In Flannery O' Connor's short story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," a character who calls himself The Misfit murders random, innocent people. When he crosses paths with the protagonist of the story, an overbearing grandmother, he attempts to justify his murders, claiming that there is "no pleasure but meanness" before he murders her as well (O'Connor 1295). At this point, a reader must question why The Misfit finds pleasure in killing and punishing people. The true answer to this question, while contradictory to his previous statements, is that he does not truly find pleasure in killing people; rather, he feels that his murders provide a form of justice and equality in a world that lacks these attributes. The actions of Matt Fowler, the vengeful …show more content…
He obsesses over the fact that Jesus raised the dead, declaring that this act has "thown [sic] everything off balance" (O'Connor 1295). From The Misfit's belief that the resurrection of the dead has interrupted the balance of justice in the world, readers can draw certain conclusions about his views on death and punishment. One can assert that he believes death to be somewhat of a final judgment, and if a person is able to escape this final judgment, then he has gained an unfair advantage over everyone else. The Misfit believes that Jesus "shouldn't have done it (raised the dead)" because in doing so, he granted an immensely valuable second chance at life to an undeserving person. In The Misfit's eyes, the very fact that a person is dying and being subjected to his final judgment qualifies him as undeserving of a second chance. He feels it is his job to restore the balance, which Jesus disturbed, by bringing death, since death is the polar opposite of resurrection and life; this mindset is shared, in part, by Matt Fowler. Instead of believing Jesus disrupted the balance of justice, though, Fowler believes Richard Strout committed an unjust act in killing Fowler's son, and Fowler believes it is his duty to restore equality by killing Strout (Dubus 1225). Although Fowler and The Misfit differ in their opinions about what disturbs or has disturbed the balance of justice and equality, they both take justice and the restoration of equality upon themselves by committing