loose.

When the family get back on the road, the grandmother persuades her son to take a detour to a plantation she remembers from her youth. She embellishes the story by inventing details, such as the idea that a secret panel concealed the family silver in the house.

However, she has misremembered where the plantation is: Tennessee, rather than Georgia (where the family are). When the grandmother’s cat escapes from his basket and frightens Bailey, he crashes the car into a ditch.

Another car approaches them. It contains three men, one of whom the grandmother recognises as the notorious Misfit. He seems familiar to her, as though she has known him for years.

When she blurts out that she recognises him, the Misfit tells them that it would have been better if she hadn’t recognised him. He talks to the grandmother while his two accomplices lead Bailey into the woods and shoot him. They then do the same with Bailey’s wife and the children. The grandmother tries to flatter the Misfit into sparing her life, telling him that she knows he’s a good man, but to no avail.

The story ends with the grandmother addressing the Misfit as one of her own ‘babies’ or ‘children’; the Misfit shoots her dead. The Misfit has the final word, observing that the grandmother would have been a good woman if she had had someone there ‘to shoot her every minute of her life.’

The character of the grandmother is central to the dramatic power of ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’. The first two words of the story are ‘The grandmother’; the story begins with her warning her son about the escaped Misfit and ends with her being shot dead by the Misfit; the story opens with the third-person narrator’s reference to Bailey as the grandmother’s ‘only boy’ but ends with her addressing the Misfit as one of her ‘own children’.

And although ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ is narrated by an impersonal third-person narrator, in terms of the story’s focalisation we remain close to the grandmother’s perspective on events, seeing things through her eyes and gaining access to her thoughts and feelings as the story approaches its shocking and dramatic climax.

The skill of O’Connor’s writing lies in her ability to shuttle rapidly between comedic moments poking gentle fun at the grandmother and darker plot developments. The point is not that the shift between these two very different modes seems awkward or out of place, but that O’Connor lends the already shocking moments at the end of the story an even more alarming element, through juxtaposing them with lighter comic interludes.

A central theme of O’Connor’s story is, as the title makes clear, goodness: note how the grandmother and Red Sammy’s repeated references to a ‘good man’ meet their match in the Misfit’s statement at the end of the story that the grandmother would have been a ‘good woman’ if someone had been there to (threaten to) shoot her at all times.

This statement of the Misfit’s also highlights another theme O’Connor is exploring: that of crime and punishment. The Misfit tells the grandmother that the punishments he has undergone don’t match with the crimes he has committed. But the story contains a religious angle, too, as exemplified by the grandmother’s epiphany at the end of the story, in which – when confronted with her own imminent death – she reaches out and acknowledges her killer as one of her ‘children’.

This blessing is in stark contrast to the Misfit, who – in almost Dostoevskian fashion – characterises Christianity as a case of either giving up anything and following Christ or rejecting him and doing as one pleases. Anything – murder, burning down someone’s house – is permissible and constitutes the only true pleasure one can get from life.

The grandmother’s final act of blessing (forgiveness, or a last desperate attempt to save her own life?) raises this petty, racially prejudiced, and comical old woman far above the level of the nihilistic Misfit and all he represents.

Of course, it may also be significant that the Misfit – who was accused by one of the prison psychiatrists of killing his own father – personally kills the grandmother, who represents an old and outmoded America. Flannery O’Connor’s story is about a changing America, and the text is marked by the Grandmother’s continual reminiscences about a better, simpler life when she was younger.

The story’s title, taken from Red Sammy’s conversation with the Grandmother in which they lament that the world has become debased and degraded during their lifetimes, places this mood and tone at the centre of the story.

In this connection, the grandmother’s attitude towards African-Americans is already outdated, even in 1955 when the story first appeared.

Her racial stereotypes , such as associating African-Americans with watermelons, the offensive words she uses to describe the black boy they pass in the car, and her casual presumptions about the lives of black people all mark her out as a representative of an older American outlook which is about to be entirely laid to rest with the onset of the US Civil Rights movement. (The Montgomery Bus Boycott , for example, occurred at the end of 1955, the year the story appeared.)

Final thoughts

Viewed this way, ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ might be productively analysed alongside a another key American text from the 1950s: Tennessee Williams’ play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof , also from 1955, similarly deals with the generational gap between an older America and the younger Americans who represent a new attitude, especially regarding race.

Discover more from Interesting Literature

Subscribe to get the latest posts to your email.

Type your email…

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Home — Essay Samples — Literature — Books — A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Essays on A Good Man is Hard to Find

Our curated selection of essay samples on "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" offers a wide range of perspectives on this seminal work. Each essay provides unique insights into the story's rich tapestry of characters, from the morally complex Grandmother to the enigmatic Misfit, whose interactions prompt readers to question the nature of true goodness and grace.

Themes Explored in Depth

Dive into essays that meticulously analyze the story's central themes, including the moral dilemmas faced by the characters, the role of grace and redemption, and the profound commentary on the human condition. Understand how O'Connor employs her narrative to challenge and redefine the concept of a "good" person in the context of her Southern Gothic setting.

Literary Devices and Symbolism Uncovered

Flannery O'Connor's use of literary devices and symbolism is pivotal to the depth and resonance of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Our essay samples explore how irony, foreshadowing, and vivid imagery enhance the narrative's impact, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of O'Connor's storytelling prowess.

Fuel Your Academic Success

Whether you're crafting an essay, conducting research, or seeking inspiration for your writing, our database provides invaluable resources to support your academic journey. Explore essays that dissect the story's complex narrative structure, character development, and thematic undertones to enrich your analysis and critical thinking skills.

Join Our Community of Literature Enthusiasts

Embark on your literary exploration with our "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" essay samples and become part of a vibrant community passionate about delving into the intricacies of Flannery O'Connor's work. Let our essays inspire your academic endeavors and deepen your appreciation for one of the most influential stories in American literature.

Explore. Analyze. Inspire.

Your journey into the heart of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" begins here. Unravel the layers of Flannery O'Connor's narrative and discover the boundless possibilities of literary exploration and academic excellence.

An Analysis of Flannery O'connor’s Story, a Good Man is Hard to Find

The analysis of life and soul in "a good man is hard to find", made-to-order essay as fast as you need it.

Each essay is customized to cater to your unique preferences

+ experts online

Analysis of John Desmond’s Review of a Good Man is Hard to Find

Review of flannery o'connor’s book, a good man is hard to find, the summary of the short story "a good man is hard to find", literary elements in flannery o'connor's "a good man is hard to find", let us write you an essay from scratch.

• 450+ experts on 30 subjects ready to help
• Custom essay delivered in as few as 3 hours

The Theme of Conformation to Moral Standards and Thinking before Acting in a Good Man is Hard to Find, a Short Story by Flannery O'connor

Analysis of misfit character in a good man is hard to find, existential problems in 'a good man is hard to find', analysis of the role of grandmother in a good man is hard to find, get a personalized essay in under 3 hours.

Expert-written essays crafted with your exact needs in mind

A Look at The Family Setting in The Book, a Good Man is Hard to Find

Flannery o'connor's view of the representation of fallacy behind uprightness as depicted in his story, a good man is hard to find, agent of grace in flannery o'connor's "a good man is hard to find", analysis of dysfunctional family in o’connor's story, gothic elements in "a good man is hard to find" and "the lottery, time flies: or how hospitable the south is, analysis of differences in "a rose for emily" and "a good man is hard to find", human imperfection in o'connor and marquez's tales, evaluation of a good man is hard to find vs. cathedral, pride goes before the fall: analysis of a good man is hard to find and the necklace, humanity in "a good man is hard to find", the theme of religion in o'connor's works, the essence of man in o'connor's story, morality in in flannery o'connor's a good man is hard to find, a good man is hard to find and the lottery: symbolism and irony, a good man is hard to find: symbolism of redemption, a good man is hard to find: symbolism and theme of violence, character analysis: the grandmother and anders, a good man is hard to find analysis.

Flannery O'Connor

Short Story, Southern Gothic

Bailey, Bailey's wife, Grandmother, John Wesley, June Star, The Baby, Red Sammy Butts, Red Sammy's Wife, The Misfit, Hiram, Bobby Lee, Edgar Atkins Teagarden, Pitty Sing, Gray Monkey, The Negro child

Relevant topics

• A Modest Proposal
• The Tell Tale Heart
• Catcher in The Rye
• Lord of The Flies
• A Farewell to Arms
• A Very Old Man With Enormous Wings
• Fast Food Nation
• Montana 1948
• A Hunger Artist

By clicking “Check Writers’ Offers”, you agree to our terms of service and privacy policy . We’ll occasionally send you promo and account related email

No need to pay just yet!

We use cookies to personalyze your web-site experience. By continuing we’ll assume you board with our cookie policy .

• Instructions Followed To The Letter
• Deadlines Met At Every Stage
• Unique And Plagiarism Free

Discovering Good | Analysis of A Good Man is Hard to Find

By David Dingfelder

Flannery O’Connor explores the meaning of the word “good” through her short story A Good Man is Hard to Find . After a series of deceptions and wrongdoings, O’Connor depicts a grandma leading her family to be killed by a runaway outlaw named “The Misfit.” While the family was traveling to Florida for vacation, the true journey follows the grandma as she begins to understand the true meaning of the word “good” – the most general and most frequently used adjective of commendation in the English language (Oxford English Dictionary). To define a word so commonly overused and socially defined, O’Connor builds the concept of her definition of “good” through the grandma’s interactions with the other characters in the story. By virtue of her interactions with her family, Red Sammy, and “The Misfit,” the grandma transitions from complete ignorance, to misunderstanding, and finally to acceptance of what it means to be “good.”

Initially depicting the grandma as a flawed character with an entirely misconstrued understanding of the word enables O’Connor to establish what does not qualify as “good.” In addition to the grandma’s heedless acts of deception, the narrative uses children as a pure and untainted lens of judgment to expose the flaws in the grandma’s character. In response to the Grandma’s opening efforts to switch the vacation destination, the little girl June delivers a deeply profound critique: “[The grandma] Wouldn’t stay home for a million bucks… She has to go everywhere we go” (1). The establishment of Grandma’s flaws continues as O’Connor parallels the grandma’s perception of herself with the games of the children. Prior to departing on the trip, the grandma dresses with trimmed “collars and cuffs” so that “anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady” (2). This insight into the grandma’s mindset is soon followed by the description of the children identifying clouds in the sky. While seemingly insignificant, the sky serves as an extended metaphor for the grandma’s understanding of goodness across the work. The children identifying clouds signal the grandma’s clouded understanding of what it means to be “good.”  Rather than worrying about the wellbeing of her son or her family in the event of an accident, the grandma is primarily concerned with others perceiving her as a lady. The clouds symbolize the opinions of others that block to the true meaning of goodness, the sun.

The interaction between the grandma and Red Sammy initiates O’Connor’s discovery of the misunderstandings and contradictions involved in the word “good.” Early into the grandma’s discussion with Red Sammy, the definition of the word “good” becomes confounded as the grandma calls Red Sammy “a good man” immediately after Red Sammy defines a car as “good.” Instead of taking this as a compliment, Red Sammy is “struck with this answer” (6). Juxtaposing these uses of the same word exemplifies its overuse and stale meaning – explaining why Red Sammy feels no sense of satisfaction when complimented. O’Connor furthers the problematic use of the word when Red Sammy states, “a good man is hard to find” (6). This statement is riddled with irony as the word “good” is used profusely but a “good man” is uncommon – creating a paradox with which O’Connor argues that a word that represents anything also represents nothing. The conversation with Red Sammy also highlights the inconsistency in Grandma’s definition of “good.” The grandma compliments Red Sammy for being naïve and gullible with his interactions with the two boys stealing gas, yet condemns her granddaughter for her insightful and honest comment earlier. It becomes apparent that the grandma is not only flawed but she is also unsure of how to become good.

Through the grandma’s interaction with “The Misfit,” the story paints the grandma’s reverse bildungsroman moment by depicting a profound environment that accompanies her change in grieving and perceptions surrounding what it means to be good.

A raw and honest atmosphere is developed as O’Connor describes the cloudless sky with nothing around the grandma but the woods (9). Contrary earlier in the work, the clouds that blocked the sky had cleared, symbolizing the clarity in the grandma’s perception of goodness. Further, this moment of reckoning takes place on the side of a dirt road with the woods in the background – a natural and profound environment. The use of imagery hints towards the deeply philosophical understanding of morality and goodness that the grandma gains from this interaction.

The shift in the grandma’s grieving signifies the acknowledgment of what it means to be good. Immediately after the grandma realizes that the man was “The Misfit,” she selfishly questions, “You wouldn’t shoot a lady, would you?” (11). The use of the word “lady” again demonstrates that the grandma is still solely concerned about the perception of others, in addition to her not caring about her family. However, her grieving changes as she starts wailing “Bailey boy” for her son (12). This appears to be the first time in the work that the grandma is concerned about someone other than herself. This transition expresses O’Connor’s belief that goodness is an internal trait that is portrayed to – rather than perceived by – others. When the grandma stopped worrying about her perception and started worrying about her family is when she became good.

Further, O’Connor argues that goodness transcends superficial actions such as practicing religion. Despite the grandma’s attempts to pray, “she opened and closed her mouth several times before anything came out” (15). Her inability to pray symbolizes that prayer and religion do not equate goodness.  This realization is what causes the grandma to understand that no actions define what it means to be good. Despite their differences, the grandma now understands that little differentiates her and the misfit, stating, “Why you’re [The Misfit] one of my babies. You’re one of my own children” (16). In denial, The Misfit recoils at the accusation that he is good too and shoots the grandma three times. The grandma dies happily with “with her legs crossed under her like a child’s and her face smiling up at the cloudless sky,” tying back into the innocence and purity associated with children (16).

O’Connor’s development of a definition for the word “good” ultimately serves as a social critique. Due to the overuse of the word, the definition of “good” has been spread too thin, depriving the word of true meaning. While a grave ending, this short story serves as a reminder of that “goodness” is not obtained through performative demonstrations or self-centered thoughts. O’Connor’s choice to never fully define the word “good” indicates how the definition of “good” continues to elude us. On the path to becoming good, the first step is identifying what does not qualify as good.

Sources Cited

“Definition of Good.” UNC-Chapel Hill Libraries, Oxford English Dictionary,

www-oed-com.libproxy.lib.unc.edu/view/Entry/79925?rskey=d7aiwZ&result=1#eid.

O’Connor, Flannery.  “A Good Man is Hard to Find.”  American Studies at the University of

Virginia, 2009, http://xroads.virginia.edu/~drbr/goodman.html.   Originally published in

T he Avon Book of Modern Writing .  New York: Avon Publishing, 1953, pp. 27-33.

A Good Man is Hard to Find

36 pages • 1 hour read

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Story Analysis

Character Analysis

Symbols & Motifs

Literary Devices

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Discussion Questions

Religion—specifically Christianity—is a strong motif in the story; both the grandmother and The Misfit are preoccupied with religion. How do their views differ? How are they the same?

How does the grandmother define a “good man”? How does this term relate to the title of the story? Is the grandmother a good person herself?

Explore the various meanings behind the title: “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Does the story prove that this is true?

Don't Miss Out!

Access Study Guide Now

Related Titles

By Flannery O'Connor

A Late Encounter with the Enemy

Flannery O'Connor

Everything That Rises Must Converge

Good Country People

Parker's Back

The Displaced Person

The Life You Save May Be Your Own

The Violent Bear It Away

Featured Collections

Christian Literature

View Collection

Southern Gothic

A Conscious Rethink

12 Reasons Why It’s So Hard To Find A Good Man

Posted: June 4, 2024 | Last updated: June 4, 2024

Can’t find a good man? Here’s why.

Been single for a while? Finding it hard to meet a genuinely nice guy?

You’re not alone.

In today’s swipe-culture, it’s so hard to find a good guy that you actually want to be with – and who feels the same way.

It’s not that your standards are too high or you’re too fussy, trust us! It’s just getting harder to find someone lovely who you can truly see yourself with.

There are a number of reasons for this which we’ll go into, and, before you give up completely, we’ll throw in some advice on how to actually meet a good guy…

1. You don’t really know what you want.

It’s hard to find a nice guy to date when you’re not sure what you’re really looking for.

You meet nice people but they’re never quite what you’re after. But, in truth, you don’t know what you are after, so every guy fails to make the grade.

This is pretty normal, but it can make dating stressful and can often make you overlook really lovely guys by accident.

Think about what matters to you and what values you hold; think about hobbies you’d like to share with a man and go from there. 

2. You’re too hung up on looks.

You might be a bit shallow, but, let’s be honest, most of us are!

We live in such a visual world and spend our days looking at photos – on Tinder, Instagram, Facebook – so it’s no wonder that we make snap decisions based on looks.

We know within about .2 seconds if we fancy someone based on their looks. We forget that it might be a bad angle, their other photos might be better, or they might just not look great in photos but be super hot in real life.

It’s easy to make quick decisions based on someone’s looks, but it does make it hard to find a good guy and actually get to know people. 

3. Dating apps are ruining dating.

Dating should be about excitement, flirting, and getting to know someone.

But when you’re on dating apps, things either move way too slowly and you chat for weeks before eventually meeting for an awkward drink…

…or things move way too fast and you get attached to the idea of your date rather than who they actually are in real life.

What’s more, messaging never really gets things across accurately – you might think they’re rude but they think they’re being funny and sarcastic.

Or they might think you’re flirting but you’re then surprised when you get an overly-forward reply to what you thought was an innocent emoji!

Things can easily get misinterpreted over dating apps and the actual fun and excitement of real dating is fading.

4. There are too many options for everyone.

The whole ‘grass is greener’ attitude applies to dating more these days than ever before.

We can literally find a date for tomorrow by swiping on our phone while we’re on today’s date, how weird is that?!

We have constant access to so many options that it’s hard to settle down and just commit to one person.

This makes it hard to find a decent guy because either you’ll be wondering if you’ll find a better one on Tinder, or they’ll be thinking about all the other girls they matched with in the 5 minutes you left them alone with their phone on the date! 

5. It’s too easy to be casual.

Commitment can be tricky for a lot of people, but it’s even harder when we’re presented with endless options for hookups.

While Tinder claims to be a dating app, a lot of people use it for casual rendezvous or short-term dating.

This is fine, but it does mean that you’ll probably have an ever harder time finding a great guy who wants to settle down and give the whole relationship thing a go! 

6. Men are more intimidated by you.

These days, women have more power than ever before. You’ve got a great job, a higher salary than him, a fantastic group of friends – and you don’t need him.

To some men, that’s scary. They’re used to dating women who are a bit clingy maybe, or less self-assured than you are.

They’re intimidated by you and not really sure how to ‘handle’ you, which means they’re less likely to want to commit to you and might even struggle with a bruised ego. 

7. People have more boundaries – and baggage.

At this point in our lives, most of us have been in a relationship or two. We’ve been rejected, we’ve been through breakups, we’ve been hurt.

Finding a good guy who doesn’t let all of that hold him back is hard!

Many men put their guard up as a way of protecting themselves from being hurt. That can make it really hard to get to know them and form a genuine connection.

Equally, a lot of men carry emotional baggage that can make dating more difficult. They might be divorced or have a child with someone else – they’ve done a lot in their lives by the time you meet them and you might not be prepared to take it all on. 

8. There’s less accountability.

Hands up if you’ve been ghosted! These days, ghosting has somehow become acceptable. It’s a horrible way to treat someone , but people are doing it more and more.

What happened to a mature conversation or letting someone down gently?

If you’ve ever been chatting to a guy or seeing someone, only to have them suddenly disappear, you’re not alone.

Some men just love the fact that they’re not accountable for their actions – because we live in such a virtual world in many ways, they forget that you’re a real person with real feelings.

It’s so much easier to just delete or block someone online – and it makes it harder to find a decent guy who genuinely wants to invest in getting to know you.

9. You’re accidentally self-sabotaging.

This is such a frustrating thing to realize about yourself, but it’s also good to be aware that you’re doing it.

Like we said, a lot of us have our guards up and fear rejection. You might be accidentally pushing someone away as a form of self-defense.

If you’re worried about being hurt, you might start acting out, pulling away, or just giving off the wrong impression by accident.

You’re trying to protect yourself from getting hurt, but you don’t realize you’re doing it.

However great a guy is, these mixed messages can get very confusing and you might just push them away for good. 

10. You’re too true to type.

We’ve all got a bit of a type, but you shouldn’t let this completely determine who you date.

After all, it hasn’t worked with any of them so far, right?

It’s worth trying something new! Go on a date with someone who you might not normally be interested in.

As long as they tick all the crucial boxes (your deal-breakers), it’s okay if they’re not super into yoga and brunch, or if they don’t have tattoos even though all your exes had tattoos.

You’ll probably be pretty pleasantly surprised! 

11. You’re giving off desperate vibes.

It’s so hard to find a balance when it comes to dating. You’re keen to go on dates, you’re open to meeting new people, and you really, really , want to find a nice guy!

From the outside, it can sometimes look like you’re a bit… desperate!

What you do in your private life is fine, but if you’re on a date, talking about all the other dates you’ve recently been on, even a lovely guy might get the wrong idea. 

12. Your expectations are unrealistic.

While it’s important to keep your standards high, try to stay realistic.

Zac Efron is gorgeous and you’re definitely worth his time, but it’s probably not going to happen.

Equally, you’re never going to find the ‘perfect’ man!

And, by holding out for him, you’re accidentally ignoring loads of amazing guys who might not be perfect but are still pretty amazing people who you’d probably really like.

It’s hard to stay realistic, especially if you’re always comparing your life or partner to what you see on Instagram, but it’s important. Otherwise, you will never be happy. 

More for You

Stephen Hawking once gave a simple answer as to whether there was a God

Here's How Much the Average 60-Year-Old Has in Their 401(k)

Dolly Parton says it was ‘bold’ of Beyonce to change ‘Jolene’ lyrics without telling her

10 most common PINs have been revealed – see if yours is on the list

My soon-to-be ex-husband placed his money in a trust before we married, and used it to buy properties. Am I entitled to any of these?

Donald Trump 'Faces Enforcement' for Failing to Pay Legal Costs

Be Careful: These Android Apps Are Installing Malware, Stealing Your Data

Charles Barkley Addresses Caitlin Clark, Chicago Sky Incident With Eight Words

Claimed Social Security at 62? Here's One Rule You Need to Know About.

Wonder Woman's Lynda Carter, 72, wows in silver swimsuit to promote new music

Is It Safe To Grill Frozen Hamburger Patties Straight From The Freezer?

I Asked 6 Bakers To Name the Best Boxed Brownie Mix—They All Said the Same Brand

Spy agency issues urgent warning to billions of smartphone users to avoid being spied on

Joe Biden Flips Donald Trump’s New Attack Right Back At Him: ‘Is He Describing Himself?’

Seeing Red: The 25 Best Robert Redford Movies of All Time

Taylor Swift pauses Scotland Eras Tour show until 'the people in front of me get help'

'We were sold this unachievable dream': Georgia woman explains the 'broken' system that has young Americans fearing for their futures. Is this narrative right?

34 Healthy Recipes You Can Make In A Slow Cooker

2 things that aren't that great about retirement, according to retirees

How to find hidden cameras in an Airbnb, according to a security expert

More From Forbes

‘hit man’ review: richard linklater’s new netflix movie just isn’t very good.

• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to Linkedin

Glen Powell and Adria Arjona in 'Hit Man' on Netflix.

Richard Linkletter—the director of films like Dazed and Confused, School Of Rock, Bad News Bears and numerous other pop culture touchstones—has released one of his rare duds in Netflix’s new comedy-noir, Hit Man.

The film opens with a quotation from Nietzsche: “ the secret for harvesting from existence the greatest fruitfulness and the greatest enjoyment is: to live dangerously! Build your cities on the slopes of Vesuvius! Send your ships into uncharted seas! Live at war with your peers and yourselves!”

This is spoken by the film’s protagonist, Gary Johnston, during a lecture to his college philosophy class. The rest of the quotation—the part he leaves out while asking his students for its meaning—reads:

“Be robbers and conquerors as long as you cannot be rulers and possessors, you seekers of knowledge! Soon the age will be past when you could be content to live hidden in forests like shy deer! At long last the search for knowledge will reach out for its due: — it will want to rule and possess, and you with it!”

Spoilers follow.

The rest of the film is spent, haltingly and with great clumsiness, exploring this notion. That a man who has lived rather timidly, very much in the shadow of others, could shed one identity and adopt another. That this man could take his normal life, cast it aside, and rather abruptly take on the life of a criminal, suffering no consequences whatsoever for his actions. It’s an odd take on morality.

The Best Gaming Mouse That’ll Improve Your Aim

A movie with no identity.

Linklater’s story takes several shapes. At first, I thought it was just a goofy oddball comedy in which Gary (Glen Powell) would don funny wigs and personas to catch bad guys as a fake hit man working for the police.

Gary in one of his disguises.

This was a little bit funny and entertaining, though it was clear the movie wanted to get it out of the way as quickly as possible in order to get us to the plot. So after little more than a montage of Gary’s undercover work, we meet Madison.

Madison is played by Adria Arjona who I previously only knew as Bix in the wonderful Star Wars series, Andor. I didn’t even recognize her at first in Hit Man, though I thought she looked familiar and not just because she reminded me a bit of a young Salma Hayek.

After convincing Madison not to go through with a hit on her husband—they hit it off and he could tell she wasn’t doing it for money or out of hate, but because she felt imprisoned by her husband and so Gary felt sorry for her—she texts him sometime later and soon they have a blooming romance built on lies. He continues to tell her that he’s Ron, a hit man, and that their relationship can only continue in secret. She finds him exciting and kind and agrees to these conditions. Ron allows Gary to shed his old self and become the confident, sexy man he always wished he could be.

And here I wonder, if it’s not a goofy comedy about a dude in wigs with funny accents, is it actually just a rom-com? Is it mostly an excuse to have Arjano dress up in sexy outfits? Because the second third of the movie sure feels that way.

Madison and Gary

Then things go wrong. Madison convinces Ron/Gary to go out dancing. They run into her abusive soon-to-be-ex-husband and there’s a confrontation. Then they run into Gary’s crooked cop co-worker, Jasper (Austin Amelio of The Walking Dead ) who recognizes Madison. Then Madison’s ex-husband tries to hire Gary—not realizing it’s him—to kill her. It’s a comedy of errors at this point.

Gary, oddly enough, doesn’t just trick the husband and have him arrested. Instead, he makes it clear who he is and the man runs off spooked. Gary warns Madison that she has to make scarce because her husband might try to kill her, but she refuses. And then her husband turns up dead, shot to death with a .38—the same type of gun Madison owns.

At this point I’m starting to wonder if we’re actually watching Linklater’s oddly colorful take on film noir. The husband had an insurance policy, you see. And Madison admits to Gary that she killed him. She’s scared. She needs his help.

Clearly—clearly!—Madison is a femme fatale using Gary to get what she wants. It’s a classic setup, only it’s been disguised by all this goofy comedy and romance stuff, and the lack of any other indications that we’re watching a film noir. But now it all adds up. Madison has been using Gary, who she must have suspected wasn’t who he said he was, or at least she figured she could play him for a sucker.

I am still convinced of this theory as the end approaches, and when Jasper shows up and blackmails them, offering his silence for a big chunk of that insurance money, all the pieces come crashing together. When Madison poisons Jasper, it’s clear that my theory is correct. She acts scared—whatever will she do? If only someone could help her!

Naturally, Gary obliges. He puts a bag over Jasper’s head, suffocating him, telling Madison that he’ll dispose of the body and make it look like a suicide. Nobody will care about a crooked, vile cop like Jasper turning up dead.

All that we need now is for Madison to double-cross Gary. Once he crossed that line, crossed the moral Rubicon and became a killer, his protection from the femme fatale is destroyed. I’ve seen Double Indemnity and plenty of other film noirs. I’ve seen how this works. He’s fallen from grace and she’s bested him. Surely, he’s next. Or he’ll wake up and she’ll be gone, leaving him with a guilty conscience and an empty bed, while she drives away into the sunset with a million bucks.

Happily Ever After

None of this happens. Instead, they get away with it. They get married and have kids and apparently nobody notices or cares or thinks that’s suspicious. No further investigation into Madison’s husband’s death apparently takes place. They don't even try to make it look like Jasper did it in order to take the heat off of them. They sit around the table with their kids telling cute stories about how they met. The end.

Ugh. I don’t think this needed to be a morality lesson, but there are some rules when you’re crafting a noir (or any good story) and this breaks them not in some clever or subversive way, but rather . . . I'm not really sure. Just to give the movie a garishly happy ending, I suppose. Treacly and cloying. We even get a final speech from Gary to his class about seizing their own identities. Carpe-friggin-diem. I suppose we can view it as irony or as some dark twist, but the guys they killed were terrible anyways, so why should we not celebrate? Madison double-crossing Gary would have at least been surprising.

Here’s the problem with such an atrocious ending: The rest of the movie was only average at best. At times it was plodding. Often it was implausible. It was rarely funny enough or steamy enough to work as a screwball comedy or a rom-com. Arjano is gorgeous and talented, and Powell is an attractive and charming guy, but they don’t have the star power to elevate such a thin script. Linklater has made some great films, but despite this one’s high critic and audience scores on Rotten Tomatoes, this isn’t one of them. The ending could have swayed me, could have convinced me that it was all a clever setup, tricking me until the last 20 minutes, with a great final twist of the knife. Instead, I was left rolling my eyes and wondering how on earth so many people thought this was a good movie.

And if this was some attempt to create a Nietzschean happy ending—where casting off the moral bonds of a weak society results in happiness and fulfilment—then I offer up this quotation from The Anti-Christ:

“The most spiritual men, as the strongest, find their happiness where others would find their destruction: in the labyrinth, in hardness against themselves and others, in experiments. Their joy is self-conquest: asceticism becomes in them nature, need, and instinct. Difficult tasks are a privilege to them; to play with burdens that crush others, a recreation. Knowledge–a form of asceticism. They are the most venerable kind of man: that does not preclude their being the most cheerful and the kindliest.”

Nothing that Gary does in the end is hard. He does not face burdens that would crush other men. He gets away with an easy murder he didn’t even plan, bags the girl with only the tiniest friction, and lives a boring life in the suburbs. What an empty ending to an empty film, with few laughs and little else to show for it.

P.S. Yes, this is based very loosely on a true story . No, none of the twists and turns and sex that serve as the film’s plot are part of that true story. Surely a better embellishment could have been dragged out of the subject matter. How bizarre.

• Editorial Standards
• Reprints & Permissions

Join The Conversation

One Community. Many Voices. Create a free account to share your thoughts. 

Forbes Community Guidelines

Our community is about connecting people through open and thoughtful conversations. We want our readers to share their views and exchange ideas and facts in a safe space.

In order to do so, please follow the posting rules in our site's  Terms of Service.   We've summarized some of those key rules below. Simply put, keep it civil.

Your post will be rejected if we notice that it seems to contain:

• False or intentionally out-of-context or misleading information
• Insults, profanity, incoherent, obscene or inflammatory language or threats of any kind
• Attacks on the identity of other commenters or the article's author
• Content that otherwise violates our site's  terms.

User accounts will be blocked if we notice or believe that users are engaged in:

• Continuous attempts to re-post comments that have been previously moderated/rejected
• Racist, sexist, homophobic or other discriminatory comments
• Attempts or tactics that put the site security at risk
• Actions that otherwise violate our site's  terms.

So, how can you be a power user?

• Stay on topic and share your insights
• Feel free to be clear and thoughtful to get your point across
• ‘Like’ or ‘Dislike’ to show your point of view.
• Protect your community.
• Use the report tool to alert us when someone breaks the rules.

Thanks for reading our community guidelines. Please read the full list of posting rules found in our site's  Terms of Service.

70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics

Welcome to A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics page prepared by our editorial team! Here you’ll find an extensive collection of the short story essay topics and ideas! Literary analysis, characters, themes, & more. Get inspired to write your own essay!

• 🔬 Literary Analysis
• 🎭 Characters
• 📊 Compare & Contrast
• 🗺️ Navigation

🎓 References

🔬 literary analysis of a good man is hard to find.

• What is the symbolism of the characters’ names in A Good Man Is Hard to Find ?
• Analyze the use of foreshadowing in the grandmother’s utterances.
• Which literary devices does O’Connor use to create the uncanny feeling in her readers?
• Dialogues in O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find
• What does the wood where the family gets killed symbolize?
• Track the cues that relate each character to a given social class.
• How does nature reflect the characters’ feelings and intentions?
• Analyze the irony of the grandmother’s actions that cost the lives of the entire family.
• How does the timeline of A Good Man Is Hard to Find match its plot development?
• What does the car represent in the short story? Analyze its role for the characters’ descriptions.
• A Good Man is Hard to Find: literary analysis
• Enumerate the situations when the grandmother acts as a bad person. Are they evenly distributed throughout the text?
• Where does each character find their salvation?
• The cat is an important symbol. What does it represent?

🎭 A Good Man Is Hard to Find Characters

• Who are the protagonist and the antagonist in the short story?
• The Grandmother in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
• Do you think the grandmother really changed for the better in the end?
• Why couldn’t the grandmother sympathize with the African American people?
• In your opinion, did The Misfit kill his father?
• What was the role of society in the formation of The Misfit’s character?
• Why were June Star and John Wesley so ill-bred?
• Which traits do the grandmother and The Misfit share?
• Analyze the feministic message in the image of the children’s mother.
• What made Bailey a bad father, husband, and son?
• Explore the moral code of The Misfit.
• Why does the grandmother consider Red Sammy Butts “a good man?”
• Invent another character who could be a good man in the short story.

🌻 Essay Topics on A Good Man Is Hard to Find Themes

• How does the theme of children’s education in the short story show up through the family relationships?
• How do good and evil coexist in the short story?
• Themes & motifs in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
• What does grace mean for the grandmother before her death?
• How does the author manage to show the theme of family through the worst possible example?
• Religion in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
• Does religion make people kinder to each other in A Good Man Is Hard to Find ?
• What role does religion play in interpersonal relationships in the short story?
• How does the theme of Jesus show up in the characters, and what are the differences?
• Flannery O’Connor explores the theme of moral decay. What can be done to remedy the problem?
• Violence in A Good Man Is Hard To Find
• Which characters reflect the theme of honesty in A Good Man Is Hard to Find ?
• Why is the definition of “a good man” so elusive?
• How does the theme of goodness exist in the short story without a single positive character?
• What does morality mean for the grandmother, and how does she use double standards?
• Why is society an adverse factor for children’s development in the short story?
• Why is nostalgia a negative feeling in A Good Man is Hard to Find ?
• How does class make you a good or bad person by default?

⌛ Essay Topics on the Context of A Good Man Is Hard to Find

• How did O’Connor’s Catholic education influence her prose?
• What do you know about the Jim Crow era in the American South?
• Analyze the reasons for the grandmother’s nostalgia in view of the racial inequality?
• Which views of the characters are no longer tolerable nowadays, and what has changed the way people think?
• Why did Flannery O’Connor write such macabre stories?
• Why didn’t the abolishment of slavery improve the position of African Americans, as O’Connor describes it?
• Why does Southern Gothic tend to describe strange and eccentric characters?
• Is O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find a horror story or a realistic story, and why?
• Analyze the reasons for O’Connor’s criticism of religion in her prose.
• Which values did the grandmother uphold as a woman from the South?
• Explore the reasons why such a genre as American Gothic emerged.
• Why were the plantations and mansions in the short story so forsaken?
• Use your knowledge of history to predict what kind of people June Star and John Wesley would have become if they had survived.

📊 A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Compare & Contrast Essay Topics

• What does O’Connor’s prose lack to become dark romanticism, as that of Edgar Allan Poe?
• A Rose for Emily and A Good Man is Hard to Find
• What are the differences between the “freaks” and “outcasts” of Henry Crews and Flannery O’Connor?
• Compare the effect of catholic education on the fiction of Flannery O’Connor and Ann Rice.
• Compare the goodness of the characters in Good Country People and A Good Man Is Hard to Find .
• Psychoanalytical analysis of A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Revelation
• How could Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily inspire O’Connor to write A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
• Compare the depiction of sin and hatred in The Cask Of Amontillado by Edgar Poe and A Good Man Is Hard to Find by O’Connor.
• Compare and contrast the use of irony in A Good Man Is Hard to Find and The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant.
• A Good Man Is Hard to Find vs Good Country People: themes & characters analysis
• Compare the importance of human life in A Good Man Is Hard to Find and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
• How do people dehumanize African Americans in O’Connor’s and Harper Lee’s prose?
• Critics described Wise Blood by O’Connor as “low comedy and high seriousness.” Why can we say the same about A Good Man Is Hard to Find ?

Looking for inspiration to write your own essay on A Good Man Is Hard to Find? You are welcome to visit our essay examples page! And don’t hesitate to use our topic generator if you need any help while formulating your essay title.

• CS Topic Generator – Purdue Computer Science
• Past Essay Topics – University of Warwick
• Literature Topics and Research // Purdue Writing Lab
• Suggested research topics | English at Leicester
• What are the top research topics in literature? – Quora
• Share to Facebook
• Share to Twitter
• Share to LinkedIn
• Share to email

Study Guide Menu

• Short Summary
• Summary & Analysis
• Essay Examples
• Essay Topics
• Questions & Answers
• Chicago (A-D)
• Chicago (N-B)

IvyPanda. (2024, May 24). 70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics. https://ivypanda.com/lit/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-study-guide/essay-topics/

"70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics." IvyPanda , 24 May 2024, ivypanda.com/lit/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-study-guide/essay-topics/.

IvyPanda . (2024) '70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics'. 24 May.

IvyPanda . 2024. "70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics." May 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/lit/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-study-guide/essay-topics/.

1. IvyPanda . "70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics." May 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/lit/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-study-guide/essay-topics/.

Bibliography

IvyPanda . "70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics." May 24, 2024. https://ivypanda.com/lit/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-study-guide/essay-topics/.