Analysis
The short story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor follows a traditional, linear plot structure. The story relies heavily on tension and foreshadowing, preparing the reader for its resolution.
The most important characters are the grandmother and the Misfit, and one of the most significant elements is the conflict between the two. The other characters – Bailey, his unnamed wife, John Wesley, June Star, and the Misfit’s two traveling companions also take part in the events.
The main events take place on the road from Georgia to Florida, two states in the US. The social setting explores issues such as family relationships in rural America, attitudes towards religion, class issues and racism, and the idea of punishment.
The events are told by a third-person narrator, who mostly follows the grandmother’s point of view, until she is killed. Thee story contains a mixture of implicit and explicit narration.
The writing is a combination of narrative and dialogue. The language, especially in the dialogue, contains many examples of words used in rural Georgia, making it sound more authentic.
You can read a more detailed analysis of the text in the following pages.