In the 21st century, the majority of society has dismissed the topic of bullying from it not being a current issue but focuses on other significant issues instead. Bullying has been an issue that has lingered in schools since the beginning of the educational system. Although it is still in today's schools, it has evolved over time from physical to cyber bullying. Sadly, plenty of people can resolve this issue, but are afraid due to the fear of being physically beaten or humiliated. Even in Flannery O' Connor's, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," a grandmother faced with the mortality of her family by the ways of a vicious criminal illustrates how most victims suffer bullying behavior rather than fighting back simply because they are too intimidated.
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The author's use of third person and the disturbing tone in her short story helps to add a greater focus on the grandmother's behavior as well as to enhance the imagery of the environment. William Bonney, a critic of this short story, argues how this incident occurred from "the cultural consequences of that result when a sensitive person is overwhelmed by the sort of prideful and ambiguous ethical opportunism that the grandmother as matriarch has loom generated" (The Moral Structure of Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard To Find 2). While some would state that the reason why the misfit had no feeling of guilt when killing the family was because he was mentally deranged, that is true but he dismisses the elderly woman's angel-like personality altogether based on his perception of her. There are many instances in the short story that show the misfit refuses to reveal his feelings towards the grandmother. In one case, she shows her affection for the man and he retaliates back with shooting the woman. He viewed her in a way that makes it justifiable in his mind to kill the grandmother and her family. The stereotype of the grandmother being someone who is incredibly innocent personality angered the Misfit because he was starting to feel bad for himself. The misfit could not afford feeling guilt and despair so he found this reason to justify the killing of the grandmother. This particular story relates to bullying in today's society because some people dismiss victims that are being bullied and imply the stereotype of the 'nerd' or the 'weird kid'. From this assumption of these individuals, this gives others the idea that bullying is somehow justified. This is the unfortunate reality of the world today because people refuse to help others that are being bullied from the perception that these victims
The author's use of third person and the disturbing tone in her short story helps to add a greater focus on the grandmother's behavior as well as to enhance the imagery of the environment. William Bonney, a critic of this short story, argues how this incident occurred from "the cultural consequences of that result when a sensitive person is overwhelmed by the sort of prideful and ambiguous ethical opportunism that the grandmother as matriarch has loom generated" (The Moral Structure of Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard To Find 2). While some would state that the reason why the misfit had no feeling of guilt when killing the family was because he was mentally deranged, that is true but he dismisses the elderly woman's angel-like personality altogether based on his perception of her. There are many instances in the short story that show the misfit refuses to reveal his feelings towards the grandmother. In one case, she shows her affection for the man and he retaliates back with shooting the woman. He viewed her in a way that makes it justifiable in his mind to kill the grandmother and her family. The stereotype of the grandmother being someone who is incredibly innocent personality angered the Misfit because he was starting to feel bad for himself. The misfit could not afford feeling guilt and despair so he found this reason to justify the killing of the grandmother. This particular story relates to bullying in today's society because some people dismiss victims that are being bullied and imply the stereotype of the 'nerd' or the 'weird kid'. From this assumption of these individuals, this gives others the idea that bullying is somehow justified. This is the unfortunate reality of the world today because people refuse to help others that are being bullied from the perception that these victims