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A Good Man Is Hard To Find And Good Essay

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Good is defined, by The Oxford Dictionary, as “that which is morally right”. Throughout history, the definition of “good” has been analyzed, in order for the true meaning, of this abstract word to be revealed. Through the interactions between the Misfit and the Grandmother, Flannery O’Connor exposes the dark side of human nature, showing the dangerous classification, of individuals as innately “good” or innately “bad”. The exigence of “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is to reveal the rigidity of society’s concepts of “good” and “bad”.
During the family trip to Georgia, the grandmother attempts to emanate a sophisticated facade. The grandmother’s wears a “navy blue sailor hat”, along with “white cotton gloves” (2). As for the Misfit, an escaped convict, the grandmother demeans him as a “horrible” man and declares that she “wouldn’t take her children in any direction with a criminal like that” (1). …show more content…

Human nature is more complex than black and white. When it comes to individuals, “good” and “evil” are fluid. People are a combination of both “good” and “bad” qualities. People can be rehabilitated from cruel behavior. People can eventually recover, displaying positive characteristics, such as empathy and kindness. Rather than being innate, cruel behaviors are mainly due to environmental factors, such as an abusive childhood, or “social learning”, from a family or peers. Many people would characterize Al Capone, a prolific crime boss of the 1930’s, as a “bad” man. However, his crime filled lifestyle did not stop him, from remembering his own childhood poverty. During the Great Depression, he opened one of the world’s first soup kitchens. An army of ragged, starving men assembled three times a day, surviving off of the generosity of Al Capone. Toasting his health. Telling the newspapers that he was doing more for the poor, than the entire U.S. government. Proving the elusiveness of “good” and

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