Essay on Mercy in Flannery OConnors A Good Man Is Hard...

Finding Mercy in A Good Man Is Hard to Find In A Good Man Is Hard to Find, Flannery OConnor represents her style of writing very accurately. She includes her themes and methods - comedy, violence, theological concern - and thus makes them quickly and unmistakably available (Asals 177). In the beginning of the story OConnor represents the theme of comedy by describing the typical grandmother. Then OConnor moves on to include the violent aspect by bringing the Misfit into the story. At the end of the story the theme changes to theological concern as the attention is directed towards the grandmothers witnessing. As the themes change throughout the story, the readers perception of the grandmother also changes. In the†¦show more content†¦She intentionally lies about the house having a secret panel just to get the kids interest so that Bailey would be more likely to stop and visit. The grandmother is also portrayed as being very loud and outgoing. When the family stops at the restaurant, she carries on a conversation with a complete stranger. She also wants to get up and dance. The reader is almost forced to look at the actions of the grandmother as being similar to that of a young child. Theres not a quiet moment with her around and she never sits still. The reader tends to have a negative perception of the grandmother due to these personality traits. However, these traits are expressed in a comical way causing the reader to be annoyed by the grandmother, but also entertained. As the story progresses, the theme changes from being comical to being violent. Also, the readers perception of the grandmother becomes more intense . As OConnor said, [t]here is a change of tension from the first part of the story to the second where the Misfit enters, but this is no lessening of reality (On 176). The presence of the Misfit causes the story to become more of a mystery; therefore, the actions of the grandmother also become a mystery because the reader doesnt know what to expect from her. It is a surprise to the reader to find the grandmother become so sincere. The grandmother tries many traditional methods to keep the Misfit from killingShow MoreRelated Flannery OConnors A Good Man is Hard To Find Essay1144 Words   |  5 PagesFlannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find is one of the most well-known short stories in American history. A Good Man Is Hard to Find is a disturbing short story that exemplifies grace in extremity as well as the threat of an intruder. The story tells of an elderly grandmother and her family who embark on a road trip to Florida. The grandmother is a stubborn old woman with a low sense of morality. 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