A Good Man is Hard to Find

I am a big fan of Flannery O’Connor’s writing and of the Southern Gothic style of writing. O’Conner’s choice of words are specific to her story and the underlining meaning she has running through out her stories.

In “A Good Man is Hard to find”, O’Connor’s choice of how she names her characters is very interesting and reveals more to us a reader subtly than spelling everything out in regards to a characters personality. It is a very sophisticated way to write. An example is that of the Grandmother, she is not given a name this trivializes her and almost shows the lack of respect the other family members have for her. Giving the son a name, does not however on the other hand give him more authority it however shows the Grandmothers relationship with her Son. By naming him “Bailey” and not Mr. Smith, emphasizes the theme that he is the Grandmothers child and her “only boy”. This choice of words “only boy” shows that Bailey is most important to this woman. We start out with the Grandmothers selfish manipulative intentions from the begging. O’Conner writes, “The Grandmother didn’t want to go to Florida. She wanted to visits some of her connection” (O’Connor). The choice of “She wanted” is significant showing the Grandmothers selfishness, when she tries to manipulate her son’s family to go to Tennessee instead of Florida my trying to scar them with the felon. The Grandmother continues, “I wouldn’t take my children in any direction with a criminal…I couldn’t answer to my conscience if I did”(O’Conner). The use of the word conscience is to show the irony between the truth behind the Grandmothers true motives and her fake concern for her family. Also the irony in the Titles itself, the Grandmother does not once see her self as a dishonest person she focuses on Men, when throughout the story it is she with selfish motives.

Beginning