Flannery O' Connor is famous for her grotesque characters in her short stories. When asked about this she said "anything that comes out of the South is going to be called grotesque by the northern reader, unless it is grotesque , in which case it is going to be called realistic." In "A Good Man is Hard to Find" or "Good Country People" find an example of a grotesque character and elaborate (include which story the character comes from). Why is he or she considered grotesque? What made them grotesque? Try to choose secondary characters to make it creative and not repetitive.
Grotesque: departing markedly from the natural, the expected, or the typical fantastic human and animal forms often interwoven with foliage or similar figures that may distort the natural into absurdity, ugliness, or caricature.
In Good Country People a young girl named Joy Hopewell longs for her mother's approval. When she does not find it, Joy begins to believe that she is unworthy of anyone's admiration. This basic premise allows for Manley Pointer to easily win Joy's trust. Through her actions Mrs. Hopewell is a grotesque character as she shows no love for her own daughter. Mrs. Hopewell constantly criticizes the way her daughter looks and acts. Even to her, Joy is not beautiful. O'Connor states that, "Mrs. Hopewell said that people who looked on the bright side of things would be beautiful even if they were not" (133). Mrs. Hopewell refers to her daughter's poor attitude. She believes that even though her daughter is not pretty, Joy can compensate for her ugliness in the ways that she interacts with others. Also, Mrs. Hopewell refuses to take any pride in her daughter, even though Joy has become an extremely accomplished woman by going to college and earning a degree in psychology. As a result, the relationship between Joy and her mother becomes distant and strained. O'Connor reveals how Mrs. Hopewell's disapproval of her daughter causes Joy to also view herself negatively. For instance, Joy legally changes her name to Hulga. She changes her name from Joy because she does not see herself as beautiful as such a name implies. In fact, the narrator says, "she had thought and thought until she had hit upon the ugliest name in any language" (132). Hulga does not believe that any amount of makeup or nice clothes can improve upon her ugliness. This low confidence directly derives from her mother's dissatisfaction with her. Because of her poor self-image, Hulga Hopewell melts as soon as she sees that the Bible salesman thinks that she is beautiful. Hulga allows herself to become vulnerable to a complete stranger just to satisfy her longing to be seen as beautiful. Her desire to be admired exceeds all practicality in her mind, and she does not think twice about trusting herself to this man. It was her mother’s lack of love for her daughter, that depleted her self-image and drove her into the arms of a con-man. In this way her mother is a grotesque character.
ReplyDelete"A good man is hard to find," presents O'Connors southern literature at its finest. A major effect of O'Connor's southern literature relies on the characters and their absurd grotesqueness. What defines them as grotesque is not their literal ugliness but their character. There actions, decisions, and speech characterize them as "ugly" or unpleasant. The children in "A Good Man is hard to find" are grotesque. They are spoiled and unappreciative. John Wesley, the grandson, makes snide comments towards the grandmother rather than respecting her. During the families ride to Florida and are in Georgia he wants his father to, "go through Georgia fast," in oder to not, "have to look at it much. (446)" His grandmother then responds telling him to respect his, "native state. (446)" Only to have him retaliate saying, "Georgia is a lousy state. (446)" He has no respect for her, or his origins. O'Connor, with his character, makes a generalization of children becoming more rude. John Wesley has a sour attitude enough to quell any fun the family could have, however it is apparent the family minus the grandmother has the same attitude. His attitude is fueled by his family, thus giving him the rotten demeanor he now possesses. His personal appearance is irrelevant in determining whether he is a grotesque character or not because his ugly disposition is over bearing and unappealing to the readers because no one would want to raise a child like him nor interact with.
ReplyDeleteIn "A Good Man is Hard to Find", The Misfit takes on the role as a grotesque character. Obviously, he is grotesque because he has spent the majority of his life in and out of jail but there is much more than just his criminal record that qualifies him as grotesque. When the family is discovered by The Misfit, he seems as if he may be willing to help them but once the grandmother acknowledges who he is then he turns into the person he is infamous for being. The Misfit admits to growing up with the "finest people in the world"(451) but this does not mean this upbringing has stayed with him. The devious actions make him truly grotesque. After shooting Bailey and John Wesley, The Misfit puts on Bailey's shirt. Although there were other clothes in the suite case, The Misfit had to put Bailey's shirt on to cover his disgusting appearance and show his disgusting soul. The grandmother is affected by his actions not only with sad emotions from the loss of her family but she is influenced by the ugliness and sees him as "one of my children"(455). The Misfit is disgusting inside and out because he leads his victims to believe they have the slightest chance of survival but he feels that he does not fit into any typical description when in fact he actually puts himself into one by continuing to shoot innocent people and run from the law. People do not want to stay around him because of the terror he ensues but that really does not matter because he will shoot them anyways.
ReplyDeleteIn “Good Country People,” O’Conner uses the Bible salesman as a very grotesque character. Manny elements of this man make him a grotesque character, starting with his name. In the story, the man that considers himself a Bible salesman’s name is Manly Pointer, which is quite an interesting name considering the context of the end of the story. Upon the first time the Bible salesman is introduced, the reader immediately gets the impression of a suspicious character. O’Conner presents the man as a very nagging, needy man. He continually talks about the way a ‘Chrustian’ should live and he asks if he can come back again after he stays for dinner. These facts help create a man who is obviously not just a regular bible salesman. The Bible salesman is a very contradictory character as well. At the beginning of the story he says, “I want to devote my life to the Chrustian service” (461). This line sets up for a very ironic ending. Towards the end of the story, the reader gets a good idea of the real person behind all of the nonsense Manly makes up at the beginning. In the end, O’Conner reveals whiskey, playing cards, and a box that reads “THIS PRODUCT TO BE USED FOR THE PREVENTION OF DISEASE ONLY” in his briefcase that is supposed to contain his Bibles. This grotesque, ‘Chrustian’ Bible salesman turns out to be quite far from a good country boy Bible salesman!
ReplyDeleteIn Southern Literature, a prevalent theme is grotesque characters. O’ Connor, famous for her use of grotesque characters, utilizes the Grandmother in ”A Good Man Is Hard to Find” to show this. The Grandmother is completely different from the “typical” grandmothers presented in literature. While these cliché characters put everyone before themselves and simply enjoy spending time with their family, the Grandmother in this short story presents the exact opposite. From the opening lines the Grandmother is only looking out for her best interest and her interests only. O’ Connor writes, “The Grandmother didn’t want to go to Florida. She wanted to visit some of her connections in east Tennessee”(445). This is very different from what is expected. Similar to the children, the Grandmother is spoiled. She is living off the support from her only son, and is equally reaping the benefits as if she was one of their own children. This special treatment only amplifies her upper-class upbringing. This is the true because it repeatedly emphasizes her “spoiledness.” This characteristic is what makes her grotesque. As the story continues the Grandmother’s selfish attitude really becomes present. It is her wish that eventually brings the family upon their demise. Even after her entire family is dead, the Grandmother is still looking out for her and only her. She continually tries to appease the Misfit, her killer, and her appeasement is what leads to her death. Overall, O’ Connor’s use of the Grandmother in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” truly shows the grotesqueness of Southern Literature.
ReplyDeleteIn "A Good Man is Hard to Find," Flannery O'Connor introduces a complex character who is known as The Misfit. The misfit can be classified as a grotesque character, as his actions seem unlike those expected of a serial killer. At the beginning of the story, the grandmother discusses the reports of a serial killer with Red Sammy during the family's short pit-stop to grab a bite to eat. This introduces the idea of a serial killer to the reader, and establishes the fact that he has a reputation. After getting into a car accident,the mysterious car rolls up to "help" the family. The man that stepped out, "wore silver-rimmed spectacles that gave him a scholarly look" (450). The reader's first glimpse suggests that the man is a stark contrast to what would stereotypically be a serial killer. The grandmother points this out almost immediately after seeing him. As the Misfit begins to talk to the family, he uses only the most polite manners and acts very chivalrous towards the women, especially the grandmother. In his responses to her he uses phrases like, "Yes mam" (451) and "I pre-chate that, Lady" (452) in his courteous approach to his gruesome actions, ultimately making the Misfit a grotesque character. This deceiving front is incredibly unusual, as few serial killers have ever seemed kind and intelligent before wiping out the lot. Through his notorious reputation and his odd behaviors and actions, O'Connor demonstrates the grotesque nature of Southern Literature through her character, The Misfit.
ReplyDeleteFlannery O'Connor has a strong attraction to grotesque figures in her Southern Gothic writing, In her story Revalation, a most grotesque figure is Mrs. Turpin. She embodies the outlandish and jarring sterotype of a southern "lady." Turpin is jarring because she is conceited and manages to judge others for the same faults that are in her. In passing her judgement she condemns not those that she wishes, but herself instead. Her snobbery creates a disfiguring image of what a genteel southern woman is. She is overly self righteous and therefore stands out as an affrontery to the people in the waiting room. Mrs. Turpin thus captures O'Connor's goal of creating a grotesque figure.
ReplyDeleteFlannery O’Connor’s writing greatly revolves around Southern lifestyles and gothic storylines. In her short story, “Good Country People”, O’ Connor presents the Bible salesman, who goes around the small town selling Bibles to the simple country folk around him, but the salesman’s future actions prove him to be polar opposite of a good Christian man. He steals Hulga’s prosthetic leg, the only thing that allowed her to feel somewhat normal in the world around her. The salesman’s actions label him as a grotesque character. He has become a grotesque character because a Bible salesman should be going around preaching the word of God and encouraging even the simplest of people to read the Bible. Instead, the salesman breaks one of the Ten Commandments, which are to be followed by every Christian, and steals one of Hulga’s most important possessions. When trying to convince Mrs. Hopewell to by a Bible, he says that he “knows (she’s) a good Chrustian because (he) can see it in every line of (her) face” (461). He only tries to make Mrs. Hopewell fell good about her spiritual self, since he is only concerned about making money. In the end, the salesman ends up being a fake because he doesn’t even carry around Bible in his briefcase. Through the character of the Bible salesman, O’ Connor is able to emphasize how two-sided people can be, even in the country, where the Bible salesman states “you don’t see any more real honest people unless you go way out in to the country” (461).
ReplyDeleteIn Southern Literature, things are not always what they appear to be and people are not always who they say they are. Southern literature involves a strange balance between religious, "Bible-belt" societies and darkness of the culture. The theme of grotesque characters is present throughout Southern Literature. In Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People", the strangest of the characters seems to be the daughter "Hulga". She is unkept with her "hair tied around her head in rags"(459) and one would think she was an unruly and rebelious teenager. One would think that she would be the real grotesque character, and the nice Bible salesman is the normal character trying to simply save the girl. However, in Southern Literature, things are not this obvious. The Bible salesman is actually the decietful character in this story. O'Connor plays on the hiprocritcal aspect of Southern culture in this story. She shows how anyone can be a Bible salesman and people automatically believe that they must be "good country people". Through O'Connor's eyes, we see that this is not true. Manly Pointer states, "I appreciate your honesty," he said. "You don't see any more real honest people unless you go way out in the country"(O'Connor lines 47-48). This statement is ironic in the sense that in this situation, he is dishonest. In the end of the strory, Hulga, the well- educated girl with a Phd is fooled by a simple man, being the complete opposite of a good country man. Through her grotesque characters such as Manly POinter the bible- salesman, O'Connor illustrates the theme of grotesque characters throughout Southern Literature.
ReplyDeleteWell known for her grotesque characters, Flannery O' Conner seems to include at least one grotesque character in each of her short stories. In her story " A Good Man is Hard to Find", O' Conner certainly has more than one grotesque character. However, in my opinion, the grandmother in this story is by far the most grotesque. The grandmother portrays herself as the quintessential southern belle. Prim and proper with charming southern manners. However when you dig deeper, it is easy to find that this is only a facade. Her behavior is controlled by self-interest and an incredibly unattractive sense of immaturity. It seems as though she acts more like a child than the adult she is.I believe that her actions are what truly make her a grotesque character. She initially puts her family in the path of the Misfit by selfishly insisting that they make a detour to an old country home that she recalls. Upon realizing that the home is not even remotely near where they are, she causes a commotion that ends in the car being wrecked. This leads them to an encounter with the Misfit. She then displays more of her grotesque behavior by referring to the Misfit as "one of my babies. You're one of my own children"(455). She says this in an effort to save her own life right after her own son has been killed by the Misfit and his gang. This is an incredibly disturbing thing to say to the man who has just killed your own child. This helps to make her one of O' Conner's most grotesque characters
ReplyDeleteThroughout her works, Flannery O'Conner is renowned for using grotesque characters. In her work Revelations, O'Conner uses Mrs. Turpin as a grotesque character. Although Mrs. Turpin is not distorted in her outer presence, her personality is what makes her a grotesque character. Not only does Mrs. Turpin think highly of herself and feel as if she is superior to everyone, she also thinks that all of those who surround her are inadequate excuses for human beings. While in the waiting room at the hospital Mrs. Turpin thinks to herself, "If Jesus has said to her before he made her, There's only two places avaliable for you. You can either be a nigger or white trash [...] she would have said, alright make me a nigger then- but i don't mean a trashy one" (472). Although Mrs. Turpin does not think anything of these thoughts, we know them to be horrible and degrading, making them grotesque. Eventually after O'Conner shows Mrs. Turpin's twisted thought process, a young girl in the waiting room tells Mrs. Turpin to "Go back to hell where you came from, you old wart hog" (478). After the girl tells Mrs. Turpin this she is unable to let the remark go. O'Conner transforms Mrs. Turpin's grotesque personality into her physical description when called a wart hog from hell. Although this is a figurative transformation, Mrs. Turpin's grotesque character is finally revealed in that she was once a woman, and for the rest of the story she remain's an old wart hog from hell. Had Mrs. Turpin taken her moment of grace and turned the other cheek she would not have made the physical transformation and her ugly personality would have been given a second chance to be redeemed.
ReplyDeleteIn “Good Country People”, a work by the Southern Gothic writer, Flannery O’Conner, a prevalent theme of grotesque characters is present. In this short story, a scornful, physically disabled character, Joy Hopewell is scarred by a seemingly innocence Christian man named Manley Pointer. Joy is a well educated woman living in the rural south, forced to wear a wooden leg by a hunting accident. Despite her delightful name, she was bitter from her handicap, and lacked any significant self-esteem, therefore, she changed her name to the most hideous one she could think of, Hulga. Because of her intellectual intelligence, she feels as though she is superior to the surrounding “Good Country People” of her community. One day with her life collides with a traveling Bible sales man; she is taken for a ride. Hulga believes that he is a simple man of little importance and intelligence; however, she quickly learns not to judge a book by its cover. She thinks that she is taking advantage of a man that is already two steps ahead of her. She is given a moment to redeem herself, and not attempt to simply let Manley humor her with his inferiority, but instead she continues with her pompous ways. When realization sets in that a “simple” man was in fact a shrewd con man, she is devastated, although her intentions were also vindictive. As Manley puts it, “I’m as good as [her] any day in the week” (468).
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ReplyDelete@ Emily- We liked how you said she does not take pride in her daughter. Really good explanations especially about the relationship between the mother and daughter not just about the mother
ReplyDelete@ Jessica- We like the comment about being “fueled by his family” and mentioning that O’Connor tells us through the characters that children are becoming ruder through each generation
@ Haley- We liked the comment about “disgusting inside and out” as well as mentioning the Misfit putting on Bailey’s shirt showing his “disgusting soul”
@ Brooks- We liked how you mentioned the bible salesman inviting himself to dinner and how that raises some suspicion in the reader since a true bible salesman would never impose upon people that way
@ Ray- We liked how you tied together her spoiled nature throughout the story and mentioning that the grandmother “acted like one of her son’s children”
@ Dan- We liked the quotes because they showed how he doesn’t have the social appearance of a serial killer and mentioning that he accomplishes deceiving everyone
@ Jessie- We liked the effective adjectives you used and the analysis but you could have used some more support and examples
@ Christiana- We liked how you made illusions to the bible and brought in the Ten Commandments to help to expose his façade. We also liked the comment about “two-sided people”
@ Sarah- We really liked the comparison of Manly Pointer and Hulga as grotesque characters and the tie-in of deceiving appearances.
@ Margaret- We liked how you mentioned both her personality and her actions made her a grotesque character. We also liked the description of the grandmother seeing herself as the “quintessential southern belle”
@ Alex- We liked the “inadequate excuses for human beings” comment as well as the description of thoughts and talking about the figurative transformation
@ Ciara- We liked the comparison between Hulga and Manly and the comment about Manly always being “two steps ahead”
@ Allison- We liked how you mentioned, tied in, and compared characters from all of the stories
Wonderful job with administrating the BLOG, Linday and Virginia. You are role models for all who follow! The posts are insightful, well-organized, and teeming with textual evidence. Keep up the super work, and grades will appear in Edline this week!
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