Flannery O’Connor’s short stories, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and “Good Country People”, both elude a comparable tone and mood consistent with her usual writing style. Both of these stories fit in with the Southern Gothic genre which has a very unique feeling. This type of literature often utilizes supernatural elements and irregularity of the grotesque focusing on people from Southern United States and their innate Christianity. Southern Gothic writing holds a focus on eccentric characters as well as moody and unsettling events. “A Good Man is Hard to Find” has become one of the most famous examples of this genre, holding true to its eerie feelings and dark tones. Elements of humor, irony and danger are creatively intertwined throughout
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Consistent with O’Connor’s writing style, this story starts off in a way most people would think is uneventful and perhaps boring. As with “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, it is not until the end where the mood changes drastically to being grotesque and ironic. In the beginning, the older characters, Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Hopewell are introduced as being gossipy and judgmental. There is a special emphasis on Mrs. Hopewell’s daughter Joy, who is described as being in her early thirties and extremely educated but stays at home because she is partly disabled with a wooden leg, a heart condition and may only live for another ten years. Congruent with the grotesque nature of the story, it is mentioned that she had her leg “shot off in a hunting accident” when she was ten (Mays 435). It is later noted that Joy changed her name to Hulga against her mom’s wishes. This is slightly humorous but also shows her rebellious and stubborn nature. Despite Mrs. Freeman having two daughters herself, they are merely mentioned and it is assumed they are not an integral part of the story and are instead a slight distraction for what’s to come. The title comes from Mrs. Hopewell’s description of her tenants, the Freemans, as being good country people. The mentions of the country and how these southern people tend to act is appropriately used as it is a piece of Southern Gothic
Consistent with O’Connor’s writing style, this story starts off in a way most people would think is uneventful and perhaps boring. As with “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, it is not until the end where the mood changes drastically to being grotesque and ironic. In the beginning, the older characters, Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Hopewell are introduced as being gossipy and judgmental. There is a special emphasis on Mrs. Hopewell’s daughter Joy, who is described as being in her early thirties and extremely educated but stays at home because she is partly disabled with a wooden leg, a heart condition and may only live for another ten years. Congruent with the grotesque nature of the story, it is mentioned that she had her leg “shot off in a hunting accident” when she was ten (Mays 435). It is later noted that Joy changed her name to Hulga against her mom’s wishes. This is slightly humorous but also shows her rebellious and stubborn nature. Despite Mrs. Freeman having two daughters herself, they are merely mentioned and it is assumed they are not an integral part of the story and are instead a slight distraction for what’s to come. The title comes from Mrs. Hopewell’s description of her tenants, the Freemans, as being good country people. The mentions of the country and how these southern people tend to act is appropriately used as it is a piece of Southern Gothic