Good Country People by Flannery

¶ … Good Country People by Flannery O'Connor. Specifically it will discuss the elements of symbolism and character in the story. This classic short story illustrates O'Connor's ability to create memorable characters and use symbolism in artful ways. The author incorporates these elements to show the ugliness of humanity and the lack of hope so many people endure.

The main character in this short story is Joy/Hulga Hopewell, and already the symbolism is apparent in the name. Joy (or Hulga) is anything but full of hope. In direct contrast, she is hopeless and as ugly as the name she chooses for herself. She chooses to be called Hulga precisely because the name is so ugly. Because of her wooden leg, she sees herself as ugly, and because of that, she makes herself as ugly as possible to those around her. O'Connor writes, "She had arrived at it first purely on the basis of its ugly sound and then the full genius of its fitness had struck her. She had a vision of the name working like the ugly sweating Vulcan who stayed in the furnace and to whom, presumably, the goddess had to come when called" (O'Connor). O'Connor creates an unsympathetic character to show the dark side of human nature. Hulga does not like herself, and so she cannot like those around her, which is one reason she treats them so poorly. She acts as if she is superior because she has earned a Ph.D, but in reality, since she believes in nothing, her life represents nothing, which is part of the symbolism in the story, as well.

Underneath it all, Hulga is desperately unhappy, and that is more of the symbolism of the story. At the end of the story, O'Connor shows her as vulnerable and helpless, two things that will surely mortify her. She does not want to be dependent on anyone and she shuts herself off from people, so to be left stranded in the hayloft is truly one of her worst nightmares. O'Connor uses the symbolism of her vulnerability to show that we are all vulnerable, no matter how strong and resilient we think we are. In that, Hulga represents everyone who ever shut themselves off from others, or thought they were above others. Hulga is just as vulnerable as anyone else is, although she does not want to admit it.

Hulga's leg also symbolizes her vulnerability and her pride. She is the only one who touches it, and it is part of what makes her unique and different. While she is ashamed of it, she is also intensely proud of it, because it, like her education, sets her apart from others. It is another way, in her own distorted manner, that she thinks she is better than others are. The author continues, "But she was as sensitive about the artificial leg as a peacock about his tail. No one ever touched it but her. She took care of it as someone else would his soul, in private and almost with her own eyes turned away" (O'Connor). Hulga is a very complex character, but so is Manley, the Bible salesman. (His name is as full of symbolism as Hulga's). His real reason for seducing Hulga is to add her leg to his collection, and he manipulates her perfectly to accomplish his goal, which underscores Hulga's ultimate vulnerability. He gives her a measure of hope while he shows an interest in her, and then proves the ugliness of humanity when he steals her leg and leaves her alone in the hayloft. Hulga seems to be the ugly character in the story, but in reality she is the victim and Manley is the ugly side of human nature, which is one of O'Connor's themes in this story.