Character Analysis of the Old Lady in Flannery O’Conner’s “Good Men are hard to Find.”
William Miles
South University Online
Composition III/Literature | ENG1300 S03
Week 4 Assignment 2
Faculty: Charles Cannon
10/4/2016
In the short story, “A Good Man is hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, the main character is simple named the old lady. This essay will focus on her character and how she deals with what goes on in this story. She is naïve to the bone and submissive to the core. These characteristics are just two of the main ones that I will focus on. The rest may be mentioned but only if relative to the other two. The story starts out immediately with the old lady bickering about not wanting to go to Florida for vacation with Bailey, her son, and his family. Though shortly after she is the first one in the car the next morning which is the day of the trip. So, this part of the story shows us right away that she is submissive to others. Further evidence is when Bailey’s daughter, June Star, says “Afraid she’d miss something. She has to go everywhere we go” (Kennedy & Gioia, 2010/12, p. 177). This statement points out that the old lady will go regardless of her own opinion. Another main characteristic that the grandmother has is, naïve. This is first shown when the family goes to a dinner to eat. During this part of the trip the old lady gets into a conversation with the owner of the dinner, Red Sam. She calls …show more content…
I love my mother very much but she can get under your skin sometimes just by simply not knowing when to let me take care of the situation or to make the main decisions. My mother however is not racist even though my grandmother very much was racist and was from a time when it was mostly accepted. I’m like the son in that I would just want to get to Florida with no hassles, but my mother would want to side track, leading me to get
William Miles
South University Online
Composition III/Literature | ENG1300 S03
Week 4 Assignment 2
Faculty: Charles Cannon
10/4/2016
In the short story, “A Good Man is hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, the main character is simple named the old lady. This essay will focus on her character and how she deals with what goes on in this story. She is naïve to the bone and submissive to the core. These characteristics are just two of the main ones that I will focus on. The rest may be mentioned but only if relative to the other two. The story starts out immediately with the old lady bickering about not wanting to go to Florida for vacation with Bailey, her son, and his family. Though shortly after she is the first one in the car the next morning which is the day of the trip. So, this part of the story shows us right away that she is submissive to others. Further evidence is when Bailey’s daughter, June Star, says “Afraid she’d miss something. She has to go everywhere we go” (Kennedy & Gioia, 2010/12, p. 177). This statement points out that the old lady will go regardless of her own opinion. Another main characteristic that the grandmother has is, naïve. This is first shown when the family goes to a dinner to eat. During this part of the trip the old lady gets into a conversation with the owner of the dinner, Red Sam. She calls …show more content…
I love my mother very much but she can get under your skin sometimes just by simply not knowing when to let me take care of the situation or to make the main decisions. My mother however is not racist even though my grandmother very much was racist and was from a time when it was mostly accepted. I’m like the son in that I would just want to get to Florida with no hassles, but my mother would want to side track, leading me to get