Tuesday, April 29, 2014

Explain the significance of the title?

I can only assume that Flannery O'Connor's title for "A
Good Man is Hard to Find" is meant to coexist with the mood of her sometimes humorous
but ultimately terrifying short story. None of the male characters in the story are good
men; thus, the title. The Misfit is pure evil, and his accomplice is no better. Son
Bailey is henpecked and indecisive; he wears a yellow shirt--a flag for his cowardly
behavior. Grandson John Wesley follows in his weak father's footsteps; he is overweight
and wears glasses. Red Sammy, who remarks that "a good man is hard to find," is a
seemingly likable fellow, but he treats his wife like a slave and revels in the past.
The title displays its ironic intent at the end of the story when the family finds their
way into the hands of the anything but good Misfit.

No comments:

Post a Comment

Comment on the setting and character of "The Fall of the House of Usher."How does setting act as a character?

Excellent observation, as it identifies how the settings of Poe's stories reflect the characters of their protagonists. Whet...