A Good Man Is Hard To Find

In Flannery O'Connor's short story "A Good Man Is Hard To Find," the gruesome ending comes as somewhat of a shock. Through the use of foreshadowing, there are signs of an ominous end pervading the work. This story contains pervasive images of death to give hints and clues that lead up to the ultimate demise of the nameless family at the hands of the malicious Misfit and his henchmen.

The grandmother, who is the center of the nuclear family, possesses many foreshadowing elements from her actions to her dress. Immediately, the grandmother opposes the plans to travel to Florida on vacation and requests everyone travel to Tennessee to visit family. The grandmother tried persistently to change Bailey's mind about Florida saying "here this fellow that calls himself The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida... I wouldn't take my children in any direction with a criminal... in it," (Pg.266). In notifying Bailey about the Misfit and his crimes, she foreshadows the coming events and the family's approach to doom. Despite the grandmother's warnings, the family decides to pursue their trip as planned. The

grandmother did not argue and was actually "the first one in the car, ready to go," just as June

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While driving, the family passes a cotton field with five or six graves right in the middle of it. She exclaims, "Why you're one of my babies.

The grandmother took "cat naps" but awakens quickly in the town of Toombsboro. three men in it" tops the hill coming toward them (Pg. The family turns around and begins down the calm and dusty dirt road toward the plantation. The Misfit, who could be symbolizing Satan, portrays his own foreshadowing when he tells the grandmother that he was put into the penitentiary for killing his father. While passing through this town, the grandmother remembers a house from her past that she

would enjoy visiting again. Instead of being frightened, the children begin to joke and play about their situation. That belonged to the plantation" (Pg. The Misfit replies by shooting her three times in the chest, bringing the long awaited tragedy, the death of the grandmother, to a reality.

While they were pondering on what to do, "a big black battered hearse-like automobile. She tells him about prayer and how Jesus can help him because he is a good man inside.

Approximate Word count = 885
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)

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