Realism In Flannery O Connor's Good Country People

To be banal, Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People” commences as if it were just a simple, plain story. However, O’Connor eliminates this mirage quite soon, following the entrance of Hulga Hopewell, whose sharp contrast to the other characters only foreshadows conflict later to come about. In fact, the reader cannot discern any closure to the story until the penultimate page, but O’Connor herself reveals the true nature of the story in one of her books. In Mystery and Manners, the author writes, “The prophet [in reference to the writer] is a realist of distances, and it is this kind of realism that you find in the best modern instances of the grotesque” (44). O’Connor means to say that in Southern fiction, which is grotesque, the writer …show more content…
Hopewell apprises quite early what her perspective on life is. After the narrator, who is omniscient, refers to the manner in which the Freemans were hired, readers are able to peer deeper into the thoughts of the divorced woman. Mrs. Hopewell believes in platitudes, such as “nothing is perfect,” “that is life,” and “other people have their opinions too (O’Connor, “Good Country” 1). As these were alluded to immediately following thoughts on Mrs. Freeman’s flaws, it can be easily surmised that Mrs. Hopewell utilizes these clichés in a manner of optimism. In short, it is in this fashion that she expects nothing of the world to contradict her views, which are ultimately naïve. The extent of this falsity is the idea of “good country people.” This idea can best be defined during the conversation of Manley Pointer and Mrs. Hopewell. Initially unsuccessful at selling a Bible to Mrs. Hopewell, Manley Pointer then says, “People like you don’t like to fool with country people like me” (O’Connor, “Good Country” 4). Mrs. Hopewell then ignites, spouting further clichés and seemingly accepting Pointer (O’Connor, “Good Country” 4). Simply, Mrs. Hopewell believes that good country people are those who inhabit a simple society and prefer to indulge into things only pertinent to “getting by.” Ultimately, the concept of good country people symbolizes Mrs. Hopewell’s naivety, especially in the closing moments of the short story. As Manley Pointer roves the land, Mrs. Hopewell notices him, …show more content…
In fact, he begins on Mrs. Hopewell’s doorstep. Manley Pointer attempts to portray himself as one of low intellect. He uses this falsity as a way to get under Mrs. Hopewell’s skin. He blames Mrs. Hopewell for not liking him, and achieves his goal of snaring her (Walters 65). To attain this, he utilizes Mrs. Hopewell’s primary flaw: her belief in “good country people.” After his initial attempts at selling a Bible are unsuccessful, Manley Pointer then expresses himself as a “good country person.” Upon this, Mrs. Hopewell is ensnared and spouts, ‘Why…good country people are the salt of the earth’ (O’Connor, “Good Country” 4). After, Mrs. Hopewell’s views regarding Manley Pointer are secured. For the remainder of the short story, she suspects no cruel act and labels him as a “good country person” (O’Connor, “Good Country” 6). In regards to Hulga, her most-valuable possession, her wooden leg, symbolizes her difference to the other characters (Walters 63). This is particularly evident later in the story, leading up to the climax, when Manley Pointer asks Hulga to take off her leg, and she then shrieks (O’Connor, “Good Country” 8). It is imperative for Manley Pointer, in order to fulfill his plans, to obtain the trust of Hulga. He executes this brilliantly, in a subtle fashion, through her arrogance, which is not revealed until after this