Most works of literature do not directly describe the theme of the story to the audience. In order for the audience to understand the underlying meaning or foreshadowing of a work, symbolism is used to indirectly give ideas and suggestions to the the reader. Flannery O’Connor, known for rather suspenseful and unpredictable literary works, uses symbolism in order to help guide her audience to understanding her writings.
Both of O’Connor’s works “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” and “Good Country People” hold similar themes. Both stories involve typical, trusting people getting hurt at the hand of seemingly honest strangers. However, neither story clearly states that the family in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” nor Hulga in “Good Country People” are …show more content…
In the very first sentence of the story, O’Connor states that “The grandmother didn’t want to go to Florida.” (O’Connor 405). From the very beginning of the story, it is foreshadowed that something unpleasant will certainly occur on the trip. The family end up having an accident on a dirt road, thanks to the aforementioned children, and are hopeless until “a big black battered hearse-like automobile” (O’Connor 411) shows up. The vehicle is proven to be driven by The Misfit, a rather well-known serial killer the grandmother recognizes nearly immediately. Considering that The Misfit and his henchmen end up murdering the family, the hearse foreshadows their impending death from the moment The Misfit shows up. Once the murders begin to take place, “There was not a cloud in the sky” (O’Connor 415), which further details how isolated and hopeless the family is in the woods alongside The Misfit, when earlier the clear sky was seen as a good omen for their …show more content…
Hulga, formerly Joy, is immediately seen as a stereotypical headstrong figure who believe she is far superior than those around her as she “looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity. (O’Connor 394) However, all is changed when the clean, good natured Bible salesman appears at her door. The salesman’s focus on Christianity and seemingly simple mind helps him quickly gain Hulga’s trust. They meet in the highway of the barn, which is where he begins to take an interest in Hulga’s leg. It is also revealed in the highway that he only carries two Bibles with him, and one is hollow. The hollow Bible symbolizes the man’s lack of morals and honesty. The man ends up running away with Hulga’s and leaves her in the barn, without a leg, which suggests that Hulga not only loses her leg in that moment but also loses whatever trust or respect she had for
Both of O’Connor’s works “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” and “Good Country People” hold similar themes. Both stories involve typical, trusting people getting hurt at the hand of seemingly honest strangers. However, neither story clearly states that the family in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” nor Hulga in “Good Country People” are …show more content…
In the very first sentence of the story, O’Connor states that “The grandmother didn’t want to go to Florida.” (O’Connor 405). From the very beginning of the story, it is foreshadowed that something unpleasant will certainly occur on the trip. The family end up having an accident on a dirt road, thanks to the aforementioned children, and are hopeless until “a big black battered hearse-like automobile” (O’Connor 411) shows up. The vehicle is proven to be driven by The Misfit, a rather well-known serial killer the grandmother recognizes nearly immediately. Considering that The Misfit and his henchmen end up murdering the family, the hearse foreshadows their impending death from the moment The Misfit shows up. Once the murders begin to take place, “There was not a cloud in the sky” (O’Connor 415), which further details how isolated and hopeless the family is in the woods alongside The Misfit, when earlier the clear sky was seen as a good omen for their …show more content…
Hulga, formerly Joy, is immediately seen as a stereotypical headstrong figure who believe she is far superior than those around her as she “looked at nice young men as if she could smell their stupidity. (O’Connor 394) However, all is changed when the clean, good natured Bible salesman appears at her door. The salesman’s focus on Christianity and seemingly simple mind helps him quickly gain Hulga’s trust. They meet in the highway of the barn, which is where he begins to take an interest in Hulga’s leg. It is also revealed in the highway that he only carries two Bibles with him, and one is hollow. The hollow Bible symbolizes the man’s lack of morals and honesty. The man ends up running away with Hulga’s and leaves her in the barn, without a leg, which suggests that Hulga not only loses her leg in that moment but also loses whatever trust or respect she had for