Good or Bad
Hypocrisy is to claim to have certain moral behaviors, but the person speaking of the behaviors does not enforce them on himself. In today’s society, many arrogant individuals feel that making themselves seem better than the rest of the crowd causes people to look up to them. In reality, the crowd actually believes that they are foolish. In the story, “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor, the author addresses the consequences of poor judgment and how this leads to the death of the main character. The grandmother attempts to talk her son and his wife into going to Tennessee instead of Florida because a man called the misfit has escaped prison. After they stop at the tower and speak with the owner, Red Sam, the grandmother remembers an old plantation that she would like to see again, and she even exaggerates about the house so her son will stop by. After having an accident on the dirt road leading to the plantation, the grandmother realizes the house is actually in Tennessee. The spoiled old lady waves down a car for help, and the people in the vehicle turn out to be the misfit and his henchmen. She makes a mistake by announcing that she knows who they are. As a result, the misfit and his crew kill her and the rest of the family, leaving her last to die. Through the author’s use of tone, symbolism, and characterization, O’Connor proves that labeling someone as “good” is only true if he has morals and grace, not selfishness and blindness.
The grandmother describes someone as “good” if he is similar to her. However, she is gullible and has poor judgment. She believes Red Sam is a good man just because he allows two men to charge the gas. In other words, Red Sam is only naive, just like the grandmother.
“Said they worked at the mill and you know I let them fellers charge the gas they bought? Now why did I do that?” “Because you’re a good man!” the grandmother said at once. (452)

The grandmother considers herself a wonderful, godly lady, although she constantly judges others. According to her, a person is only good if he agrees with everything she believes is good for this society. She considers Red Sam a good man because he trusts the wrong people and he also agrees with her on some political ideas. The author clearly indicates that many people are contained with hypocrisy rather than true faith. O’Connor wants the reader to feel that a trustful attitude does not make someone good. A person who is good will actually trust very few individuals and have strength to not always give in to easily in life. In the Article “A Cloak of Grace in ‘A Good Man is Hard to Find’,” by Kathleen G. Ochshorn, she displays that the grandmother’s perception of Red Sam is distorted.
She pronounces Red Sammy Butts “a good man” despite the evidence he is a lazy slob who treats his wife like a slave. Throughout the story the grandmother is a full- blown agent of disaster, a Geiger counter for catastrophe. (n.pag)

Ochshorn believes that the grandmother is labeling Red Sam as a good man before she knows his life story. The grandmother only knows what Red Sam is telling her about himself. Therefore, she assumes he does no wrong. The grandmother is only concerned with the front people she speaks with put on for her. In reality, she is clueless when it comes to determining if Red Sam is really good. Her stupidity has made her gullible. O’Connor proves that it takes a strict analysis to label someone as “good”.
Through the grandmother’s lies and manipulations, she only reveals herself as weak. However, she believes she is consumed with grace. The grandmother wakes from her nap and remembers an old plantation that she has visited once before. So she makes up stories about the house knowing the kids will beg to go.
“There was a secret panel in this house, she said craftily, not telling the truth but wishing she were, “and the story went that all the family silver was hidden in it
When Sherman came through but it was never found…” (452)

The grandmother only lies so that she can have her pretty, little way. She gives so many descriptions about that house, acting like she can identify exactly where the plantation is. She exaggerates about the house because she realizes Bailey does not want to waste any time, but the grandmother is selfish and she is only worried about making herself happy. After the wreck, the grandmother is too ashamed to mention that the plantation is actually in Tennessee. Her self-desires lead the whole family into a terrifying situation. O’Connor affirms that weakness is shown through untruthfulness and manipulation, which are influences for ones very own advantage. However, being untruthful is immoral and sinful. In the article “Flannery O’Connor’s validation of the unreasonable in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”,” John V. McDermott perceives the grandmother as a compulsive liar.
In terms of time the Grandmother is on the edge of eternity. She is a person of diluted faith without any true convictions about what she professes to believe.
She is unable to see herself as the habitual liar she is. (n.pag)

McDermontt is suggesting that the grandmother needs a reality check. The grandmother has gotten so used to her made up stories that she does not even know she is not telling the truth. She does not realize who she truly is, therefore she does not stop with her lies. The grandmother thinks that her myths she tells make her family and friends see her as an honest lady. However, they perceive her as a lunatic, and the grandmother realizes that herself. It kills her to know that she has no idea who she truly is. O’Connor is demonstrating that individuals can better themselves by something better than becoming a liar. Life has many options available.
The dress and hat that the grandmother adds to her attire represents the idea that she puts herself first instead of her family. When the misfit arrives and begins to kill each family member, the grandmother only pleads for her own life.
“Jesus!” the old lady cried. “You’ve got good blood! I know you wouldn’t shoot a lady! I know you come from nice people! Pray! Jesus, you ought not to shoot a lady. I’ll give you all the money I’ve got!” (458)

Gun shots have already been fired at the rest of her family, but she still only begs for her survival. She keeps bringing up Jesus and prayers, hoping that the misfit will respect her morals and try and understand that she is a good lady. The misfit has no reason not to shoot her because he even realizes how much of a hypocrite she really is. The old lady seems to only show her true compassion toward others when a gun is held to her face. She wears the hat and dress to prove she is a lady if something bad were to happen. Nevertheless, something extremely tragic does occur. O’Connor proves that sometimes the truly “good” side of someone will be expressed when she feels that she absolutely has to, especially if she is about to be put to death and needs acceptance. The author proves that being a well-minded person means to think about others rather than oneself constantly. Compassion comes from dignity. Having sympathy towards others is something everyone should feel, especially towards her family.
O' Connor indicates that being fake throughout a lifetime will only lead to negative karma at the end. The grandmother’s lies and judgments put her to her death by a killer that even realizes she is unreal. Her view, attire, and fibs prove she is a bad person rather than a good one. She does not have any true morals. The misfit‘s statement, “She would have been a good woman if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life,” is absolutely correct.

Works Cited

McDermott, John V. "Flannery O'Connor's validation of the unreasonable in 'A Good Man Is Hard To Find'." Notes on Contemporary Literature 40.1 (2010). Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.

Ochshorn, Kathleen G. "A Cloak of Grace: Contradictions in 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find'." Studies In American Fiction 18.1 (Spring 1990): 113-117. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Janet Witalec. Vol. 132. Detroit: Gale, 2003. Literature Resource Center. Web. 31 Oct. 2012

O’Connor, Flannery. “A Good Man is Hard to Find.” The Bedford Introduction to Literature. Ed. Micheal Meyer. Boston: Bedford/ST. Martins, 2011. 449-459

Piedmont-Marton, Elisabeth. "An overview of 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find'." Short Stories for students. Detroit: Gale, 2002. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 29 Oct. 2012.