In chapter 5, I am fascinated by Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, especially in how the theme of punishment and forgiveness is explored. The Misfit is presented as the bad guy who orders the killing of an entire family. The unfair nature of the world is challenged through this statement: “Does it seem right to you, lady, that one is punished a heap and another ain’t punished at all?” (Flannery 110). This quote is an invitation to question why the nature of the world seems unfair. The use of dialogue in the story helps the reader understand direct words from the Misfit about unfair worldview and detention for wrongs not committed. This story relates to the Christian life, where punishment may be served for mistakes committed by others while the wrongdoers stay free.
Work Cited
Flannery O’Connor. “A Good Man is Hard to find.” Readings for Writers, edited by Jo Ray McCuen-Metherell and Anthony C. Winkler, Cenage Learning, 2016, pp. 106-118