A good man is hard to find

¶ … Good Man is Hard to Find

The protagonist of "A Good Man is Hard to Find" remains nameless and nearly faceless, and yet she is the catalyst of Flannery O' Connor's short story. Referred to simply as "The Grandmother," she is directly responsible for the tragedies that befall the family. Moreover, her character changes little from beginning to end; she is set in her ways, old-fashioned, and traditional. Ironically, though the old woman is static and stubborn as well as totally anonymous, she is the major force behind the family's annihilation. Through the Grandmother's ironic role in "A Good Man is Hard to Find," Flannery O'Connor is able to create the tension behind her poignant short story.

The Grandmother is controlling and believes that she can change people through the force of her will alone. For example, when her "only boy" Bailey wants to go to Florida, she "was seizing at every chance to change Bailey's mind," (137). Moreover, she can't handle feeling out of control or out of the fray: "She wouldn't stay at home for a million bucks," June Star said. "Afraid she'd miss something. She has to go everywhere we go. (137). The Grandmother was also "the first one in the car, ready to go," and made sure she was dressed nicely because "in case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady (138). The Grandmother even believes she can change the Misfit. She does so initially through semi-sincere flattery: "you shouldn't call yourself The Misfit because I know you're a good man at heart. I can just look at you and tell," (147). Later, she gets under the Misfit's skin by touching him, an act that causes him to shoot her.