A Good Man Is Hard To Find Analysis
Death, the Admission Price of Pretenders
Religion defines people by giving guidelines, which they should follow, while living their lives. Within religion there are two different types of people, the pretenders and the “true” followers. Pretenders are people that call upon God only when needed, unlike those who truly follow their religion on a serious basis. A “true” believer is one who full-heartedly worships the spirit of God and puts God into their daily routines. These people influence others as their actions help to shape society into what it is to become. As times continue to change, religious views still have great affects on multiple societies. An apologist is a person who makes a defense in a speech or writing of a belief or idea. Flannery O’Connor is an example of an …show more content…
Critic David Allen Cook uses “A Good Man is Hard to Find” to describe the relationship between violence and the truth that pretenders must discover. Cook writes, “The literary works of Flannery O’Connor often contend that religious belief can only be consummated by direct confrontation with evil, and for those uncommitted and unprepared, tragedy seems inevitable. For O’Conner’s religious “pretenders” a moment of religious grace - a revelation of Truth – often does come, but at a devastating price” (1).The Grandmother is seen as the character that is the pretender in this story as she pays the ultimate price, with death. The Grandmother is a pretender as she avoids religion during times of need and sins multiple times throughout the story. Though she was confronted with death, it seems that she had a revelation. She finally realizes that she is a sinner and she must accept religion, and religion will accept her as she dies. Cook’s quote greatly applies to the character of the Grandmother in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, who dies after a moment of grace with
Religion defines people by giving guidelines, which they should follow, while living their lives. Within religion there are two different types of people, the pretenders and the “true” followers. Pretenders are people that call upon God only when needed, unlike those who truly follow their religion on a serious basis. A “true” believer is one who full-heartedly worships the spirit of God and puts God into their daily routines. These people influence others as their actions help to shape society into what it is to become. As times continue to change, religious views still have great affects on multiple societies. An apologist is a person who makes a defense in a speech or writing of a belief or idea. Flannery O’Connor is an example of an …show more content…
Critic David Allen Cook uses “A Good Man is Hard to Find” to describe the relationship between violence and the truth that pretenders must discover. Cook writes, “The literary works of Flannery O’Connor often contend that religious belief can only be consummated by direct confrontation with evil, and for those uncommitted and unprepared, tragedy seems inevitable. For O’Conner’s religious “pretenders” a moment of religious grace - a revelation of Truth – often does come, but at a devastating price” (1).The Grandmother is seen as the character that is the pretender in this story as she pays the ultimate price, with death. The Grandmother is a pretender as she avoids religion during times of need and sins multiple times throughout the story. Though she was confronted with death, it seems that she had a revelation. She finally realizes that she is a sinner and she must accept religion, and religion will accept her as she dies. Cook’s quote greatly applies to the character of the Grandmother in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”, who dies after a moment of grace with