The Grandmother in A Good Man is Hard to Find
In the short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, she uses the character of the grandmother to present the cons of self-centeredness. Although it is very obvious the grandmother lacks self-awareness, she still considers herself a good woman. The appearance of the grandmother described throughout this short story is shown to the reader as an old, southern, Caucasian woman. The way she spoke and how she chose to dress are both indications that she does indeed consider herself a lady although her unflattering personality did not match. Throughout the story the grandmother’s selfishness, judgmental actions, dishonesty, and forgetfulness was sure to put the family in …show more content…
Hey Pop, can’t we go see the house with the secret panel?” The aggravation from his kids wanting to go see the house brings him great stress while driving and this causes them to get into a car accident. The grandmother seems to have been the cause of this due to the fact that she triggered the topic by bringing up the story of the house to the children, making them very interested in the idea. In her mind she knew that this story would get her grandchildren excited and possibly persuade Bailey to do what she wants. After the accident, the
Kuhl 5 grandmother never mentions to anybody that the house with the secret panel is actually located in Tennessee and not in Florida. She knows that mentioning the location of the house will turn her family against her, so it would be in her best interest to keep her mouth shut.
There is a shocking moment in this short story where the grandmother speaks completely out of line, calling a little African American boy a “nigger boy.” From this very inappropriate phrase, we are able to see her true colors. The grandmother seems to have all the characteristics of what a good person isn’t. A good person doesn’t judge others based on what they do and do not have. After she gives her grandchildren, John and June, a lecture about being a good person, the grandmother contradicts herself by saying, “Little niggers in the country don’t have things like we do. If I could, I’d paint that
In the short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, she uses the character of the grandmother to present the cons of self-centeredness. Although it is very obvious the grandmother lacks self-awareness, she still considers herself a good woman. The appearance of the grandmother described throughout this short story is shown to the reader as an old, southern, Caucasian woman. The way she spoke and how she chose to dress are both indications that she does indeed consider herself a lady although her unflattering personality did not match. Throughout the story the grandmother’s selfishness, judgmental actions, dishonesty, and forgetfulness was sure to put the family in …show more content…
Hey Pop, can’t we go see the house with the secret panel?” The aggravation from his kids wanting to go see the house brings him great stress while driving and this causes them to get into a car accident. The grandmother seems to have been the cause of this due to the fact that she triggered the topic by bringing up the story of the house to the children, making them very interested in the idea. In her mind she knew that this story would get her grandchildren excited and possibly persuade Bailey to do what she wants. After the accident, the
Kuhl 5 grandmother never mentions to anybody that the house with the secret panel is actually located in Tennessee and not in Florida. She knows that mentioning the location of the house will turn her family against her, so it would be in her best interest to keep her mouth shut.
There is a shocking moment in this short story where the grandmother speaks completely out of line, calling a little African American boy a “nigger boy.” From this very inappropriate phrase, we are able to see her true colors. The grandmother seems to have all the characteristics of what a good person isn’t. A good person doesn’t judge others based on what they do and do not have. After she gives her grandchildren, John and June, a lecture about being a good person, the grandmother contradicts herself by saying, “Little niggers in the country don’t have things like we do. If I could, I’d paint that