Generational Expectations In A Good Man Is Hard To Find

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In many stories authors use side characters to portray certain ideas or concepts that they want to be presented in their stories. In the short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O Connor, the characters John Wesley and June Star help us understand the idea of generational gap and disrespect to the older generations. Examples of this idea is costly brought up throughout the story and helps us as the reader understand the discrepancies between two very different generations.
From the beginning of the story were are introduced to family that are on a road trip going to Florida. The family consists of a Husband, wife theirs two children and the grandmother and immediately we are introduced to this concept of disrespect to the elderly. The grandmother explains to her son Bailey that instead of taking the children to Florida they should go to a wholesome southern state such as Tennessee. Upon hearing his grandmother John Wesley says “If you don’t want to go to Florida, why
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When the family comes along a road stop they decided to go into a diner so that they can get something to eat. When the wife of the owner of the diner sees June Star she says “Aint you cute… Would you like to come be my little girl?” Disgusted of the thought June Star replies I wouldn’t live in a broken down place like this for a million bucks!” This is just another of the many examples that the short story has that shows lack of respect for the past generations. For a younger child it is understandable that a life in a diner stop is unappealing, but the response that June Star had was uncalled for. The generations that come before us play a huge a role in the societies that follow after. Even if she didn’t find the people to be likeable she should know without the prior generations they would not have the life that they currently

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