A Good Man is hard to Find

Introduction

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” is one of the stories written by Flannery O'Connor that was first published in his short story collection in 1955 by the same name. Ever since, it appeared, the writing has been regarded as one of the best works of O'Connor in short fiction. The story depicts all the features that the author is recognized for. It has a blend of violence and characters that have been sketched with humor and care. Most importantly, the story reflects the author's devout beliefs and firm faith in Roman Catholicism. The writing is both thought provoking, as well as, witty, which is a common attribute amongst many other works of O'Connor, such as “The Violent Bear it away” and “Wise Blood”.

Thesis Statement

“A Good Man is hard to Find” explores the Catholic philosophy of God's grace, reflecting that it is for everyone who seeks it. Alternatively, it questions the beliefs of the people they live by that are nothing like the religious beliefs they claim to follow (O'Connor, p. 14).

Discussion

The story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” starts off on a light-hearted and innocent note. The author introduces one of the main characters of the story,” the Misfit” towards the end, who goes on to kill the entire family. O'Connor uses this character to probe into the concept of “grace” in Christianity, which implies that divine forgiveness from God is there for anyone and everyone who asks for it. The story depicts the Grandmother as a loathsome, unlikeable and arrogant individual, who receives the divine grace at the time of her death when she tries to reach out and touch the Misfit, exclaiming that he is her own child. O'Connor conveys that the grace of God is a force that comes ...