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  • Essay / Literary Analysis of Good Country People by Flannery O'Connor

    Does anyone know what a political cartoonist is? Its literal mission is to improve a character flaw, usually that of a politician, or the stupidity of a political event by magnifying it. In other words, a political cartoonist's job is to point out people's flaws, make them known, and perhaps push for change. The reason I say this is because Flannery O'Connor dreamed of becoming a political cartoonist. In her short story, Good Country People, each character has a distinct flaw and she points them out by name. It is completely transparent, and you will find out by reading this news. I would describe its theme as a continuing personality of the characters and their evolution in relation to the real world. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an original essay One of the main flaws of Good Country People is the hypocrisy of humans. For example, Mrs. Hopewell, she's so naive and she sees the best in people. “The good people of the countryside are the salt of the earth!” Plus, we all have different ways of doing things, it takes all kinds to make the world go round. That's life ! ". This is one of many times throughout the novella where Mrs. Hopewell will claim that everyone is good, but in reality she is simply turning her back on humanity and refusing to see the evil in the world. Joy is another character who displays hypocrisy. She is a self-proclaimed atheist but has never left her bubble, she spends all her time reading scientific books that explain what Christians and Christianity as a whole believe. She thinks she knows everything because she is only surrounded by “good country people” who are strong in their faith. Mrs. Freeman is another key character. We can see that by its name alone it means “free man”. She is on the opposite end of the spectrum from Mrs. Hopewell. She sees the world as it really is, she is not oblivious to the evils and bad deeds that humans are capable of, but ironically, she is so interested in the lives and drama of others that she has little of freedom and life for herself. Finally, a Bible salesman named Manly Pointer. He shows innocence but is evil. There is irony and flaws presented that have a much deeper meaning than simple deception. This concerns all of humanity. It shows that there are people in this world who claim to be Christians but do not live that lifestyle. The interesting thing about this short story is that as O'Connor introduces the characters, she explains and reveals the amount of hypocrisy that actually is in this world. Plus, all the characters have something to do with each other. Not only because they are part of history, but because they all represent something deeper and connected to the flaws of today's world. One thing about this short story of a few good, flawed country folk is that it is timeless. I am in no way comparing it to the Bible; or inferring that O'Connor is God. But it highlighted something that will always be present, human flaws and sin. Going back to what I was saying in the paragraph above, all the characters are interdependent. It’s a circle of hope, deception, flaws, and fulfillment. It starts with Mrs. Hopewell who is so oblivious to the world but is strong in her faith. For Mrs. Freeman, who is so interested in other people's affairs, she does not focus on her own life. Then to Joy, who changes her name to Hulga because she thinks she's.