A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Considering their struggles and obstacles, how does the grandmother from the story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" compare to Connie from the story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?"
  When answering this question, you must discuss each character’s unique traits and overlapping ones. The grandmother in O’Connor’s story and Connie in Oates’s certainly share similarities...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  How are the style and tone of the narrator's voice different than that of the characters in "A Good Man is Hard to Find"?
  This is a very interesting question to consider. When we think of tone we need to examine the diction or word choice and the action that a story contains. In a sense, this great story is a mix of...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," how does gender play a role in the story?  I've been told it involves the grandmother. How?
  Many of Flannery O'Connor's character defy cultural expectactions. For example, many of her women are strong, opinionated leaders, while the prevailing culture, especially during O'Connor's...

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

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What levels of meaning do you find in the title of Walker's story "Everyday Use"? What are the possible implications and associations? How many things can "everyday use" be referring to?
  The phrase, everyday use, could certainly imply lots of things. First, something that we put to everyday use, that we actually do use everyday, is something that must be fairly important in the...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  I'm working on an essay about why the grandmother herself is a misfit in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor.
  I can help you get started on this. The grandmother is a misfit within her family. She is a difficult person, and her family members easily become annoyed with her. Some specific details that show...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," why does the grandmother have an epiphany, and what is its significance?
  In Flannery O’Connor’s short story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” the grandmother’s epiphany – or moment of enlightenment or revelation – is almost surely the moment when she reaches...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In the story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and the story "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?", how is Arnold Friend similar to the Misfit?
  Both Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and Joyce Carol Oates's "Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been?" are unusual stories that have their turning points brought about by the...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  How does the author of "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" describe the cultural and physical landscape of the south?
  The cultural landscape is presented primarily through the eyes of the grandmother. Outwardly, she is concerned with her appearance, as noted by the details in her traveling attire: The old lady...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What is the irony in Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"?
  O'Connor establishes the foundation of the irony very early in the story when she gives us the reason for the grandmother getting dressed up for the car ride: In case of an accident anyone seeing...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What are some similarities between the Misfit and the grandmother in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"?
  One of the most striking similarities between the Misfit and the grandmother is their hypocrisy. The Misfit is clearly a criminal, yet declares that he calls himself “The Misfit” because he...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What are two examples of foreshadowing in "A Good Man is Hard to Find"?  
  "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor has several examples of foreshadowing in it. Foreshadowing is when an author uses hints to suggest certain plot developments that will occur later...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What are the two main epiphanies in "A Good Man is Hard to Find?"
  The story's main epiphany occurs when the Grandmother has her first unselfish thought in the story, causing her to make a real human connection. At this moment, she says to the Misfit: "Why you're...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Is a particular cultural movement an important influence on the story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"?
  The particular cultural movement that is important to the plot of the story is the increase in car travel—and especially the family vacation by car—during the 1950s. During World War II, gas...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What is one of the conflicts in "A Good Man Is Hard To Find," and how is this conflict resolved?
  1. The main conflict in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" exists within the hypocritical grandmother, who fancies herself a Christian woman. It is only when she comes into contact with the Misfit that...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  How might the grandmother be a religious pretender in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
  The grandmother is portrayed as an intolerant hypocrite who believes that she is morally superior to others and is quick to pass judgment without turning a critical eye on herself. The grandmother...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," what is the grandmother’s idea of a “good man?” Whom does she consider good people? Why does she tell the Misfit that he is a good man? Is there any sense in...
  The grandmother considers herself a lady and dresses for the family road trip the way she thinks a lady should, complete with a hat. She thinks "good people" are middle-class Southern white people...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In what ways is the family in this story fairly typical in terms of the tensions and conflicts most families experience?
  If you were to hear Flannery O'Connor reading this story to a group of people who didn't know what to expect, you would hear a good deal of laughter early on. People reacted to its first section...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," when the grandmother's head clears for an instant, what does she suddenly understand?
  The grandmother has a moment of what the Catholic Flannery O'Connor would have called grace. As she listens to the Misfit's weeping and his description of his spiritual anguish, she feels...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Explain the exposition, rising conflict, climax, and resolution for "A Good Man is Hard to Find".
  The exposition includes all of the information about the grandmother and her family. The rising conflict begins with “The next morning the grandmother was the first one in the car, ready to...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Help needed with a thesis statement for comparing/contrasting Zaroff in "The Most Dangerous Game" and Misfit in "A Good Man is Hard to Find."
  I recently answered a similar question. Hope this helps. http://www.enotes.com/good-man/q-and-a/need-help-comparing-contrasting-general-zaroff-108449

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," what has the Misfit’s life been like? Why was he put in jail? He says he kills for pleasure. Is there another reason?
  The Misfit's life has been pretty tragic. He says that he never was a bad boy as a child. One day, he was locked up in the penitentiary, but he knows he didn't commit any crime. He recalls, It was...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," the grandmother is hypocritical, manipulative, and selfish. Is the best theme?
  I agree that the grandmother in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" is hypocritical, manipulative, and selfish, and I don't think O'Connor wants us to forget any of that. At the same time, I believe she...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Please explain the irony in the story "A Good Man Is Hard To Find."
  Flannery O’Connor utilizes irony throughout her classic short story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” in various ways. Situational irony occurs when the grandmother tries to persuade Bailey...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," why does O'Connor present us with such an unflattering portrait of the grandmother?
  You are of course right in identifying the way that the author presents the grandmother and, to a lesser extent, her family, in this excellent short story. O'Connor seems to omit nothing from her...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Whose to blame Whose to blame for what happens in "A Good Man is Hard to Find"
  Most probably the grandmother's. She is the one who is insistent on stopping at this place that she can't seem to remember correctly how to get to when there is a convict on the loose. It is her...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What would be a good five paragraph essay topic on "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"?
  So I'm not the only teacher who still teaches the five paragraph essay?! You have many options for an essay on this story. One place to start is to read a critical review (which you can find here...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What is the significance of the discussion of Jesus in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"?
  The discussion of Jesus is significant for a few reasons. First, after praying aloud that Jesus keep the Misfit from shooting a lady, the Misfit's response that only Jesus raises people from the...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In the short story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," what qualities of the grandmother do you like and dislike? Also, overall did you feel anything when The Misfit killed the grandmother at the end of...
  After The Misfit had executed the rest of the family in Flannery O'Connor's short story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," it is certainly no surprise that he doesn't spare the grandmother in the end....

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In regards to "A Good Man is Hard to Find," what other technological, economic, and social changes did the U.S. highway system enable the 1950s?
  "A Good Man to Find" offers an important slice of social history about the way highways opened up society in the 1950s. First, the new and improved highways allowed families like Bailey's in the...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What are the main points of Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"?
  As with many of Flannery O'Connor's short stories, the author intermingles a realistic portrayal of people living in the southeastern part of the United States with larger questions of good and...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  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...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  I'm writing an essay on foreshadowing as it pertains to "A Good Man Is Hard to Find." How do I start the first paragraph of my essay?
  The first paragraph of an essay, also known as the introduction or introductory paragraph, is arguably one of the most difficult parts of the writing process. The introduction should achieve two...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  The grandmother thinks of herself as a lady, and a good Christian woman. Is she? 
  The answer to this question will depend, in part, on your definition of a good Christian woman. Were the definition charitable or forgiving, then the grandmother might well be described as a good...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," who is the most morally responsible for the six deaths of this family? Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find"
  Great question! I believe the one who is the most responsible for the death of the family is the grandmother, and for two reasons. One, it is literally her that gets the family in harm's way when...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In Flannary O'Connor's short story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find," what are the religious tones?
  Flannery O'Connor describes her settings as the "Christ-haunted South." Therefore, there are usually overtones that are religious in nature in the narratives O'Connor composes. Certainly, the very...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find", are any of O'Connor's characters sympathetic?
  Most of the characters in Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man is Hard to Find" can be divided into two groups: those who are murdered and those who are not murderers. O'Connor's story...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Why does O'Connor make the children so obnoxious in "A Good Man is Hard to Find"?  
  I think that O'Connor made the children in the story so obnoxious in order to render the grandmother's disgust with the world all the more powerful. She longs for the way things used to be, when...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What are the similarities between "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and "Revelation"?
  The most obvious would be in the theme. Flannery O' Connor frequently wrote about grace, redemption, and salvation (these two stories contain characters who have epiphanies, as well). Both of...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What is the point of view in "A Good Man Is Hard to Find", and what is the significance of that title?
  The title speaks the truth, or at least O'Connor's idea of it, about the characters in the story and people in general.  She believes that "a good man(or woman) is hard to...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What is the grandmother's 'figurative journey' in "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" by Flannery O'connor?
  The grandmother of Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find" travels from the recognition only of her own selfish desires to self-recognition of herself in another through suffering. That...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," why does the Grandmother say the Misfit is one of her children when she only has one son?
  Yes, you are right to comment on this, because, as far as we know, the grandmother only has one son, Bailey. However, at the end of the story, as she converses with the Misfit whilst her son,...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," some critics disagree with redemptive readings of the story's ending, including O'Connor's. They assert that the "pile of dead bodies cannot be canceled out when the...
  There is a definite sense in which it is possible to argue that the rather disturbing and tragic ending of this short story could be seen as detracting from the message of grace that is central to...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Is "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" a feminist work?? 
  It would be difficult to define "Good Man is Hard to Find" as a feminist work. First, the central female character, the Grandmother, is not a feminist figure. She continually defines herself as a...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  Compare and contrast the grandmother in O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" and Ruby Turpin in O'Connor's "Revelation."
  In comparing the main characters in Flannery O'Connor's short stories "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" and "Revelation," I am struck first as to how the women are similar. In "A Good Man Is Hard to...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  How is the grandmother characterized early on in A Good Man is Hard to Find?
  The grandmother, in the first part of the story, is characterized as having anxieties--she worries about news reports of the Misfit being on the loose and sneaks her cat into the car for the road...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  How does Flannery O'Connor portray the family in "A Good Man is Hard to Find?"
  The family that is portrayed seems like any other normal family that has all of its own annoying quirks. The grandmother is whiney, sneaky and judgmental; her son is appropriately annoyed. The...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  How does Flannery O'Connor mix humor with horror/disgust in "A Good Man is Hard to Find"?
  Through characterization Flannery O'Connor creates humor as she depicts comedic characters with regional dialects and ridiculous physical appearances. For instance, Bailey's wife is described as...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  In "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor, does the grandmother remain a static character or does she in any way change as the story goes on?  
  The grandmother seems like a static character for the vast majority of the story; however, in the last paragraphs of the text, she has an epiphany that completely changes her perspective. After...

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• A Good Man Is Hard to Find
  What message is O'Connor delivering in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and what is its impact?
  There are a few things to take away from this truly amazing story (Flannery O'Connor is one of my top five favorite authors). One of her common themes in her work, including this story, was the...

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