Flannery O'Connor Characters in Good Country People
Flannery O'Connor is best known for her deeply layered characters and the contrasts that she introduces through them. Good Country People is no exception. This story is set in the deep South in the middle of the Bible belt. This story is about the masks that everyone wears to hide who we truly are on the inside. In this story we get to know two of the characters by their outer appearances and the facade that they show the outside world. The reader gets to know two of the characters in a way that reveals what is lurking below the outer facade. This research will explore the theme of masks and outer appearances in Good Country People. The first two characters that we will discuss are Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Hopewell. O'Connor uses these two characters to represent the ideals of the Old South. Mrs. Hopewell appears to be a happy person that sees the good in everything. However, we know that she has had a hard life and that there is probably more below the surface that she will show the world. She lost her husband in an accident and had to raise her children by herself. Mrs. Hopewell works hard to only show the world a cheerful disposition. Our greatest clue that there may be a hidden world is her answer to the Bible sal
Freeman are used to represent the part of ourselves that we show the world. We never know for sure what her motive is for her busybody nature. O'Connor is known for having an ulterior motive in her writing. She often thumps and makes unnecessary efforts to make her leg seem obnoxious. Unlike many writers that use the grotesque for shock value, O'Connor uses it to make a point about faith. However, we do know that she appears to be outwardly confident. Neither had the intention of revealing themselves, but they could not fight their true instincts when the outer facade was stripped away. O'Connor uses nature imagery to reflect humanities most basic needs and desires. In this way, O'Connor challenges her readers to examine their own inner feelings. We find this in the imagery used to describe both Mrs. She succeeds in Good Country People and leaves the reader questioning themselves about how they really feel on the inside.
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