The Theme of Religion in Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find"

Flannery O’Connor is one of the authors who is known for her constant exploration of the theme of religion. Most of O’connor’s works are based on the theme of religion with the author using allusion as a technique to present the theme of religion in her works. Most of the characters that the author uses undergo an epiphany at the course of most of O’connor’s works. In one of her most famous works “A Good Man is Hard to Find” the author uses the main protagonist in the story to explore the theme of religion in the story. Her protagonist in the story undergoes an epiphany or a religious revelation of some sort. At the beginning of the story, the reader is made to think that the protagonist is evil and malicious, however as the story progresses, the character experiences a change in heart and completely shows a religious change in heart. This paper analyzes how the protagonist in O’connor’s story experiences and epiphany and transforms completely, how the author prepares the reader for this change in the character’s role as well as how this change affects the character’s life.

The main protagonist in on O’connor’s story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is The Grandmother. This is because she is the central character in the story, the entire story revolves her actions. Her actions also influence and affects the roles of other characters in the story. At the beginning of the story, the reader is introduced to The Grandmother as a character who is malicious in her actions. Most of her actions makes the reader suspect she is evil. The Grandmother is one of the characters that shapes the direction that O’connor’s story. A good example is her role in the accident that claimed the lives of most of her family members accept her yet she was in the same car that crashed. This is one of the scenes in the story that makes the reader think The Grandmother is evil. The scene also marks the beginning of the change in the protagonist’s heart. After suspecting that The Grandmother was responsible for the accident that led to the death of The Grandmother’s family members, he threatens to end her life. When faced with the threat of being killed by The Misfit, The Grandmother seeks solace in religion by begging The Misfit to forgive her. She even quotes the name of God in her plies to try and win The Misfit’s sympathy. She pleads with Misfit to pray so that Jesus will help him, she is quoted saying "If you would pray,"the old lady said, "Jesus would help you.” (O’Connor 120). Here, the reader is introduced to the protagonist’s transformation to be religious. The scene depicts a change in heart in the character, she becomes regretful of her actions. She is even presented as apologetic, something that would not do at the beginning of the story.

O’Connor prepares her reader for the transformation of her protagonist from the beginning till the end of the story. From the beginning of the story, the reader is presented to a protagonist who views herself as moral. She is portrayed as being judgmental on others only to be the one who is being judged towards the end of the story as portrayed when she tells The Misfit “"You must have stolen something.” (O’Connor 116). She seeks to inculcate values of respect and obedience in her family members. However, The Grandmother is also portrayed as being hypocritical, despite claiming to be religious she often insults her family members. The repercussions of her actions are seen at the end of the story when she is shot and killed by Misfit.

Works Cited

O'Connor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find, and Other Stories. Barnes and Noble, 2001. Available at: http://www.boyd.k12.ky.us/userfiles/447/Classes/28660/A%20Good%20Man%20Is%20Hard%20To%20Find.pdf

Fickett, Harold, and Douglas R. Gilbert. Flannery O'connor: Images of Grace. Eerdmans, 1986. Available at: http://rodeoislife.com/Flannery-OConnor--images-of-grace--or--cby-Harold-Fickett-and-Douglas-R-Gilbert/2/bjfjfh