Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O\'Connor

¶ … Man

Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" presents a grim and pessimistic view of human nature. None of the characters in the short story are likeable, and when the Misfit kills the grandmother, the reader feels little sympathy with her. Flannery O'Connor paints a portrait of modern American society as being bereft of "good" people, and as being inherently flawed.

Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" is a disturbing but compelling story. It is also complex, with no absolute interpretation of what the author is trying to say. Ultimately the author points to one central theme: that it is difficult or impossible to be truly good. In the story, the grandmother is the protagonist. She, as well as Red Sam, believe that good people used to exist but do not anymore. "People are certainly not nice like they used to be," the grandmother tells Red Sam while the family is stopped at his store (O'Connor 4). Red Sam agrees with the grandmother. He says, "These days you don't know who to trust," meaning that at one time it may have been easy to trust people in America (O'Connor 4). Red Sam delivers the line that becomes the title of the short story: "a good man is hard to find," (O'Connor 5). As the story progresses, it becomes apparent that Flannery O'Connor is suggesting that American society is as sick as the Misfit. There are no moral codes, because religion does not provide the means by which people can be honest. The grandmother lies and manipulates her family, even though she thinks of herself as a "good" person. Therefore, the author does not believe religion is the answer to solving the social problems in America. The grandmother's weak pleas to the Misfit to save her life are met with nothing but disgust and ultimately, murder. The Misfit "sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest," (O'Connor 12). O'Connor reflects the moral ambiguity in life, which I believe is a realistic outlook. Religion does not provide the means by which people can be good, as many religious people do bad things. This is why O'Connor offers especially harsh treatment toward religion in "A Good Man is Hard to Find." However, the Misfit represents the extreme outcome of having absolutely no social codes or conscience at all. Somewhere between the two extremes of moral absolutism and immorality must be a middle ground. Flannery O'Connor never tells her reader what that middle ground might be. Instead, the reader is left to think deeply about morality and modern society.

This story sheds light on our main question about whether violence is part of American culture and/or character. The country was founded on principles of violence, as the European settlers believed they were entitled to the land that was already occupied. Using force, the Europeans decimated the Native population. The War of Independence spilled further blood. In fact, bloodshed and violence have been part of American history. Americans remain proud of their guns, highlighting the role that violence and immorality have played in the society.

Michael Moore's documentary Fahrenheit 911 makes social commentary about the ills in American society. These are similar themes to those discussed in "A Good Man is Hard to Find." It is highly likely that O'Connor was influenced by the historical context in which she wrote, and was working with a principle of nihilism to create characters like the grandmother and the Misfit.