The mystery in finding out how the Misfit meets the “Good Man” standards in hidden in what O’Connor says “people who cannot see beyond the appearance of things”. McDermott brings up the point that either one of the two, being the Misfit and the Grandmother cannot see anything they have ever done wrong making both “enveloped in the darkness of sin.” (McDermott, 2010). The two have connections throughout the whole story that is just hidden under the naked eye. There are three distinct segments that causes the grandmother in the end to find the light she had been missing for so long. The first one being the Misfit indulges in his own self-pity making being able to see himself or know himself for whom he is impossible. This is one of the three distinct ways in which the grandmother finally sees the light by the unseen hero, the Misfit. Next was the grandmother starting to sense the darkness that is overcoming her by the Misfit in killing the family. This puts us inside the story with details such as “there was not a cloud in the sky nor any sun. There was nothing around her but woods” (O’Connor). McDermott argues that when this part happened, “She appears to be infected by her proximity of darkness emanating from The Misfit’s heartless heart.” (McDermott, 2010). What this is stating is that yes the …show more content…
Both of these characters are separated emotionally, mindfully, and just not a part of anyone or anything other than their selves. In this alienation like state both of these characters in the end find piece and Katherine Keil who has written the article, shows ways in which both authors help characters finally find piece. For this to happen Katherine says, “Both the sailor and the grandmother need to recognize their bond as members of creation.” (Keil 2008). After all the indifference towards everyone by the grandmother manipulating the children into taking the family to see a nonexistent house, means she is far from finding who she really is spiritually and what ethics are required to be a good person. As the grandmother says in the short story by O’Connor, “You wouldn’t shoot a lady, would you?”, just backs up what Katherine Keil is stating in her article that the grandmother is an alien in her own world, needing spiritual saving. When faced with death both the sailor and the grandmother is brought salvation by the most unlikely causes. Keil says, “At the moment of her earthly death, she is awakened to their conjoinment in divine creation” and then quotes the grandmother, “Why, you’re one of my babies. You’re one of my own children!” (O’Connor). Finally the grandmother is somewhat saved, not