The characterization of the Misfit maybe simple, but it is actually a somewhat difficult thing to do. In lame mans terms, he does not fit in a one size fits all explanation of what he is. For one, he is a misfit and an outsider, never quite fitting in our cookie cutter society. His case is quite peculiar in the fact that he can not be simply written off as crazy. It would be simple to put a label on him and be done with it, but why not delve deeper into this and give a more precise characterization of the Misfit. When compiling all the information and deducting some of our own we arrive at the conclusion that he is a psychopath.
From the very beginning of this short story, it is very clear that the Misfit is in fact a misfit. When first introduced …show more content…
It is clear and definite that the Misfit lacks empathy, a psychopath, and is not one of those murderers that does it for fun and so see their victim in pain, a sadist. Towards the end of the short story, the Misfit is expresses how he kills people for the meanness of doing it (O 'Connor 308). The Misfit goes on to say “no pleasure but meanness” (O 'Connor 308). He then murderers the grandmother in cold blood showing no remorse or any kind of sympathy for her. Without skipping a beat he then finishes his previous thought saying “no real pleasure in life.” (O 'Connor 309). His lack of empathy is even more evident when considering the fact that he tried to remember why he was sent to the penitentiary and could not come up with the truth. The Misfit conveyed that “what [he] had done was kill [his] daddy” (O 'Connor 306). Even though he had killed his own father, he had no recalection of this event as if he brushed it off like it was just another day. This shows that the Misfit has no empathy. A person with no empathy is considered a psychopath. Therefore, the Misfit is a psychopath because, he has no …show more content…
One of the first words she says to him is “You wouldn 't shoot a lady, would you?” (O 'Connor 305). She then arbitrarily seems to assume and tell him that he is a good man throughout the rest of the story. Even after he kills her family, after each death she keeps insisting that he is a good man. She seems to hold onto this fake persona and idea that he has to be good. This false persona only begins to crack when she realizes that there is no way out of this. She echos what she said when she first met him; saying “You 've got good blood! I know you wouldn 't shoot a lady! . . . I 'll give you all the money I 've
From the very beginning of this short story, it is very clear that the Misfit is in fact a misfit. When first introduced …show more content…
It is clear and definite that the Misfit lacks empathy, a psychopath, and is not one of those murderers that does it for fun and so see their victim in pain, a sadist. Towards the end of the short story, the Misfit is expresses how he kills people for the meanness of doing it (O 'Connor 308). The Misfit goes on to say “no pleasure but meanness” (O 'Connor 308). He then murderers the grandmother in cold blood showing no remorse or any kind of sympathy for her. Without skipping a beat he then finishes his previous thought saying “no real pleasure in life.” (O 'Connor 309). His lack of empathy is even more evident when considering the fact that he tried to remember why he was sent to the penitentiary and could not come up with the truth. The Misfit conveyed that “what [he] had done was kill [his] daddy” (O 'Connor 306). Even though he had killed his own father, he had no recalection of this event as if he brushed it off like it was just another day. This shows that the Misfit has no empathy. A person with no empathy is considered a psychopath. Therefore, the Misfit is a psychopath because, he has no …show more content…
One of the first words she says to him is “You wouldn 't shoot a lady, would you?” (O 'Connor 305). She then arbitrarily seems to assume and tell him that he is a good man throughout the rest of the story. Even after he kills her family, after each death she keeps insisting that he is a good man. She seems to hold onto this fake persona and idea that he has to be good. This false persona only begins to crack when she realizes that there is no way out of this. She echos what she said when she first met him; saying “You 've got good blood! I know you wouldn 't shoot a lady! . . . I 'll give you all the money I 've