"A Good Man Is Hard to Find" (Grandmother)

I believe it’s the struggle or balance between good and evil. The grandmother is suppose to represent the peace and and happiness while the Misfit is suppose to represent evil and darkness. The grandma was a nasty and mean old lady who deserved to die. According to the novel,” only death can bring out the goodness in her.” In my opinion death isn’t the only way to prove your innocence. You should find peace during your life instead of your last moment.

The grandmother wasn’t like our ordinary grandmothers today. We have sweet and kind grandmothers that like to spoil us. Granite I don’t know everybody’s grandmothers, but I assume they weren’t as like the grandmother in the story. Not, do I agree with that fact that her test of supreme opportunity should happen right before he died. I believe she should of had several encounter throughout her life time to show the struggle of being good. Though that’s just my opinion the grandmother represents the dangers of self centeredness. Though she lacked self awareness she always considered herself a nice lady by the way she dressed. That blindness only leaded to her death from the misfit.

The misfit in the story represented evil. He was the serial killer of our everyday life. From the beginning to end the misfit filled out his part in being evil. I’m sure from that moment on In the article, “O’Connor a Good Man is Hard to Find” by Arthur F. Bethea, the author writes about how from the beginning of the story, the grandmother starts with her selfishness by not wanting to go to Florida. She doesn’t care that the misfit character was out and loose on the streets. ”The old lady’s gesture, like the mustard-seed, will grow to be a great crow-filled tree in the Misfit’s heart, and will be enough of a pain to him there to turn him into the prophet he was meant to become.” In my opinion hence an act of selfishness. Why would you put your family in danger because of what you want. Any grandmother would put there life on the line for there family regardless of the consequences.

All in all, the grandmother was a selfish person through the story. I figured O’Conner was trying to represent the battles we face in our ordinary life but how we still should act. Although she lacked the awareness to see she wasn’t a good person, she still believed so. Many people are like that nowadays and don’t realize it till the very last moment. Hence how she changed before she died. I believe the story should have ended differently if only the grandmother didn’t fell herself too much. Maybe she would’ve had a second chance at living. Ishe hadn’t annoyed The Misfit so much, she could be alive. Therefore, treat others with respect as you want to be treated. Otherwise, you never know. You could end up like the grandmother. That is why it is better to be positive and have peace then endure evil and hatred.

Cite this page