Character Symbolism in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
In the story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” many religious questions have been raised that don’t seem clear throughout the story. For instance, is the grandmother a true believer or she just used religion as a cover up to achieve her plans? And secondly, does Misfit really believe in Jesus or he just talks about Jesus as a by the way? According to Misfit, we learn that Jesus did a right thing when he came back from the dead. On the other hand, the self-reflection that the mother manages to express about herself is more of a world in the book, a desperate gimmick for her life without necessarily reflecting on her real self (Connor 1). A dilemma therefore arises on the storyline of these two characters, who really has a solid foundation in religious matters? The very first thing we get to know about the grandmother is, she is not willing to visit Florida simply because she has some relatives to see her in Tennessee. She however does not reveal this truth but uses other reasons change Bailey’s mind. No two ways therefore about it: the grandmother is a symbol of a selfish manipulator in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”.
The grandmother clearly tries to seize every chance she gets to change the mind of Bailey from going to Florida right from the start. Seemingly, whenever anything ran against her will, she could try to make it work her way. She however never did this directly or confrontationally. Her style was always a bit understated. How does she try to influence Bailey from going to Florida? Obviously not by stating that, “I want to go to Tennessee” but by giving fake and scary reports of criminal activities being at loose in Florida. “Just you read it. I wouldn’t take my children in any direction with a criminal like that a loose in it. I couldn’t answer to my conscience if I did.” (Connor 22) Don't use plagiarised sources.Get your custom essay just from $11/page
When this seemed not to bear fruits, the next course of action was to allege that the children had been to Florida before. She tries much as possible to make an implication that it was not all about her but about the children. This is however not the real case as she is trying to pursue her plan of manipulating Bailey so that she can get a chance to have time with her relatives at Tennessee (Connor 88).
In the rest of the story, the grandmother has also been presented acting more of the same. At some point, we understand that Bailey is against the idea of her bringing the cat. To avoid causing a ruckus, she decides to hide the cat in a basket and brings it along to the house secretly. In an almost similar case, she wants to go and see the old plantation but clearly knowing that Bailey will oppose the idea, she manipulates the kids to influence Bailey so that she gets the chance. “There was a secret panel in this house,” she said cunningly, although not speaking the truth but wishing that she were, “and the story went that all the family silver was hidden in it when Sherman came through but it was never found…” (Connor 45)
The grandmother is a selfish person and manages to meet her selfishness goals by manipulating other people. A big question to put into consideration is, the role her manipulation trait plays in the incidence with The Misfit, when getting her way amounts to losing her life. Once she encounters The Misfit, she seems to try the “you’re a good man” stuff. This may appear as the same trend of selfish manipulation character of the grandmother as we have known her right from the beginning of the story. But she is acting selfish to some extent. She seems not to beg for anyone else’s life. Considering her first words after she recognizes The Misfit “You wouldn’t shoot a lady, would you” she keeps up this routine even after the rest of her family members are taken to the woods and killed (Connor 136).
From this “master manipulator” point of view, the grandmother can be termed as insincere and a person without the concern of the rest of the family members. And how, could it be possible that she was moved to love The Misfit? Clearly, it makes sense to view her relation with The Misfit as one more instance of clever manipulation so that she may not be killed (Connor 136).
Absolutely, the grandmother is selfish. However, the only problem with her “master manipulator” theory is that it appears a bit senile. Taking a look through her acts of manipulation like bringing the cat, did she expect to hide the cat the whole time, and Bailey won’t realize at all? Then also she forgets that the plantation she wants to visit is on another state. And then, she makes her biggest mistake when she tells The Misfit that she knows him. Anyone who has ever watched a movie can testify that revealing a murderer’s identity can be the most horrible mistake ever (Connor 136).
The symbol of the grandmother throughout the story as a selfish manipulator is very important in this story line as it clearly depicts that, although certain traits may stand a test of time, it is not in all situations they may work. For instance, in the case of grandmother, she survives as a master manipulator without being recognized in the story under different scenarios but when it comes to dealing with The Misfit, the trend contrally costs her dearly.
Work cited
O’Connor, Flannery. A good man is hard to find. New English Library, 1962.
O’connor, Flannery. A good man is hard to find: And other stories. Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, 1977.