Introduction
Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is a dark and thought-provoking short story highlighting human behavior’s consequences. The main event of the story is the grandmother’s insistence on taking a detour to see an old plantation house, which leads the family into the path of the Misfit, a notorious criminal who ends up killing them all. In the story, the grandmother’s behavior is responsible for her family’s fate. The grandmother’s behavior sets the chain of events in motion, and her manipulative and selfish actions lead to a tragic end for her family.
Why the Grandmother Is Responsible for Her Family’s Fate
The main event in the story that showcases the grandmother’s behavior is the family’s encounter with The Misfit. The grandmother is the one who convinces her family to take a detour to visit an old plantation house that she had once called as a child. Along the way, she tells stories and makes statements highlighting her outdated and privileged worldview. When they encounter The Misfit and his gang, the grandmother recognizes him and attempts to manipulate him into sparing their lives by appealing to his morality and sense of pride. However, her efforts are in vain, and the family is brutally murdered.
The grandmother’s behavior is responsible for the family’s fate for several reasons. First, her desire to visit the plantation house leads them down a dangerous path they would not have taken otherwise. She manipulates her son into taking the detour by appealing to his sense of family and history and making him feel guilty for not prioritizing her wishes. She also lies about the house’s location, leading them down a road leading to their deaths. Furthermore, the story also touches on the themes of grace and redemption. The Misfit is portrayed as a complex character with a troubled past, and he grapples with his sense of morality throughout the story. The story opens the possibility that even someone as seemingly irredeemable as The Misfit can find grace in the end.
Secondly, the grandmother’s outdated and privileged worldview is evident in her words and actions throughout the story. For example, she insists on dressing in her Sunday best for the trip, even though they will be traveling in a car for hours (O’Connor, 39). She also makes racist and classist comments about the people they encounter on the way, such as the children in the pick-up truck and the African American boy at the restaurant. These comments show her to be a person who is out of touch with reality and the modern world.
Finally, the grandmother’s attempt to manipulate The Misfit highlights her selfishness and lack of empathy for others. She will sacrifice her family’s safety and well-being to save her life. The grandmother attempts to persuade The Misfit that he is a decent individual who would not harm a woman, even though her family’s safety is also jeopardized. As the character, The Misfit, states, “She would have been a good woman if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life” (O’Connor, 46). She also claims he is a good man because he comes from “nice people,” even though he is a known criminal and murderer.
Conclusion
In conclusion, the grandmother’s behavior is the cause of her family’s fate in “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” Her desire to visit the plantation house, outdated worldview, and selfish attempts to manipulate The Misfit lead to the family’s tragic end. The story is a cautionary tale that highlights the consequences of our actions and the importance of empathy and selflessness in our interactions with others. The grandmother’s fate shows us that changing our behavior and striving to be better people is never too late.
Work Cited
O’Connor, Flannery. “A Good Man is Hard to Find and other stories”, The Women’s Press, 1980.