The Misfit Grandmother

The Pitfalls of Godliness A relationship with God can be nourishing to the soul. Those whose bond with God is strong are ideal models for others because of their virtuous and selfless nature. However, there are those who only preach the word of God without following in his footsteps and use their faith to justify their sins. Even worse, there are those who raise themselves up to be equal with God. In A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O 'Connor, the grandmother, who defines herself as a virtuous lady, believes to have strong moral values; although, her actions say otherwise. Her false sense of morality and manners cause her to believe that she is superior over others. When she is faced with her own mortality, the grandmother 's selfish …show more content…
Believing that she is having a moment of redemption, the grandmother looks at The Misfit and says, “ 'You 're one of my own children! ' She reached out and touched him on the shoulder. The Misfit sprang as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest” (22). Calling The Misfit her child alludes to the idea that like God, she is all forgiving and that he is welcome in her kingdom if he spares her life. However, this “saintly and compassionate” woman has let her own son die for her mistakes, lied and judged others. She is not the pure and holy woman that she believes herself to be, but is like the malicious serpent in the Garden of Eden. Goodness and true redemption will not be bestowed upon The Misfit if he spares the life of the wicked woman. She is a false God, an imposter who tempts the convict with a false sense of compassion that only the one true God can …show more content…
The final moments with The Misfit allows her to realize that she has been a sinful woman and finds redemption before her death. “Looking down at the grandmother who half sat and half lay in a puddle of blood with her legs crossed like a child 's and her face smiling up at the cloudless sky” (22). The child-like pose may symbolize innocence and that after death she may have found peace within herself and with God. However, the pose reveals that the grandmother was never the lady she believed herself to be, but a child. Like children who act out of line and are punished, the grandmother 's immature and selfish ways meet their fate. The Misfit recognizes that she had the ability to be good, “if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life” (23). The grandmother 's holier than thou attitude, may have been avoided if someone had corrected her actions along the way. The Misfit who recognizes her devilish behavior, looks down upon on the hypocritically wicked woman and delivers the fate she deserves. He mercifully, yet brutally gives her the chance to meet her