Old Fashioned Grandma

338 Words2 Pages
Old-Fashioned Grandma Is it safe to assume that all people are either good or evil? If not, can someone possibly have a dark side and a good side too? Can a person repent for his actions of a horrific crime and still have good in his heart? In the short story, "A Good Man Is Hard To Find" by Flannery O'Connor, the author reveals that in a situation of life or death it is best to choose words wisely while in other situations some words are best left unsaid. O'Connor introduces a family of six getting ready for a vacation to Florida. The grandmother does not want to take a trip to Florida instead she wants to go to Tennessee. She reads an article in the newspaper about an escaped convict, who calls himself The Misfit. She uses the article to her advantage and begins to try and persuade Bailey to change his mind. The grandmother tells the children of different stories from her past, including one in particular about an old plantation home located in Georgia. She tells them a lie about the home saying there is a secret hidden door where a wealthy man hid his most valuable possessions. The grandmother knew this would capture the attention of John and June, who became eagerly excited. The children began to yell, scream, and beg their father to stop. Bailey reluctantly agrees to stop at the home, but as soon as the vehicle turns on the road the grandmother quickly realizes the home was in Tennessee. The grandmother jumps from being startled by her mistake. Pitty Sing, her cat, jumps on Bailey's shoulder causing him to lose control of their vehicle. O'Connor seems to have written this story to suggest that, if human nature is flawed, than what is God's mercy? She demonstrates through the grandmother's tactics of psychological manipulation, dialogue, and characterization that not every person is good as she appears to be, but through God's mercy any person can have a change

More about Old Fashioned Grandma

Open Document