The characters in the story “a good man is hard to find,” by Flannery O’Connor have similar characteristics but the one characteristic that stand out the most is being morally superior. The Grandmother acts as a morally superior figure, justifying her actions by god. An example of her superiority is when the grandmother tells John Wesley to respect his native state. She states, “In my time… children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else. People did right then” (O 'Connor 139). The grandmother is very quick to make judgments on others and give opinions but never criticizes herself. Also when the Misfit begins to shoot the family, never once does the Grandmother plead to save her family, she only pleads
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Prayer is a reoccurring phenomenon in end of the story. Christians use prayer as an act of forgiveness, a way of showing thanks to god, or a cry for help. Throughout the story the grandmother harps on how her actions follow the path of God, however when she is begging for her life she fails to pray to God. She tells the Misfit, “If you would pray," the old lady said, "Jesus would help you.” (O’Connor 150). If the Grandmother truly believes Jesus can help you then how come she fails to pray when she knows the Misfit is going to kill her. This shows the grandmothers moral weakness and the failure to adhere to her moral superiority. Another example is in the end of the story the grandmother is representing God talking to his children. She states, “Why you 're one of my babies. You 're one of my own children!" She reached out and touched him on the shoulder” (O’Connor 152). In Christianity, God represents the father and all of his followers are considered his children. This quote represents God accepting even the bad people into heaven. By the grandmother acting as a symbol of God, the author, Flannery O’Connor, implied even the bad, such as the misfit, will be accepted into
Prayer is a reoccurring phenomenon in end of the story. Christians use prayer as an act of forgiveness, a way of showing thanks to god, or a cry for help. Throughout the story the grandmother harps on how her actions follow the path of God, however when she is begging for her life she fails to pray to God. She tells the Misfit, “If you would pray," the old lady said, "Jesus would help you.” (O’Connor 150). If the Grandmother truly believes Jesus can help you then how come she fails to pray when she knows the Misfit is going to kill her. This shows the grandmothers moral weakness and the failure to adhere to her moral superiority. Another example is in the end of the story the grandmother is representing God talking to his children. She states, “Why you 're one of my babies. You 're one of my own children!" She reached out and touched him on the shoulder” (O’Connor 152). In Christianity, God represents the father and all of his followers are considered his children. This quote represents God accepting even the bad people into heaven. By the grandmother acting as a symbol of God, the author, Flannery O’Connor, implied even the bad, such as the misfit, will be accepted into