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Essays on A Good Man is Hard to Find

Our curated selection of essay samples on "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" offers a wide range of perspectives on this seminal work. Each essay provides unique insights into the story's rich tapestry of characters, from the morally complex Grandmother to the enigmatic Misfit, whose interactions prompt readers to question the nature of true goodness and grace.

Themes Explored in Depth

Dive into essays that meticulously analyze the story's central themes, including the moral dilemmas faced by the characters, the role of grace and redemption, and the profound commentary on the human condition. Understand how O'Connor employs her narrative to challenge and redefine the concept of a "good" person in the context of her Southern Gothic setting.

Literary Devices and Symbolism Uncovered

Flannery O'Connor's use of literary devices and symbolism is pivotal to the depth and resonance of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." Our essay samples explore how irony, foreshadowing, and vivid imagery enhance the narrative's impact, offering readers a comprehensive understanding of O'Connor's storytelling prowess.

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Whether you're crafting an essay, conducting research, or seeking inspiration for your writing, our database provides invaluable resources to support your academic journey. Explore essays that dissect the story's complex narrative structure, character development, and thematic undertones to enrich your analysis and critical thinking skills.

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Review of Flannery O'connor’s Book, a Good Man is Hard to Find

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Analysis of Misfit Character in a Good Man is Hard to Find

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Flannery O'Connor

Short Story, Southern Gothic

Bailey, Bailey's wife, Grandmother, John Wesley, June Star, The Baby, Red Sammy Butts, Red Sammy's Wife, The Misfit, Hiram, Bobby Lee, Edgar Atkins Teagarden, Pitty Sing, Gray Monkey, The Negro child

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a good man is hard to find essay prompt

Literary Theory and Criticism

Home › Literature › Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on May 25, 2021

Frequently anthologized, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” exemplifies Flannery O’Connor’s southern religious grounding. The story depicts the impact of Christ on the lives of two seemingly disparate characters. One is a grandmother joining her son’s family on a trip to Florida. Accompanied by a silent daughter-in-law, a baby, two unpleasant children, and her smuggled cat, she wheedles the son into making a detour to see a plantation that she remembers from an earlier time.

Moments of recognition and connection multiply as the seemingly foreordained meeting of the grandmother and the killer she has read about in the paper takes place. She upsets the basket in which she has hidden her cat; the cat lands on her son’s neck, causing an accident. Soon three men appear on the dirt road, and the grandmother recognizes one of them as the notorious killer the Misfit.

a good man is hard to find essay prompt

Flannery O’Connor/National Catholic Register

O’Connor weaves the notion of punishment and Christian love into the conversation between the Misfit and the grandmother while the grandmother’s family is being murdered. Referring to the similarity that he shares with Christ, the Misfit declares that “Jesus thrown everything off balance” (27), but he admits that unlike Christ, he must have committed a crime because there were papers to prove it. When the grandmother touches his shoulder because she sees him as one of her own children, she demonstrates a Christian love that causes him to shoot her.

This story typifies O’Connor’s mingling of comedy, goodness, banality, and violence in her vision of a world that, however imperfect, most readers inevitably recognize as part of their own. O’Connor views the world as a place where benevolence and good intentions conflict with perversity and evil, and her protagonists frequently learn too late that their lives can crumble in an instant when confronted by the very real powers of darkness.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Kessler, Edward. Flannery O’Connor and the Language of Apocalypse. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1986. Orvell, Miles. Flannery O’Connor: An Introduction. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1991

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A Good Man is Hard to Find

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Discussion Questions

Religion—specifically Christianity—is a strong motif in the story; both the grandmother and The Misfit are preoccupied with religion. How do their views differ? How are they the same?

How does the grandmother define a “good man”? How does this term relate to the title of the story? Is the grandmother a good person herself?

Explore the various meanings behind the title: “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Does the story prove that this is true?

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A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary

Are you about to write  A Good Man Is Hard to Find theme essay? Then, make sure to check this sample out! Here, you’ll find the story’s summary, moral lesson, themes, and other aspects of the analysis. Keep reading to get some inspiration for your A Good Man Is Hard to Find thesis! 

A great writer Flannery O’Connor has always been a central figure in American literature. Just like her colleague Nadine Gordimer, she covered the moral issues in her bizarre stories. Her short story A Good Man is Hard to Find provides a solid ground for literary analysis. Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find analysis will help you better grasp the story.

Introduction

A Good Man is Hard to Find appeared in 1955 and remains a widely-discussed story up till nowadays. Flannery O’Connor combined the most thoughts-provocative issues of that time in a short piece (Kinney 1). Although society has developed since then, people still deal with the problems mentioned by Flannery O’Connor. A Good Man is Hard to Find analysis will discuss two key themes of the story: selfishness and individualism.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Summary

A Good Man is Hard to Find is a tragic short story about a family. A grandmother, father, mother, and three kids are going to visit Florida. At first sight, they seem to be good country people. However, there are many pitfalls. Their older children – John Wesley and June Star – are very boorish and ignorant. The mother devotes herself to her kids, not having enough time to live a fulfilled life. The father seems to be annoyed by his children. Finally, the grandmother thinks only about herself, not paying enough attention to the family.

Despite the rumors about the escaped prisoner, The Misfit, the family goes on a trip. While on the way to Florida, the grandmom suddenly remembers an old plantation. Many years ago, she was astonished by its incredible beauty. So, she convinces Bailey, the father, to go off the road and visit that place. Being unsure if she is pointing in the right direction, the grandmother loses her control. As a result, she does not manage to hold her cat. It jumps on Bailey’s shoulder, causing a car accident.

Fortunately, everybody stayed alive. But then, the real troubles start. Trying to deal with the situation, the family hopes somebody will stop by them and offer help. Suddenly, the car appears on the road. The three men get out of the car, and the grandmom recognizes The Misfit among them. In desperate attempts to save her life, the grandmother tries to convince the criminal that he is a good man. She asks him to pray to become closer to Jesus. However, her effort is useless. Ultimately, The Misfit commands to kill all the family members and kills the grandmom himself. That is how dramatically the story ends. 

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Literary Analysis

Selfishness and individualism are the essential themes covered in the story A Good Man is Hard to Find . In the story, the grandmother prioritized her interests rather than the interest of her family. As a result, the tragic ending occurred to everybody. With the example of the grandmom, the author shows how the desire to achieve personal needs affects society.

Selfishness

The main character of the story – the grandmother – is an entirely selfish woman. Her selfishness reflects in the way she acts, the way she interacts with her family, and even in the way she dresses up.

The grandmother is always concerned about her appearance. She is obsessed with the idea of being a lady. So, she dresses up in elegant dresses and fancy hats. She hopes that “in case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady” (O’Connor 2). Thus, she does not spend time with her grandchildren or help her daughter-in-law with household chores. Instead, the grandmother devotes all her time to herself, choosing appropriate dresses and hats.

Besides being ignorant, the grandmom is also a manipulative woman. She effectively manipulates her family members to suit her interests. For example, she takes her cat on a trip despite Bailey’s prohibition against doing that. She just thinks her cat would miss her if she left it alone at home. As a result, the cat becomes a cause of a terrible car crash.

Moreover, the grandmother manipulates her family to see a plantation she saw many years ago. After taking a nap in the car, she suddenly remembers a beautiful place she visited while young. She wants to recall these memories, so she urges her son to go off the road. The grandmother is sure that Bailey will not be willing to spend much time on an old plantation. Thus, she lies to her grandchildren’s children about a secret panel with plenty of silver in that house. The woman says: “It’s not far from here, I know. It wouldn’t take over twenty minutes” (O’Connor 5). In reality, she does not know for sure how long it would take to reach that place. However, her sense of self-importance makes her lie to her family. She manipulates her son to achieve the desired result.

Grandmom’s selfish purposes create dangerous circumstances for the family. Being under the pressure of his mother, Bailey follows her directions. As a result, they get into a car accident and meet The Misfit. 

Individualism

In addition to selfishness, the grandmother’s character traits also include individualism. In the story, the woman’s individualism is confronted with the individualism of the Misfit. Both characters achieve their own needs through surrounding people. They take whatever they need and move forward, not taking into consideration the needs of others. As a result of this behavior, the world becomes a place where “community holds no value” (Hooten 198).

Both the grandmom and The Misfit are predisposed to be humane. For example, the woman tries to convince the prisoner about the significance of spiritual values. Thus, she has a clear image of what kindness means. Similarly, The Misfit seems to be a well-behaved person from first sight. For instance, he apologizes for being dressed improperly. Nevertheless, in the inner battle of good and evil, evil wins in both characters. 

Therefore, individualism takes the upper hand in the character set of both: the grandmother and the Misfit. While being ignorant of other people, the woman and the criminal destroy society. Their individualistic nature becomes a real threat to the surrounding people. 

The analysis of A Good Man is Hard to Find reveals an intriguing aspect. The grandmother and The Misfit have very similar personalities. They both are ready to lie, manipulate, and murder to fulfill their desires.

A Good Man is Hard to Find essay covers Flannery O’Connor’s concern. The themes of selfishness and individualism worry the author. This issue is critical and should be dealt with immediately. If people keep being selfish individualists, the world will become a group of “self-focused wanderers without a community who use others as means to their own ends” (Hooten 197).

  • Gresham, Stephen. Things Darkly Buried: In Praise of A Good Man Is Hard to Find. 2010, Shenandoah , 1-2: 17-18. Web.
  • Hooten, Jessica. Individualism in O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find. 2008, The Explicator , 4: 197-198. Web.
  • Kinney, Arthur F. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Overview. 1994, Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press 1-2. Print.
  • O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man is Hard to Find. 2 011, Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing: Custom Edition . X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 1-12. Print.

How do you start A Good Man Is Hard to Find analysis essay?

The best way to start an essay on A Good Man Is Hard to Find is to state a clear thesis statement. First, decide on the main points you are going to present. Then, develop a strong thesis, including those ideas. Put everything in words and impress your audience from the very beginning of your essay.

What is the main theme of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

A Good Man Is Hard to Find covers a lot of crucial issues. However, the central theme is the destructive nature of selfishness and individualism. Flannery O’Connor points out that these traits lead to the establishment of an immoral society.

How would you describe the grandmother in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The grandmother is a woman from the Old South. She considers herself an elegant and graceful lady. In fact, she is a selfish, judgmental, and manipulative granny. She gets what she desires by disrespecting the people that surround her.

What is the message in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

Flannery O’Connor’s message is that human compassion and grace may change even the most ignorant person. It is best seen during the final encounter between the grandmother and The Misfit.

Is the Misfit a good man?

It is a controversial question, and the reader needs to decide for himself. On the one hand, The Misfit is a dangerous escaped convict. He does not feel responsible for his actions and does not believe in God. On the other hand, he compares himself to Jesus. The Misfit gets into a deep philosophical conversation with the grandmother.

What literary devices are used in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

A Good Man Is Hard to Find is full of literary devices. The author uses symbolism, irony, foreshadowing, and philosophical thoughts that awaken conversations. These literary devices help the reader understand the story’s moral and experience it better.

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Interesting Literature

A Summary and Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ is one of the best-known short stories by Flannery O’Connor (1925-64), who produced a string of powerful stories during her short life. First published in the collection A Good Man Is Hard to Find in 1955, the story is about an American family who run into an escaped murderer at a plantation.

Before we offer an analysis of some of the key details of the story, here’s a brief summary of its plot.

Plot summary

The story is about a grandmother, her son named Bailey, Bailey’s wife, and the couple’s three children, named June Star, John Wesley, and simply ‘the baby’. The family are going on holiday to Florida. At the beginning of the story, the grandmother points out to her son that a notorious criminal, known as the Misfit, is on the loose and she doesn’t think they should be going on vacation to Florida when the Misfit is rumoured to be heading there.

On their way to their destination, the grandmother tells the children a story of how she was courted by a wealthy man who used to leave her a watermelon every day with his initials, E. A. T., inscribed in it. However, one day a black boy saw the word ‘EAT’ on the watermelon and ate it. This story amuses the children.

The family then stop off for lunch a barbecue diner, The Tower, run by a man named Red Sammy, who talks to the grandmother about the Misfit. It is Red Sammy who remarks, ‘A good man is hard to find’, in reference to the dangerous convict on the loose.

When the family get back on the road, the grandmother persuades her son to take a detour to a plantation she remembers from her youth. She embellishes the story by inventing details, such as the idea that a secret panel concealed the family silver in the house.

However, she has misremembered where the plantation is: Tennessee, rather than Georgia (where the family are). When the grandmother’s cat escapes from his basket and frightens Bailey, he crashes the car into a ditch.

Another car approaches them. It contains three men, one of whom the grandmother recognises as the notorious Misfit. He seems familiar to her, as though she has known him for years.

When she blurts out that she recognises him, the Misfit tells them that it would have been better if she hadn’t recognised him. He talks to the grandmother while his two accomplices lead Bailey into the woods and shoot him. They then do the same with Bailey’s wife and the children. The grandmother tries to flatter the Misfit into sparing her life, telling him that she knows he’s a good man, but to no avail.

The story ends with the grandmother addressing the Misfit as one of her own ‘babies’ or ‘children’; the Misfit shoots her dead. The Misfit has the final word, observing that the grandmother would have been a good woman if she had had someone there ‘to shoot her every minute of her life.’

The character of the grandmother is central to the dramatic power of ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’. The first two words of the story are ‘The grandmother’; the story begins with her warning her son about the escaped Misfit and ends with her being shot dead by the Misfit; the story opens with the third-person narrator’s reference to Bailey as the grandmother’s ‘only boy’ but ends with her addressing the Misfit as one of her ‘own children’.

And although ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ is narrated by an impersonal third-person narrator, in terms of the story’s focalisation we remain close to the grandmother’s perspective on events, seeing things through her eyes and gaining access to her thoughts and feelings as the story approaches its shocking and dramatic climax.

The skill of O’Connor’s writing lies in her ability to shuttle rapidly between comedic moments poking gentle fun at the grandmother and darker plot developments. The point is not that the shift between these two very different modes seems awkward or out of place, but that O’Connor lends the already shocking moments at the end of the story an even more alarming element, through juxtaposing them with lighter comic interludes.

A central theme of O’Connor’s story is, as the title makes clear, goodness: note how the grandmother and Red Sammy’s repeated references to a ‘good man’ meet their match in the Misfit’s statement at the end of the story that the grandmother would have been a ‘good woman’ if someone had been there to (threaten to) shoot her at all times.

This statement of the Misfit’s also highlights another theme O’Connor is exploring: that of crime and punishment. The Misfit tells the grandmother that the punishments he has undergone don’t match with the crimes he has committed. But the story contains a religious angle, too, as exemplified by the grandmother’s epiphany at the end of the story, in which – when confronted with her own imminent death – she reaches out and acknowledges her killer as one of her ‘children’.

This blessing is in stark contrast to the Misfit, who – in almost Dostoevskian fashion – characterises Christianity as a case of either giving up anything and following Christ or rejecting him and doing as one pleases. Anything – murder, burning down someone’s house – is permissible and constitutes the only true pleasure one can get from life.

The grandmother’s final act of blessing (forgiveness, or a last desperate attempt to save her own life?) raises this petty, racially prejudiced, and comical old woman far above the level of the nihilistic Misfit and all he represents.

Of course, it may also be significant that the Misfit – who was accused by one of the prison psychiatrists of killing his own father – personally kills the grandmother, who represents an old and outmoded America. Flannery O’Connor’s story is about a changing America, and the text is marked by the Grandmother’s continual reminiscences about a better, simpler life when she was younger.

The story’s title, taken from Red Sammy’s conversation with the Grandmother in which they lament that the world has become debased and degraded during their lifetimes, places this mood and tone at the centre of the story.

In this connection, the grandmother’s attitude towards African-Americans is already outdated, even in 1955 when the story first appeared.

Her racial stereotypes , such as associating African-Americans with watermelons, the offensive words she uses to describe the black boy they pass in the car, and her casual presumptions about the lives of black people all mark her out as a representative of an older American outlook which is about to be entirely laid to rest with the onset of the US Civil Rights movement. (The Montgomery Bus Boycott , for example, occurred at the end of 1955, the year the story appeared.)

Final thoughts

Viewed this way, ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’ might be productively analysed alongside a another key American text from the 1950s: Tennessee Williams’ play Cat on a Hot Tin Roof , also from 1955, similarly deals with the generational gap between an older America and the younger Americans who represent a new attitude, especially regarding race.

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A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics & Samples

Flannery O’Connor’s short story has many more underlying ideas and symbols to discuss than you may think. If you decided to write an essay on “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” don’t forget to read through the sections of the guide made by Custom-Writing.org experts!

This article contains a list of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” essay prompts and ideas that will help you write a great paper. We’ve also included “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” thesis ideas and essay samples that you are welcome to use for inspiration.

  • 💡 Essay Topics
  • ✍️ Essay Prompts
  • 🎓 Thesis Ideas
  • 📚 Examples of Thesis Statements
  • ✒️ Essay Samples

💡 A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics

Don’t panic if you don’t know where to start. Check out the prompts to help you write a successful “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” essay!

  • The age of the characters in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find .” Why do you think the main character has to be an elderly lady? Why does age matter in this case? Flannery O’Connor describes the Grandmother’s life in a pretty negative light. She is lonely and often relives the memories from the past. What does it hint at?
  • The meaning of being a “good man,” according to Flannery O’Connor . There’s no doubt that the concept of “goodness” is the main theme of the story. We can see that none of the characters can be an example of a “good man” because everybody’s perception of goodness is different. Is it possible to sum up the author’s point of view?
  • “ A Good Man Is Hard to Find”: character analysis essay . This topic may be more complex than it seems! First of all, don’t forget to use our guide with the summary and analysis provided. Then, choose what character you want to write about. And don’t forget to include some quotes to prove your point!
  • How does the setting affect the plot and character development in the story? Undoubtedly, the Grandmother’s change is the story’s major plot point. You don’t want to miss that! In this analysis essay on “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”, you would need to focus on the literary devices that highlight the grotesque setting of this event.
  • How is the theme of the family represented in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”? Here, you should write about family dynamics in the Bailey family. You may want to start with the Grandmother, who seems to be such a nice lady but ultimately doesn’t care about her family.
  • The role of Red Sammy Butts in Flannery O’Connor’s story . What is this character’s function in this story? To drop the line that becomes the title of the story, or is there something more? Think about how Red Sam affects the Grandmother’s point of view.
  • The Grandmother’s epiphany as the main idea of the story . This “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” essay prompt focuses on the Grandmother’s revelation in the end. Only when facing her death could she understand what true grace and divine love are. Study this idea and write down your thoughts!
  • “ A Good Man Is Hard to Find” and violence. Good vs. evil is the short story’s major theme , but think about whether all the victims are so necessary. The Grandmother is forced to hear her whole family killed. Is facing death the only way for her to experience an epiphany?
  • Symbolism in Flannery O’Connor’s short story . The author uses many literary devices, such as allegory and various symbols. For instance, the Grandmother’s hat is one of them, and the fact that it gets destroyed after the car crash has a meaning.
  • A psychoanalytic review of the Misfit’s character from “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” This character is the most exciting one to analyze. The ever-changing beliefs and his point of view make the Misfit an extremely complex person. You would need to conduct a complete psychological analysis based on the description given in the story.
  • What does the car accident symbolize? 
  • Situational and dramatic irony in the story.
  • Discuss the significance of the Misfit as a character.
  • The Grandmother vs. the Misfit as characters.
  • Evaluate the role of fate vs. free will in the narrative.
  • The Grandmother’s epiphany and transformation.
  • Analyze the story’s ambiguous ending and its implications.
  • How does the theme of grace relate to the characters’ actions?
  • Themes of morality and ethics in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.”
  • The concept of violence as a way of redemption in the story.
  • Religion and spirituality in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.”
  • Foreshadowing in the narrative and its impact on the story’s outcome.
  • The theme of family dynamics and dysfunction in O’Connor’s story.
  • How does humor in O’Connor’s story underline its dark themes?
  • What’s the significance of the title “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”?

✍️ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Prompts

A good man is hard to find: point of view essay prompt.

The short story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is told from the third-person omniscient point of view. While the narrator here is not a character, they can access thoughts and feelings of all characters.

To write a comprehensive essay on this topic, you can do the following:

  • Analyze how the third person point of view impacts the readers’ perception of characters and events. Does it allow the readers to form their own opinions on the characters? How does it help the author to create suspense and irony?
  • Describe the shift of the story’s perspective from the Grandmother to the Misfit. What effect does it have on readers’ engagement with these characters? How does it relate to the story’s themes?

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Foreshadowing Essay Prompt

Foreshadowing is a literary technique that creates suspense and tension in the narrative. When studying its role in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” try to answer these questions:

  • What is the most impactful example of foreshadowing in the story? Discuss the Grandmother’s mentioning of the Misfit at the beginning, her choice of outfit, and other elements that create the grim atmosphere of the story.
  • How does foreshadowing affect readers’ understanding of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”? Show how the hints O’Connor drops throughout the story underline themes like redemption and morality.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Essay on the Misfit Prompt

The Misfit is a key character in the story who embodies moral ambiguity. Here’s what an essay about him might explore:

  • The Misfit’s background and worldview. Use textual evidence from the dialogue between the Grandmother and the Misfit to provide insights into his backstory. Additionally, explore how he sees the concepts of good, evil, divine justice, and salvation.
  • How do the Misfit’s interactions with other characters affect them? For example, how does he convince the Grandmother to reexamine her values and views? What about the others? Do these interactions give readers any new information about the characters?
  • The role of the Misfit in revealing the themes of goodness and redemption. Your essay could explain how the Misfit’s moral ambiguity reflects the complexity of human nature and reveals the potential of redemption, even in the most unlikely case.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Good vs. Evil Essay Prompt

Flannery O’Connor often discussed the topics of good and evil in her literary works. To thoroughly explore this theme in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” we suggest doing the following:

  • Show how different characters of the story understand the notions of good and bad. For example, you can compare the Grandmother’s superficial perception of “goodness” with the Misfit’s twisted moral code. Besides, it’s worth highlighting the views of other characters.
  • Explain how O’Connor’s portrayal of good and evil reflects her views on society. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” highlights broader societal issues through a relatively simple plot. You can use evidence from the text to demonstrate societal dilemmas in the story.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Grandmother Analysis Essay Prompt

The Grandmother in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is a complex character. Your essay could analyze her personality and influence on the events in the story. Here are a few questions to boost your inspiration:

  • What are the Grandmother’s character traits and beliefs? From the very beginning of the story, the Grandmother is shown as a vain, egoistical, and manipulative woman. What episodes and dialogues demonstrate her traits?
  • How does the Grandmother change throughout the story? Analyze the textual evidence that demonstrates the Grandmother’s genuine connection with other characters and her attempt at redemption.
  • What does the Grandmother symbolize? She represents many things, such as the old South, traditional values, hypocrisy, and superficial morality. What else can you add to this list? Give your opinion and corroborate it with proof from the text.

🎓 A Good Man Is Hard to Find Thesis Ideas

  • Calvinist dogmas’ reflection in the Grandmother and the Misfit.
  • The delusion of perfection represented via Bailey’s family.
  • The reflection of political instability and faith crisis in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find .”
  • Character analysis of the Grandmother through the prism of politeness theory.
  • Violence as a trajectory of passion modes and transformation as seen in the Misfit.
  • Consequences of the lack of communication within Bailey’s family.
  • The Grandmother’s perception of social status.
  • The role of Civil War allusions in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.”
  • The use of terror and offense for religious ends in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.”
  • Corporeal feminist motifs in O’Connor’s story.

📚 Examples of a Thesis Statement for A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Wondering how to write “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” thesis statement for your essay? Get inspired with these examples:

  • Topic: The role of dark humor in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Thesis: Flannery O’Connor employs dark humor to highlight the moral complexity of the story’s characters.
  • Topic: Analyze the symbolism of the Misfit character. Thesis : The character of the Misfit in ”A Good Man Is Hard to Find” embodies existentialism and moral ambiguity.
  • Topic: Foreshadowing and tension in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Thesis: O’Connor’s use of foreshadowing allows her to create tension regarding the characters’ ultimate fate.
  • Topic: The significance of the Grandmother’s evolution in the story. Thesis: The Grandmother’s transformation from a selfish woman to a character seeking grace is central to the theme of redemption in the story.
  • Topic: Discuss the symbolic meaning of the title “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Thesis: The story’s title, ”A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” symbolizes the search for decency in a world of moral decay.
  • Topic: What are O’Connor’s views on true goodness? Thesis: O’Connor expresses the idea that true goodness only shows itself in moments of crisis.
  • Topic: Research the role of Christian symbolism in the story. Thesis: Religious symbolism in the story highlights the characters’ dilemmas regarding faith and morality.
  • Topic: Family relationships and traditional values in O’Connor’s story. Thesis: The portrayal of a dysfunctional family in ”A Good Man Is Hard to Find” reflects the erosion of traditional family values.
  • Topis: The use of irony in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Thesis: The irony in the story allows O’Connor to reveal the corruption and evil hidden beneath the mask of moral goodness.
  • Topic: How is the concept of true goodness portrayed in the story? Thesis: The main idea of Flannery O’Connor’s story is that genuine goodness goes beyond societal expectations.

✒️ A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Essay Samples

Below you’ll find a collection of A Good Man Is Hard to Find essay examples. You are welcome to use them for inspiration!

  • Literary Devices in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by O’Connor
  • A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis
  • A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Main Ideas
  • A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Literary Analysis
  • Moral Codes in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
  • Superficial Goodness in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
  • A Good Man is Hard to Find & The Story of an Hour: Compare & Contrast Essay
  • Dream and Reality in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
  • Symbols and Metaphors in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  • “A Rose for Emily” by Faulkner and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by O’Connor
  • Selfishness and Individualism in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
  • Ambiguity of Goodness in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
  • The Depiction of Divine Grace in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
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A Good Man Is Hard to Find Study Guide

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A Good Man Is Hard to Find Characters

This Custom-Writing.org article contains all the information about “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” characters: the Grandmother, the Misfit, Bailey, June Star, John Wesley, Red Sammy Butts, and others. In the first section, you’ll find “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” character map. 🗺️ A Good Man Is...

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This Custom-Writing.org article explains every key theme of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find.” Good vs. evil, religion, and death are the core issues represented in the short story by Flannery O’Connor. So, what is the theme of “A Good Man is Hard to Find?” Keep reading to find...

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A Good Man Is Hard To Find Essays (Examples)

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a good man is hard to find essay prompt

Flannery O'Conner's a Good Man Is Hard to Find

Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor. Specifically, it will focus on the use of comedy/humor, foreshadowing, and irony in the work. Flannery O'Connor is one of the South's most well-known writers, and nearly all of her works, including this short story, take place in Southern locales. Her work embodies the Southern lifestyle, which includes close family ties, attention to family roots, and a more laid-back and relaxed way of looking at the world. In this short story, the matriarch of the family is The Grandmother, and she plays a key role in the story and in the story's outcome. Her impetus sets the family out on their adventure and leads to the inevitable conclusion. This is a story with humor, irony, and a heavy sense of foreboding, and yet it is enjoyable, if predictable, to the very end. O'Connor is a master of characterization, and here,…...

mla References Drake, Robert. Flannery O'Connor: A Critical Essay. William B. Eerdmans/Publisher, 1966. Merton, Thomas. "Flannery O'Connor; A Prose Elegy," in Critical Essays on Flannery O "Connor, edited by Melvin J. Friedman and Beverly Lyon Clark, G.K. Hall & Co., pp. 68-71. O'Connor, Flannery. "On Her Own Work," in her Mystery and Manners: Occasional Prose, edited by Sally Fitzgerald and Robert Fitzgerald, Farrar, Straus and Giroux, 1969, pp. 107-18. Stephens, Martha. The Question of Flannery O'Connor. Louisiana State University Press.

Moral Universe of Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Flannery O'Connor Education: Reading Paraphrase Instructions: The following assignment is based on your reading of Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" (OCR pp. 249-261) and on Claire Katz's critical essay, "The Function of Violence in O'Connor's Fiction" (OCR p. 263). (You can also find this assignment in Literature to Go (OCR) p. 263. Click on the highlight "Considerations.")? Answer question #2: To what extent might "A Good Man is Hard to Find" be accurately described as a story "in which a character attempts to live autonomously, to define…values, only to be jarred back to…'reality' -- the recognition of helplessness in the face of contingency…" (paragraph 2)? Format: rite your response in standard essay style. DO INLCUDE a separate orks Cited page. Use either MLA or APA style. To what extent might "A Good Man is Hard to Find" be accurately described as a story "in which a character attempts to live autonomously, to…...

mla Works Cited Katz, Claire. "The Function of Violence in O'Connor's Fiction." OCR. O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." OCR.

A Good Man is Hard to Find Flannery O'Connor

Flannery O’Connor’s short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” details a road trip gone wrong, as a southern family steers themselves right into the hands of a serial killer. The protagonist is a grandmother with skewed social values and norms, as well as the beginnings of cognitive impairment or dementia. When she mistakenly tells her son to head to the wrong state to find a house from her distant memories, the grandmother sets in motion a chain of events that leads to the death of her whole family. Using violent imagery, Flannery O’Connor provides an inherently pessimistic tale with a nihilistic theme. The title of the story refers to a line delivered by a minor character, Red Sammy, the restaurant owner. Red Sammy and the grandmother are from the same generation, which waxes nostalgic about what they believe to have been better times after discussing the serial killer on…...

Good Man Is Hard to Find for

Good Man is Hard to Find For the purposes of this essay, I chose Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find." "A Good Man is Had to Find" is an apt topic for research such as this, because the ambiguity of the story's position regarding a grandmother ultimately responsible for the death of her entire family leads to a wide variety of possible readings, each with its own adherents and defenders. Upon reading this story, I immediately questioned the grandmother's role in the story, and especially whether or not the story portrayed her in a positive or negative light, because although at points in the story she appears positive in contrast to the other characters, she is ultimately shown to be reactive, shortsighted, and altogether incapable of protecting either her family or herself. Using Google Scholar, I searched for academic essays and books discussing "A Good…...

mla Works Cited Bandy, Stephen . "One of my babies": the misfit and the grandmother." Studies in Short Fiction. Winter. (1996): 1-7. Print. Desmond, John. "Flannery O'Connor's Misfit and the Mystery of Evil." Renascence: Essays on Values in Literature. 56. (2004): 129-37. Print. Evans, Robert C. "Cliches, Superficial Story-Telling, and the Dark Humor of Flannery

Good Man Is Hard to Find Flannery

Good Man is Hard to Find Flannery O'Conner's short story, a Good Man is Hard to Find is a modern parable. The story is laced with symbolism and religious subtext. In many ways the piece is similar to classical Greek plays about pride and retribution. efore launching into a discussion of O'Conner's story it is important to understand the woman and her motivations to write. O'Conner was born in Savannah, Georgia in 1925 to her devout Catholic parents, Edward and Regina O'Conner. Flannery spent her youth attending Catholic parochial schools. In 1938, the family moved to a town just outside Atlanta called Milledgeville where Flannery continued her education. Unfortunately, her father would ultimately die in this town as the result of complications from the disease lupus. Flannery went on to Georgia State College for Women and then proceeded to the State University of Iowa where she received her MFA in 1947. It…...

mla Bibliography O'Conner, Flannery. A Good Man is Hard to Find. 1953.   http://xroads.virginia.edu/~DRBR/goodman.html  Galloway, Patrick. The Dark Side of Flannery O'Conner. 1996.   http://www.cyberpat.com/essays/flan.html  Mitchel, J. Tin Jesus: The Intellectual in Selected Short Fiction of Flannery O'Conner. 2000. http://sunset.backbone.olemiss.edu/~jmitchel/flannery.htm Coles, Robert. Flannery O'Conner's South. Baton Rouge: Louisiana State UP, 1980.

Good Man Is Hard to Find

Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" provides readers with ideas related to morality and to the fact that society has the tendency to put labels on things. The central characters in the story form a rather dysfunctional family, with the father being pressured by his mother to do a series of things that he doesn't want to while she appears to leave in an imaginary world. The idea of good is used to such a degree in the story that it eventually comes to lose significance. The grandmother seems to be obsessed with this respective concept and uses it to describe a series of things. Instead of actually making it possible for readers to gain a more complex understanding of the idea, she brings confusion to the topic as a result of generalizing it and using it in context where it does not necessarily…...

mla Works cited: O'Connor, Flannery, "A Good Man Is Hard To Find."

Good Man Is Hard to

She does so initially through semi-sincere flattery: "you shouldn't call yourself The Misfit because I know you're a good man at heart. I can just look at you and tell," (147). Later, she gets under the Misfit's skin by touching him, an act that causes him to shoot her. It is precisely the Grandmother's willful desire to control other people and situations that the entire family ends up dead. For example, it was the Grandmother's fault that Bailey took the wrong turn; in fact the Grandmother uses cunning lies to lure the family into going to visit the plantation: "There was a secret panel in this house,' she said craftily, not telling the truth but wishing that she were," (143). hen she realized her error, she did not admit it, preferring to remain in control of the situation. Her silent embarrassment caused the accident that led to the encounter with…...

mla Works Cited O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." Retrieved 28 Oct 2005 at   http://xroads.virginia.edu/~DRBR/goodman.html

(O'Connor 1088) It is through a horrible act of violence that the grandmother and we understand that things do not always work out as we plan and some stories do not have a happy ending. In "Cathedral," Carver utilizes a less dramatic setting to convey a message to us. In this story, the narrator is uneasy about Robert's visit and does not know how to behave when they first meet. It is only through a conversation about cathedrals that allows the narrator to discover something about Robert and himself. The setting is significant because this is the place where the narrator and Robert meet and where the narrator has his epiphany. The mood of the home changes from negative to positive. Sight becomes significant in the story as well because that is what the entire story revolves around and that is what ultimately brings the two men closer. Because the narrator attempts to…...

mla Works Cited Carver, Raymond. "Cathedral." Cathedral. New York: Vintage Contemporaries. 1983. O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia, eds. New York: Longman. 1999. pp. 352-363.

Plot and Good Man Is Hard to

Plot and "Good Man is Hard to Find" An Analysis of Plot in O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" Plot, as Aristotle observes, is the representation of an action with a beginning, middle, and an end. Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" is an example of a short story with just such a plot. O'Connor's stories often represent the action of grace, and in this story the action of grace is first seen as lacking, as something that is needed in the Grandmother; then it is prepared for by the trip, and finally it is delivered through the intervention of the Misfit and his meeting with the Grandmother. This paper will show how plot works by using O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find." The action of O'Connor's short story is set up in the first paragraph when the Grandmother is described as not wanting to go…...

mla Works Cited O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." A Good Man is Hard to Find and Other Short Stories. NY: Harcourt Brace, 1981.

Good Man Is Hartd to

Both have in their own way gone against the norm. When Babli, embittered by the men in her life, and after losing hope of ever having the man she loves decides to have a baby alone, she breaks her fathers will. For in a traditional Hindu family the girl accepts the match set up by the father, but here, we read how she chooses her mate, loses him and then goes against her own values to have a child. it's the ultimate rebellion from the conventional ways and undermines the very conception of hindu family values as understood by the traditional Indians, and hence creates a conflict of conventional and modern ways and starts the debate of whether second and third generation immigrants will ever completely follow their own cultures as set forth by their parents. 5. The Gold-Legged Frog by Khamsing Srinawk Passage: "You sure are lucky,' the words raised…...

Ci Realized a Finalizing Image Stories

CI realized a finalizing image stories ( authors) interrelate ( final image ) works focus . You asked interrelate works referred syllabus-based reading: glancing references materials authors assigned reading syllabus; reference works author: short stories, plays, poetry, essays, graphic stories, comicstrips, photographs, moving pictures (created authors photojournalists, movie directors final phase respective, correlatable, works art). The purpose of the present paper is to discuss the themes presented in two short stories, namely "A good man is hard to find" by Flannery O'Connor and in "Hands" by Sherwood Anderson. In order to have a better understanding of the concepts which these authors deal with we will also be referring to other short stories written by each of them. The social standards almost crush the individuals' true identity. There is a lack of real communication in people's lives. The divine manifests itself even in the grotesque. The tragic destiny of the characters…...

mla Bibliography: Anderson, S. The egg and other stories, CreateSpace, 2009 Asals, F. Flanery Rows, Novel: a forum on fiction, vol.4, no.1, 1971, pp.92-96 Friedman, M., T., Bya nd about Flannery O'Connor, Journal of Modern Literature, vol.1, no.2 (1970-1971), pp.288-292 Friedman, M.T.Review: Flannery O'Connor: the canon completed, the commentary continuing. The Souhern literary Jornal, vol. 5, no. 2, 1973, pp.116-123

Cars and Driving Are Emblems of American

Cars and driving are emblems of American culture, and have defined American lifestyle and identity. American cities are built around the car, and so is the urban and suburban sprawl. It is no small coincidence, therefore, that both Flannery O'Connor and Dagoberto Gilb use a car as a central symbol in their short stories. In O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find," a road trip turns deadly when the family runs into a group of escaped convicts on their way to Florida. Florida makes a brief appearance in Gilb's short story, "Love in L.A.," too, as protagonist Jake mistakes Mariana's heritage for being Cuban since her license plates are from Florida. Like "A Good Man is Hard to Find," "Love in L.A." centers around cars and driving as the central motifs, but in Gilb's story, the ending is not gruesome. Although "Love in L.A." And "A Good Man is…...

mla Works Cited Gilb, Dagoberto. "Love in L.A." O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." Retrieved online: http://pegasus.cc.ucf.edu/~surette/goodman.html

Frailty of the Human Psyche Explored by

Frailty of the Human Psyche Explored by Flannery O'Connor Flannery O'Connor's stories remain popular because she creates colorful characters that help her drive her points home. In many ways, O'Connor delivers readers a different reality, which allows them to look upon characters in a different way, thus forcing them to look at humanity in a different way as well. In "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and "Everything that Rises Must Converge," O'Connor presents extreme realities with extraordinary characters. Grandma, The Misfit, Julian and his mother appear to be one kind of person but in truth, they are different from these facades. They believe they are one way but readers see them as something else. The reader in these cases is the silent observer and O'Connor uses this situation well because this is how we are in many situations in everyday life. e simply watch others as they interact and…...

mla Works Cited O'Connor, Flannery. "A Good Man is Hard to Find." Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, and Drama. X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia, eds. New York: Longman. 1999. Print. -. "Everything that Rises Must Converge." The Norton Anthology of Short Fiction. New York:

Southern Stories Revelation of the Intrigues of

Southern Stories Revelation of the Intrigues of Classism and Racism The two stories, William Faulkner's A Rose for Emily and Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is hard to find are southern literature. Southern literature share common elements such as family focus, racial issues, classism and justice among others. Faulkner is one frequently mentioned writer especially in relation to the Renaissance movement during the 1930s. A Nobel Prize winner he is a significant figure in the history of the south. Faulkner witnessed the challenges that the South faced during his time and more so the discrimination against the African-Americans and the reluctance of the political establishment to embrace change. As much as he was not vocal on these issues, he used perspectivism as a tool against these issues and to point at the erosion of the southern hospitality that gave the family and community priority over the individual. He is bold in…...

Use of Crime and Punishment

Crime and Punishment Ours is an extremely violent kind of world where even the most common type of folk can find themselves faced with types of unspeakable horrors and criminal activity through little or no intention of their own. In American literature, a common theme is the concept of the freedom of choice and how a person's choices come to affect not only themselves, but all of the people around them. Some of the choices that people, and their literary counterparts, make lead them to crime. It is the purpose of the American justice system to ensure that crimes are punished. However, in literature, that is not always the case. Crime in the American judicial sense is activity which violates the laws of the United States of America. In literature, these are not always the crimes that the authors feel deserve punishment. Three specific stories which deal with crime and punishment…...

mla Works Cited: Andrews, William L., Frances Smith. Foster, and Trudier Harris. The Concise Oxford Companion to African-American Literature. New York: Oxford UP, 2001. Print. Baldwin, James. "Sonny's Blues." 1957. Print. Bandy, Stephen C. "One of my Babies: The Misfit and the Grandmother." 2011. Print.

What major events contribute to the climax of \"A Good Man is Hard to Find\", as outlined in the story?

I. Introduction A. Attention-Grabbing Opening Sentence B. Background Information on "A Good Man is Hard to Find" C. Thesis Statement II. Overview and Analysis of Characters A. The Grandmother 1. Personality Traits and Motivations 2. Significance to the Storyline B. The Misfit 1. Personality Traits and Motivations 2. Significance to the Storyline C. Supporting Characters 1. Bailey (Grandmother's son) 2. The Children (John Wesley and June Star) 3. The Mother 4. Red Sammy Butts III. Plot Summary A. Exposition 1. Introduction of Characters 2. Grandmother's Manipulations B. Rising Action 1. Road Trip Details 2. Encounter with the Misfit C. Climax 1. The....

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a good man is hard to find essay prompt

dotted outline of a black cat sitting within a basket in front of an older woman wearing a sundress

A Good Man Is Hard to Find

by Flannery O’Connor

Editor's Choice

What's a good thesis statement for "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor?

Quick answer:

A good thesis statement for "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor should be debatable and thematic. One example is: "O'Connor's characterization of the grandmother reveals her complex attitude toward Christianity." Another is: "The grandmother's judgmental hypocrisy reflects a broader critique of Christian values." Focus on the story's themes, such as morality or appearances, to develop your argument.

characters: The Grandmother

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Who are the experts? Our certified Educators are real professors, teachers, and scholars who use their academic expertise to tackle your toughest questions. Educators go through a rigorous application process, and every answer they submit is reviewed by our in-house editorial team.

Professional Writer

M.A. from University of Virginia

Educator since 2017

785 answers

Freelance writer and editor of over 15 years with a background in teaching.

When formulating any thesis statement, or literary argument, it is important to make sure that you create a statement that is debatable. Observations and facts are not debatable, so the first step is to look at possible arguments you can create around the ideas contained in Flannery O'Connor 's short story. Here are two examples of statements that are not debatable (and therefore, not thesis statements):

  • The grandmother in O'Connor's short story might seem like a Christian, but she is actually a dishonest hypocrite.
  • The grandmother's selfishness shows that she does not possess Christian values.

O'Connor discusses a variety of complex topics through the vehicle of the family car journey. Some examples include what it means to be a Christian, inter-generational family dynamics, and morality and its impact on society. Your first step is to select one of these topics and create a debatable statement that will function in your essay as your argument, or thesis statement.

Let's start with the notions of being a Christian. That is the focus of your thesis statement; now, you need a subject, which is a literary idea that you will link to your focus. The characterization of the grandmother would be a great subject to explore in your essay. Now, to create a thesis statement, bring these two ideas, your subject and your focus, together with a strong verb. Here are two examples of argumentative thesis statements:

  • O'Connor's characterization of the grandmother reveals her own complex attitude toward what it means to be a Christian.
  • The characterization of the grandmother as a judgmental hypocrite contains a broader message about the hypocrisy of the Christian faith in general.

Cite this page as follows:

Ramsson, Lynn. "What's a good thesis statement for "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor?" edited by eNotes Editorial, 25 Nov. 2019, https://www.enotes.com/topics/good-man-is-hard-to-find/questions/what-good-thesis-statement-discussing-good-man-682836.

Professional Writer, Professional Researcher

M.A. from SUNY at Binghamton

Educator since 2018

1,820 answers

M.A. I've also studied the classics, with a particular interest in Greek history and philosophy.

I would suggest, rather than looking for a particular thesis statement, that it would be more useful to think about "A Good Man is Hard to Find" thematically. A thesis statement is ultimately a statement of an argument, so you cannot really write one unless you already have a larger argument or perspective that you are trying to advance. Analysis comes first, and the thesis emerges afterwards.

There are several perspectives which I can think of as far as it relates to "A Good Man is Hard to Find." For one thing, there's very much, both from the grandmother's perspective as well as from the larger society that we see, a focus on appearances, as far as what "a good man" actually entails. There's a tendency within this story to define these "good men" largely in terms of possessing respectability and social class.

The other, and probably the most important (given O'Connor's own devout Catholic background), is to look at the story through a Christian lens, both as far as it applies to the aforementioned appearances-focused culture and also with the appearance of the Misfit at the end. Ultimately, I'd suggest that the appearance of the Misfit and his scene with the grandmother represents the crux around which the story revolves. I'd suggest reading this scene very carefully. What is O'Connor trying to say in these pages, and how does it relate to the rest of the story as it was written?

David, Scott. "What's a good thesis statement for "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor?" edited by eNotes Editorial, 30 July 2019, https://www.enotes.com/topics/good-man-is-hard-to-find/questions/what-good-thesis-statement-discussing-good-man-682836.

Teacher (K-12), Editor

M.A. from Kent State University

Educator since 2016

7,702 answers

High school English and Literature teacher who has also taught at the college level.

You might go with the following:

In Flannery O'Connor's " A Good Man Is Hard to Find ," the grandmother's conception of morality has a great deal more to do with whether or not one agrees with her than it does with actual goodness.

In order to prove this, you could discuss her interactions with Red Sammy. When the grandmother's family stops to eat, she and Red Sammy bond over their shared laments that "'These days you don't know who to trust'" and that "'People are certainly not nice like they used to be.'" Although Red Sammy is dirty, keeps a monkey chained to a tree, and treats his wife poorly, the grandmother feels a connection with him. He is not a good man, even though the grandmother says he is; it's simply that his values and hers are the same.

The grandmother herself discusses "better times" when "'People did right [...],'" though she lies freely to her son and his family in order to get what she wants. She is embarrassed by the sassy behavior of her grandchildren, but she uses the n-word and talks about the Old South and plantation life as though it were a better time. She is not a good woman; her values are old-fashioned at best, racist and elitist at worst. She is precisely the kind of person responsible for the Misfit's terrible fate.

Therefore, when the family has an accident and the Misfit and his friends stop, the grandmother's behavior toward him actually has the opposite effect than the one she hopes it will because his values do not match hers. She tries to assure him, saying, "'I just know you're a good man [...]. You're not a bit common.'" However, he tells her that he isn't a good man, that he went to prison for killing his father, a crime he didn't actually commit. He eventually realized that it doesn't matter what crime one commits; "'sooner or later you're going to forget what it was you done and just be punished for it.'" As a result, he thinks that one might as well do bad, if one is going to be punished whether one does bad or not: "'No pleasure but meanness,'" he says. The Misfit sees the disconnect between the grandmother's values and his own. He's been mistreated and condemned, his life ruined, probably by elitist individuals like herself, and now she's trying to manipulate him by making it seem as though they have some values in common.

In the end, he recognizes what she never could, that she was not a good woman, at least, not until the very end of her life when she tried to reach out to him in a legitimate and loving way. He says, "'She would of been a good woman [...] if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life.'" In other words, it was only the threat of death that compelled her to see the real connection between the Misfit and herself, the connection between two human beings—not a connection between social equals because, ultimately, one's social status isn't a factor in calculating one's goodness.

Guggenheim, Laura. "What's a good thesis statement for "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor?" edited by eNotes Editorial, 18 Apr. 2016, https://www.enotes.com/topics/good-man-is-hard-to-find/questions/what-good-thesis-statement-discussing-good-man-682836.

Educator since 2012

1,290 answers

I taught for 31 years in the public schools in Oklahoma and ten years at the college level. I taught in a junior college.

Suggest a possible thesis and outline for a literary element used in the story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor.

"A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor has become a classic American Horror story.  It is surprising since O'Connor came from a southern home and was reported to be a rather genteel lady.  It is only a reminder that '"still waters run deep."

If a thesis is needed concerning a literary element of the story, the  element of foreshadowing would be the choice of this educator. 

Everything about the story leads to the terrifying incident of the encounter with The Misfit.  

A possible thesis might say: The literary element of foreshadowing  deceptively leads to the reader's meeting with "The Misfit."

The foreshadowing might be indicated by characters; however, it is the grandmother who offers the  most clues in the story.  

Foreshadowing elements:  

  • The newspaper article that describes The Misfit and his escape from the prison.  He like the family are going to Florida.
  • The hiding of the cat which causes the wreck which leads to the "encounter."
  • The grandmother dressed up in case anyone saw her dead in the streets.
  • The grandmother points out a graveyard which was once a family burying site. 
  • Red Sammy Butts tells the family that you do not know who you can trust.
  • The pass a town named Toombsboro...a pun for  the word Tomb...
  • It is the grandmother's idea to go off the highway to find the planation that she had once visited. 
  • The grandmother stops the car containing the criminals.
  • The grandmother recognizes The Misfit.

All of these incidences led to the death of the entire family. 

I. Introduction

    A. Attention Getter--Some interesting quotation that indicates the importance of the foreshadowing to the story.

    B. Define foreshadowing

    C. Give the thesis--Throughout the story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," foreshadowing provides clues which predict the demise of the grandmother and her family.

II. First supporting point

The newspaper article which leads to the grandmother's recognition of The Misfit....

   A.

   B.

   C.

III. Second supporting

There are several references to death throughout the story.

IV. Third supporting point

V. Conclusion

Refer back to the importance of foreshadowing in the story.  Be sure to use different words.  Then, find a critique or a great quotation from the story that leaves the reader with something to think about after reading the essay. 

Here is a possible example:

The grandmother had the peculiar feeling that the bespectacled man was someone she knew.  His face was as familiar to her as if she had known him all her life but she could not recall who he was.  He moved away from the car and began to come down the embankment... The grandmother shrieked.  She scrambled to her feet and stood staring. "You're The Misfit!"

Without her recognizing The Misfit, the family might have had a chance to survive.  This is one time the old lady should have kept her mouth shut.

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Davis, Carol. "What's a good thesis statement for "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor?" edited by eNotes Editorial, 28 Mar. 2013, https://www.enotes.com/topics/good-man-is-hard-to-find/questions/what-good-thesis-statement-discussing-good-man-682836.

Popular Questions

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The significance of the grandmother's interactions with the Misfit in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find."

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A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Questions & Answers

a good man is hard to find essay prompt

In Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find , numerous questions are left unanswered. Paradoxical and full of irony, the short story’s themes, symbolism, and plot can remain vague to the readers. This page contains a large collection of interpretations and theories about it. We’ve prepared A Good Man Is Hard to Find answer keys to the most pressing questions connected to the story. Want to read the full versions? You are welcome to click on the links.

❓ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Q&A

What role does racism play in a good man is hard to find.

Racism is a minor topic in A Good Man Is Hard to Find . The short story is filled with words like “nigger” and full of creepy white characters. The author is often accused of racism, which is wrong. It is hard to find a writer presenting racism more naturally than Flannery O’Connor.

What causes the accident in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

Technically, Pitty Sing caused the accident that led to the family’s death. But the actual cause was somewhat different from the wretched cat. Its owner took the pet on the trip, which was dangerous and undesirable, which Bailey, the grandmother’s son, mentioned.

What is the style Of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

Literary critiques refer to O’Connor’s writing style as Southern Realism. She created a realistic narrative, adding features of irony, foreshadowing, and imagery. Through these literary techniques, she emphasized the traits of the modern generation.

What is man vs. man conflict in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The grandmother and The Misfit stand in the center of A Good Man Is Hard to Find . Their disagreement represents the man vs. man conflict. These characters are very different, which leads to the confrontation of beliefs. Once both express their attitude to morality and religion, the conflict becomes interpersonal.

What are the literary elements in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The author uses several literary elements. They include symbolism, point of view, foreshadowing, irony, and tone. With their help, the author can give ambiguous meaning to the events, building a narrative. The story is filled with tension and depicts an unexpected but foreshadowed tragedy.

What are the examples of verbal irony in A Good Man is Hard to Find?

The most obvious example of irony in A Good Man is Hard to Find are words of the grandmother. The satire lies in the way she thinks about the world and what such reflections lead to. The woman thinks she is a good person, but her words and actions contradict what she says.

How is dramatic irony used in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

In A Good Man Is Hard to Find , O’Connor uses the characters and their actions to foreshadow future events. Bailey’s mother is the primary source of dramatic irony. She prides herself on her moral character but always lies and manipulates. No wonder she is the one putting the whole family in danger for selfish reasons.

What is the point of view in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The author narrates the story from a third-person point of view. Despite this fact, the grandmother is in focus almost all the time. The narrator reveals her trail of thoughts to deliver the message of the story.

How is the concept of religion used in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The concept of religion is challenged in A Good Man is Hard to Find more than once. The story switches between the grandmother’s pious attitude and The Misfit’s rejection of religion. It surprises the reader with the grandmother’s change, representing a spiritual puzzle.

How does A Good Man Is Hard to Find depict conflict?

There are two types of conflict in the short story: internal and external. The first problem arises in the difference between a vacation and an escaped criminal. The second disagreement happens when the grandmother is talking to The Misfit.

What is the tone of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

There is a bit of hope in this gloomy and tragic story. Flannery O’Connor describes her characters in a manner that seems satiric. But she believes we should still feel compassionate about them. Through an unpleasant situation, the author shows a range of human feelings. Therefore, we can call the tone of the story sympathetic.

What is the main conflict of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The central conflict in the short story is the contrast between egoism and grace. In the last moments before death, the grandmother turns to faith through a spiritual rebirth. She tries to convey the word of God to the sinner and murderer of her family, despite her sinfulness.

What is the time period of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The actions described in the story take place during the Postwar Midcentury. The story is set between the late 40s or early 50s of the twentieth century. This fact influenced the problematics raised by the author and defined the atmosphere of the narrative.

Why is A Good Man Is Hard to Find considered Southern Gothic?

A Good Man Is Hard to Find is an example of the Southern Gothic style. It features ironic elements and grotesque scenery. As a result, it demonstrates the degradation of the American South.

How is imagery used in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

Writers use imagery to create a special mood and images related to the plot. Flannery O’Connor describes the forest, sky, car, and characters to create the desired effect. Her imagery is macabre but trivial. In her story, commonplace things become uncanny.

Who is the protagonist in A Good Man is Hard to Find?

In A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor, the grandmother is the central character. The story focuses on her behaviors and actions and her relationships with other characters of the book. She symbolizes the mental change in the face of death.

What is The Misfit’s name in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The mysterious character The Misfit does not say his real name. He changed it to The Misfit because of his loneliness. He feels separated from the public because it is unfair to him. His name shows which place the criminal occupies in society.

What Is the moral of the story A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

In A Good Man Is Hard to Find , the author shows moral principles decaying. Both the grandmother and The Misfit behave as imperfect humans. The story implies that a positive opinion about oneself does not make them good.

What role does the setting play in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The most crucial point in the setting is that it represents the decline of the Old South. Meanwhile, the children despise such states as Georgia and Tennessee. Their grandmother is proud of being born there. As a result, the setting represents a contrast of the values of old and young generations in the story.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: what does the ending mean?

The ending of O’Connor’s story means experiencing the moment of grace. It is highly personal for every human being. At the end of the story, the grandmother finds herself at peace and regains her integrity.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find – what is the title’s meaning?

There are various assumptions about the title of the story by Flannery O’Connor. However, the main idea of the novel – good vs. evil – gives hints to explanation. In literal interpretation, the title symbolizes the absence of good people among the characters. Or, taken globally, it refers to a small number of good people in the world.

What are the main characters in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The story introduces two main characters: the protagonist – the grandmother, and the antagonist – The Misfit. Several minor characters develop the story. They are Red Sammy Butts, Bailey, his wife, and two kids – John Wesley and June Star. The main difference in this division lies in the degree of their spiritual development.

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    Flannery O'Connor's short story is a polarizing novel which will make you think about good and evil, relationships with your relatives, etc. We will provide you with some ideas that will help you to cope with the "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" essay. "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" Character Analysis.

  3. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Literary Critical Analysis Essay

    Short Summary of "A Good Man is Hard to Find". The action of "A Good Man is Hard to Find" depicts a family vacation gone terribly awry. On a road trip to Florida a family from Atlanta encounter a homicidal escaped convict whom the media dubs The Misfit. The Misfit and his henchmen execute the entire family and steal their clothes, car ...

  4. A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: [Essay Example], 768 words

    In conclusion, the analysis of A Good Man Is Hard to Find sheds light on the striking parallels between the grandmother and The Misfit. Both characters embody selfish and manipulative tendencies, ultimately leading to tragic outcomes. Flannery O'Connor's concerns regarding selfishness and individualism are poignantly portrayed in the story ...

  5. Essays on A Good Man is Hard to Find

    Our curated selection of essay samples on "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" offers a wide range of perspectives on this seminal work. Each essay provides unique insights into the story's rich tapestry of characters, from the morally complex Grandmother to the enigmatic Misfit, whose interactions prompt readers to question the nature of true goodness and grace.

  6. Analysis of Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find

    Frequently anthologized, "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" exemplifies Flannery O'Connor's southern religious grounding. The story depicts the impact of Christ on the lives of two seemingly disparate characters. One is a grandmother joining her son's family on a trip to Florida. Accompanied by a silent daughter-in-law, a baby, two unpleasant ...

  7. Religion-Based Morality in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by ...

    One of the reasons why the short story A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor is being commonly referred to, as such that represents a high literary value, is that while exposed to it, readers become enlightened as to the fact that, while remaining affiliated with the provisions of the religion-based morality, people grow increasingly dangerous to themselves and their close relatives.

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    Thanks for exploring this SuperSummary Study Guide of "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor. A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

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    O'Connor engaged with the tradition of Southern Gothic literature, which typically uses grotesque events to investigate Southern life. This genre became popular from the 1940s to the 1960s, precisely when O'Connor wrote most of her fiction. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" is now considered a central part of the genre, along with other O ...

  10. A Good Man Is Hard to Find Critical Overview

    "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," the title selection of O'Connor's 1955 collection, has received a great deal of critical attention. The story serves as an excellent introduction to O'Connor's ...

  11. A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary

    Conclusion. The analysis of A Good Man is Hard to Find reveals an intriguing aspect. The grandmother and The Misfit have very similar personalities. They both are ready to lie, manipulate, and murder to fulfill their desires. A Good Man is Hard to Find essay covers Flannery O'Connor's concern.

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    A Good Man Is Hard to Find. The story begins with grandmother Bailey trying to dissuade her son from taking the family to Florida. Since she wants to go elsewhere, she shows her son an article ...

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    Conclusion. 'A good man is hard to find' is a fictional story as reflected from the narrations and scenes from the book. The theme of the book is based on biblical stories about real life as it has been discussed. The way grace works, the representation of the Tower, the mysterious accident and the conversations that took place after.

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  19. A Good Man is Hard to Find

    Discussion. A Good Man is Hard to Find portrays a disparity of violent action with hilarious and carefully created characters and a philosophy that underlines her staunch Roman Catholic faith. The short story is disturbing and entertaining at the same time- a feature that characterizes most of O'Connor's writings, notably Wise Blood.The story begins on a naïve perspective, but instantly ...

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    Flannery O'Conner's a Good Man Is Hard to Find. PAGES 4 WORDS 1576. Good Man is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor. Specifically, it will focus on the use of comedy/humor, foreshadowing, and irony in the work. Flannery O'Connor is one of the South's most well-known writers, and nearly all of her works, including this short story, take place in ...

  21. A Good Man Is Hard to Find

    A good thesis statement for "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor should be debatable and thematic. One example is: "O'Connor's characterization of the grandmother reveals her complex ...

  22. Where Kamala Harris Stands on the Issues: Abortion, Immigration and

    With Vice President Kamala Harris having replaced President Biden on the Democratic ticket, her stances on key issues will be scrutinized by both parties and the nation's voters.. She has a long ...

  23. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Summary & Analysis

    In A Good Man Is Hard to Find, O'Connor depicts a road trip to Florida that ends unpredictably. A comical chain of accidents leads to a tragedy. A typical American family encounters a gang of criminals on a lonely country road, with no one to come for help. The gangsters kill the family members one by one in a nearby forest while their leader ...

  24. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Questions & Answers

    4 min. 3,989. In Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man Is Hard to Find, numerous questions are left unanswered. Paradoxical and full of irony, the short story's themes, symbolism, and plot can remain vague to the readers. This page contains a large collection of interpretations and theories about it.