How does the grandmother talk Bailey into going to the plantation? Is O'Connor trying to make a point about formal education through the story "Good Country People"? Hulga is vulnerable when it comes to her own identity: when Mrs. Freeman calls her Hulga, she reacts as if it were a violation of her privacy, even though that is the name she chose for herselfbecause she chose the name to assert her agency and mock others, and doesnt want anyone else to be in on the joke. read analysis of Class, Identity, and Superiority, read analysis of Appearances and Realities, read analysis of Authentic Faith and Vulnerability. Manley Pointer plays his role by removing Hulga's leg and setting it out of her reach. As long as any of the characters begins judgment about others in the story, the tone changes to playful and comic. It is notable that Mrs. Hopewell values the normal above all else, and sees her own daughter as somehow abnormal because of her leg. Good Country People Lyrics Besides the neutral expression that she wore when she was alone, Mrs. Freeman had two others, forward and reverse, that she used for all her human dealings. Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Existence in the story is a multi-natured phenomenon. She hopes to bring the Bible Salesman out of the ignorance that she sees in Christianity and into a broader understanding of the worldone in which enlightenment is the equivalent of being saved, and ignorance of being damned.. her wooden leg, to make her helpless and useless. She remembers their conversation from the evening before, during which she lied to him and said she was only seventeen years old, and he told her he thought she was real sweet. They connected about the fact that they both might die soon from a heart condition, and he invites her on a picnic for the next day. Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman are in the back pasture and as they watch him leave, Mrs. Freeman comments that she could never be as simple as he is. She does not make a distinction between good and bad people based on their character but judges them on the basis of their class. Also, his motivation to get others essentials that have no use for him reveals his superficial useless nature. The Bible Salesman now starts acting strange and possessive, as it becomes more apparent that he is a kind of collectorof both love confessions and of other peoples most intimate possessions. Listall the archetypes in the short story "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor. Subconsciously, she deeply desires something to which she might surrender herself, as she later does to Pointer's advances. The story itself narrates life as a mystery that remains a question for everyone whatever they think.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'litpriest_com-leader-4','ezslot_13',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litpriest_com-leader-4-0'); Through the character of Hulga Hopewell, OConnor gives the idea that education does not make a person practical unless one deals with every kind of surroundings. She has a complex set of thoughts on religion as she confesses it to Manley Pointer that I told you I didnt believe in God. However, her mother calls her senseless and impractical. The story itself narrates life as a mystery that remains a question for everyone whatever they think. He asks joy whether they can find a comfortable place to sit down. OConnor also depicts a class conflict in her story Good Country People. The Bible Salesman seems able to read Mrs. Hopewells hypocrisy right away, and plays into her clichd idea of good country people, using a (possibly invented) farm-country heritage to indicate that he is good-natured, simply, and sincere. For example, Mrs. Hopewell is a respected lady and a landowner. Remember that until this moment, Hulga has subscribed to an atheistic viewpoint. What is the central conflict of "Good Country People"? In every instance, the intellectual comes to realize that his belief in his ability to control his life totally, as well as control those things which influence it, is a faulty belief. Would not have made it through AP Literature without the printable PDFs. In this case, they are used to reveal that the people whom Mrs. Hopewell believes to be good country people are in fact nothing of the sort. and let's eat.". Read the excerpt from "Good Country People." Mrs. Hopewell liked to Who does O'Connor admire and satirize in "Good Country People"? As she says that Manleys observation of her is like encountering a new fantastic animal at the zoo. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. She also thinks that Mrs. Freeman is a good person because she wants to believe it but Mrs. Freeman is a sadist. Hulgas seemingly religious epiphany is perhaps the most crucial moment of the story. Hulga has a weak heart and probably does not have long to live, which is why she lives at home. She calls all of her former tenants trash but likes Mrs. Freeman as a good tenant. This shows the huge contrast between reality and appearance of a person. This shows that having land and employees does not make a person independent; freedom exists in the mind of a person. What is the conclusion of "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor? To her, "good country people are the salt of the earth." The inference that can be made from the excerpt is "It is located on a wide, isolated expanse of farmland".. : Hulga, Manly Pointer, "Good Country People": Discussion Questions, AP Language Midterm Exam (Literary Terms/Devi, The Language of Composition: Reading, Writing, Rhetoric, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses, Literature and Composition: Reading, Writing,Thinking, Carol Jago, Lawrence Scanlon, Renee H. Shea, Robin Dissin Aufses. Most of the story is set in Mrs. Hopewells kitchen. "Good Country People" - CliffsNotes Even though Hulga does not like or respect the Freemans, she relies on them to distract her mothers attention from her. He also asks her to show him the place where her wooden leg joins her body. On the contrary, the truth lies inside oneself. He has also taken other peoples important things as his commodity. Mrs. Hopewell tells Manley, I think there arent enough good country people in the world! She is a grumpy person who does not care for what others say or they are. She decided that for the first time in her life she was face to face with real innocence. had been of that kind," she says. The last two paragraphs of the story, concerning Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman, were added at the suggestion of O'Connor's editor. She has believed that she was an iron-willed rationalist, as indicated by the underlined passage in one of her books that Mrs. Hopewell attempted to read. Similarly, she realizes it to Mrs. Freeman at every point that Mrs. Hopewell is superior to her and she is nothing in front of Hopewell. Nor does she love to enjoy nature. Her major flaw is her blindness towards the reality of people. You'll also get updates on new titles we publish and the ability to save highlights and notes. In "Good Country People," O'Connor uses irony and a finely controlled comic sense to reveal the modern world as it iswithout vision or knowledge. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. On his entrance in the story, his main purpose is to mock Mrs. Hopewells superior status. In this respect, OConnor represents a miniature of the everyday social life. The situation worsens when Manley Pointer, a Bible salesman shows up at their place. She is forced to live in the countryside with her mother due to her fragile condition but she is arrogant to the people around her and does not consider them worthy of her interaction. . My students love how organized the handouts are and enjoy tracking the themes as a class., Requesting a new guide requires a free LitCharts account. This misperception leads them to assume that the world is much simpler than it actually is. The name Pointer (manly), not his real name, functions as a semi-obscene pun on one level, and it comes to point out, on another level, the depths to which humanity might descend if it follows only its "manly" nature. As OConnor says, A story is a way to say something that cant be said any other way, and it takes every word in the story to say what the meaning is. The story Good Country People is a compact and beautiful piece of work that materializes her statement by making it unique and interesting. Good Country People Flashcards | Quizlet Then Manley packs up his things along with Joys wooden leg in his briefcase and throws it down. Mrs. Hopewell sees Manley going out of the woods but does not expect that they have met. While leaving the home, Pointer invites Joy for a picnic date the next evening, and she imagines seducing the innocent Bible salesman. For example, when she meets Manley, Hulga disapproves of his religious ideas but she still believes that he is good and sincere. These names depict the meaning of their existence in the story-line. It questions the idea of goodness, what are the standards for good qualities and why are some people considered good or bad. 4. "Good Country People" doesn't quite rise to the level of a horror story, but there are many gothic elements. Also, Hulga is a character who has deep philosophical thoughts and abstract ideas. This is because the doctors have advised her to take great care of her daughter as with the best of care, Joy might live to see forty-five. The pink weeds and "speckled pink hillsides" (pink being the color symbolic of sensuality and the emotions) serve to emphasize how Hulga is slowly losing control of the situation. Since this is the case, it is not surprising that Pointer's comment that it is her leg which "makes her different" produces the total collapse of Hulga's plan. Her name Freeman employs her nature which is depicted as a lady who triumphantly owns herself. The story "Good Country People" is a compact and beautiful piece of work that materializes her statement by making it unique and interesting. She never complains about her daughters behavior but always accepts it quite thankfully. She begins to feel that someone might understand herbut she also never loses her sense of superiority, as she assumes that she is far more intelligent and educated than he is. They lie against the hay and Manley kisses her again. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. For example, the name "Hopewell" (hope well) characterizes both the mother and her daughter. The valise, which seemed to contain Bibles, in fact contains traditional sinful objectsalcohol, pornography, and condoms. 2023 eNotes.com, Inc. All Rights Reserved. For her, her own identity remains fixed i.e. Mrs. Hopewell is convinced that Joy pondered until she "hit upon the ugliest name in any language" and then legally changed her name. Moreover, the way characters present themselves in Good Country People is often the very opposite of how they are. In O'Connor's "Good Country People," why are the characters' names significant? Mrs. Freeman responds, "Some can't be that simple . . Manley, Manley, Manleyit might take Hulga a while to realize what a slippery trickster you are, but we're onto you from almost the moment you arrive on the page. Its suggested that Hulga wasnt as cynical as she thought she was, and she is now punished for her act of faith and vulnerabilitypunished by someone who better sees the harsh truth of life, and in his cynicism is totally deceitful, atheistic, and amoral. Therefore, she changes her name to Hulga later on. Written in the mid-1950s, this short story features an uncharacteristically strong female character. To continue, Manley also asks her to show him the place where her wooden leg is attached to her body. Hulga makes eggs while her mother considers how she probably should not have earned a Ph.D. in philosophy, since it has not brought her any good. This encounter represents the tiresome routine of womens life. 3. She has named her daughter Joy because she is her only happiness in the world. Mrs. Hopewell creates her reality and follows it accordingly. Even the names she chooses for each character help her to establish their significance in the story. 1. At the instant, she demands him to attach the artificial leg back to her leg and tries to reach it but he pushes it away. His religious devotion even shames Mrs. Hopewell into claiming (falsely) that she has a Bible at her bedside. However, her classification is based on the level of education which makes it difficult for her to cope with the reality of life. Manage Settings Hulga, however, is wrong, and even O'Connor's color imagery which is inserted as Hulga and Pointer make their way to the old barn (likened at one point to a train which they fear may "slide away") contributes to the impression that Hulga may have met her match. Choose the correct pronoun from those shown in parentheses. Chazelle, Damien ed. His comment, "People don't like to fool with country people like me," touches a hidden switch in Mrs. Hopewell, and she responds with a barrage of platitudes concerning good country people and the world's lack of sufficient numbers of that breed. Faith She hisses, "You're a fine Christian! Likewise, Hulga is named Joy by her mother as she wants her to be happy and fresh. Hulga is the protagonist of the story Good Country People. 4. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'litpriest_com-banner-1','ezslot_1',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litpriest_com-banner-1-0');However, Joy does not pay attention to him after greeting him. Good Country People Summary & Analysis | LitCharts Good Country People - eNotes Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. As young Pointer is leaving, he arranges to meet Hulga the following day, and the banal conversation between the two of them clearly illustrates Hulga's naivet. The story is set in the Southern part of the US in 1955. It questions the idea of goodness, what are the standards for good qualities and why are some people considered good or bad. Hulga, who generally takes such a rational-minded view of the world, is touchy at any mention of her artificial leg. The people judge a person to be good or bad only because of ones external factors. . He takes their most dear things and runs away. However, the conversation turns to Mr. Pointer and upon questioning, Joy smashes into her room. In "Good Country People," does Mrs. Hopewell's character explain her daughter's character in any way? What does Mrs. Hopewell mean by the phrase "good country people"? - eNotes Hulga, on the other hand, is outraged by this endless self-justification and agreement. Another aspect of Hulgas personality is her disbelief in God. For him, existence is making others uncomfortable and inferior to feel superiority himself. "The Enduring Chill" Summary and Analysis, "The Artificial Nigger" Summary and Analysis. O'Connor uses the final paragraphs of the story to make clear the parallel which she established earlier between Hulga and her mother. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. This unique introduction sets the theme of her machine-like nature that shows Mrs. Freeman never surrenders to anyone and is a character that lives in the reality of the situation. Ironically, she detests the company of both of them because they are not well educated like her. The way the content is organized, LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in. No one ever touches it but her. What hints are there to suggest that she's really just hiding the facade of her education and intelligence? Pointer's trunk In philosophical terms, she is a nihilist. He has been the savvy manipulator all along (the exact opposite of a good country boy), whereas Hulga thought she was the one seducing him. She used black humor mixed with some of her religious beliefs, lots of irony, and extreme situations. How does the main conflict in "Good Country People" affect the way the protaganist interacts with the other characters in the story. Despite the harsh externalities of the characters, they are deeply altered by love. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. The writing style of Good Country People is both descriptive and conversational. They change according to the need of the time. Mrs. Hopewell owns a farm in rural Georgia which she runs with the assistance of her tenants, Mr. and Mrs. Freeman. Hulga has now undergone mortification, and Mrs. Hopewell appears to be facing a future revelation. It also means that she seems more sensible and near to reality than the other ladies in the story. Mrs. Freemans interest in Hulgas disability seems to bother Hulga, indicating that her artificial leg is the key to her vulnerability. O'Connor's selection of a well-known biblical parallel ("He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it," Matthew 10:39) clearly depicts Hulga's rational surrender to Pointer and firmly underlines the significance of her rational decision within the context of the story. For example, Mrs. Hopewell considers Mrs. Freeman good but she always tries to undue Hopewell in her conversations and aims at irritating her at the meals. In an address delivered before a Southern Writers Conference, O'Connor commented on the wooden leg: "We're presented with the fact that the Ph.D. is spiritually as well as physically crippled . (including. She comes to Mrs. Hopewells living place every morning to help make breakfast. Furthermore, she is quite haughty and grumpy and is not interested in any kind of happiness in life. They enter a barn to sit down, and climb up a ladder to the loft. However, Manleys personality is revealed at the end when he takes away Hulgas most important part (her leg) just like tricking her dear feelings. What could be a thesis statement for the short story "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor? In this moment he overturns Hulgas whole sense of superiority. This depicts the psychological condition of Hulga who is trapped in such a rural area among her narrow-minded companions. She has named her daughter Joy because she is her only happiness in the world. As in O'Connor's story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," a strangerdeceptively polite but ultimately evilintrudes upon a family with destructive consequences. You might also wish to note that O'Connor's selection of names for her characters helps to establish their significance in the story. At ten oclock in the morning, Joy moves out on a date with Mr. Pointer. She had had plenty of experience with trash. Before the Freemans she had averaged one tenant family a year. The wives of these farmers were not He also flatters Hulgas sense of intellectual superiority to gain her interest. She does not admit to being wrong and always proves herself right in every situation against Mrs. Hopewell. Hulga imagines that she is the one to seduce Manley to shed his religious shell and enter a freer world. She yells at him, Youre a Christian! and accuses him of being a hypocrite. Again the present morning in the story, Joy cooks her breakfast in the kitchen while Mrs. Freeman is busy praising her daughters. Included in Mrs. Hopewell's repertoire of "good country" philosophy are such old standards as "You're the wheel behind the wheel," "It takes all kinds to make the world," and "Everybody is different." The ever-present hostility which exists between Hulga and her mother is undoubtedly aggravated by the presence of Mrs. Freeman, whom Hulga's mother idealizes as an example of "good country people." She published the story in June 1955 in her book; A Good Man is Hard to Find. For instance, it has a different meaning for every character and similar is the reality of life. Not affiliated with Harvard College. Good Country People offers few glimpses of true, authentic faith. The Freemans have two daughters Carramae and Glynese who are always portrayed as good ladies by Mrs. Freeman and are well liked by Mrs. Hopewell. Also, she removes it once and puts it back asking Manley to remove it himself. He is Glyneses suitor and seems a foil to Lymans character. Mrs. Hopewell has a high opinion of herself and is happy to congratulate herself on good decisions, such as putting Mrs. Freemans nosiness to good use. Ex. Moreover, through the use of third-person omniscient narrative, the author judges the standard for good qualities and good people, therefore, elevating the importance of the title Good Country People. Joy lost her leg at the age of 10 during a hunting accident and she wears an artificial leg. As Pointer is leaving the barn loft with Hulga's wooden leg, he further disillusions Hulga by telling her that he has obtained a number of interesting things from other people, including a glass eye, in the same way that he took Hulga's leg. Through the use of playful irony, the writer crafts a realistic picture of a society where there are always two sides to a coin. The title of the story, Good Country People, is meant to be read ironically. He only uses religion to gain materialistic ends e.g. The hollow Bible presents the hollow and deceptive nature of Manley Pointer. Compare and contrast the characters and personalities of Joy (Hulga) and the Bible salesman in "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor. Hulga, Mrs. Hopewells daughter, lumbers around the house and stomps into the kitchen one morning while the two women talk. It is the same year OConnor wrote the story, therefore, one can assume that the place is somewhere in Georgia that is Connors home town. Sometimes, Hulga, Mrs. Freeman, and Mrs. Hopewell have really tough discussions on different topics. Accompanied by male porters, Peck attempted to climb the mountain, but howling winds and treacherous conditions thwarted the men and (she, her). He didnt want to go to college, he just wanted to sell Bibles. PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. He withdraws Hulgas leg and keeps it aside. -Graham S. Mrs. Freeman agrees with Mrs. Hopewells assessment of her employees helpfulness without a hint of humility. The other day, Mr. Pointer called at their house. A Bible salesman, who introduces himself as Manley Pointer, visits the family and is invited for dinner despite the Hopewells' lack of interest in purchasing Bibles. He also carries his briefcase along with him. As Hulga thinks that she is a believer in nothingness, Manley is her metaphoric nothingness. What is the resolution? He is a complete deception and plays with other people also. He breaks down Joys self-protection and makes her accept his nature and yearn for his love. In addition, she cited a seventeenth-century Catholic philosopher, Malebranche, for uttering this truth initially. Another reason for her mothers tolerance is that Joy Hopewell has a heart issue and will supposedly live for almost ten more years. Hulga is in some ways similar to OConnor herself, who was diagnosed with lupus and not expected to live past middle age. Hulga is rude to her and she is fascinated by the disability of Hulga, as she is pleased by the misfortunes of other people. Now, however, we see that Hulga unconsciously wants to believe that there is a power greater than herself. . Instead, he opens his valise to reveal that there are only two Bibles inside, and that they are fake; they open to reveal a flask of whiskey, a pack of cards, and some medicine in a small blue box. The Bible Salesmans theft of Hulgas leg represents a desecration of her most private boundaries. Although Mrs. Freeman (free man) is given a clearer view of the realities of the world (she does not, for example, accept either Hulga or Manley Pointer at face value), she chooses to concentrate on the diseased and the grotesque aspects of life. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. Manley has been waiting for her behind a bush across the street, and as they walk toward the woods, he immediately asks her about her wooden leg. In "Good Country People," what did Hulga hope to steal from Pointer when he stole her leg and glasses? She thinks that she has turned him to think about deeper perspectives of the world and live a freer life. Hulga's mother naively believes in the absolute goodness of "good country people"; she believes that if a person can hire good country people, "you had better hang onto them." She expresses the deep ways of human existence in a simple short work of art. She also indulges in complex discussions with her mother, as Mrs. Hopewell prefers simplicity in dialogues. This further distances their relationship. 3. In "Good Country People," how does Hulga feel about her wooden leg. He carried a big traveling bag with himself. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. Moreover, Manleys revealing of the hollow Bible is the main symbol of appearance versus reality. Mrs. Freeman, another main character, never admits herself to be wrong. His personality resembles that of the hollow Bible because his exterior is so simple and pure but there is nothing inside. Read below our complete notes on the poem Good Country People by Flannery OConnor. Presently, while Freeman discusses her daughters, Joy takes her breakfast to the table so that her mother may not find the chance to ask about the salesman. What makes the title "Good Country People" ironic? In Flannery O'Connor's "Good Country People," what is the tone of the piece? On the contrary, he is the most deceptive and heartless person who deceives other people also. "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. Undesirable personality She convinces herself that "events of significance" with "profound implications" have occurred. She takes care of it as someone else might take care of his soul. Analyze the relationship between Mrs. Hopewell and Joy in "Good Country People." For example, Mrs. Hopewell is always hopeful about life. When he kisses her, she is pleased to discover that it is just a matter of the minds control. Before he tells her he loves her, her mind never stopped or lost itself for a second to her feelings. But operating in this way leaves her handicapped when she becomes vulnerable. She believes that she has tricked the Bible Salesman by lying about her age and education, and still doesnt realize that she is being tricked as well. His personality resembles that of the hollow Bible because his exterior is so simple and pure but there is nothing inside. For him, existence is making others uncomfortable and inferior to feel superiority himself. She is supposed to meet Manley at the gate at ten oclock, and she has been up thinking about it all night. By contrast, Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman are happy to gossip. Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. In a moment of seemingly immense insight, Hulga lashed out at her mother, yelling, "We are not our own light!" Joy thinks that Manley is the most simple and loving person she has ever met. Mrs. Hopewell thinks that Hulga's wearing "a six-year-old skirt and a yellow sweat shirt with a faded cowboy on a horse embossed on it" is idiotic, proof that despite Hulga's Ph.D. and her name change, she is "still a child.". Good Country People Summary | Shmoop For example, Mrs. Hopewells idea of good people is itself contradictory. Hulga is an atheist who refuses to allow her mother to keep a Bible in the family parlor. What forces are pushing against the grandmother from without or within? The situation gets creepy here and Hulga demands her leg back but he is not willing to return it. Hulga's eyes, she says, are "icy blue, with the look of someone who has achieved blindness by an act of will and means to keep it.". Mrs. Hopewell watched from afar, but could not hear what is said. In her world, status is defined not just by wealth or land, but also by social respectability, building a family, and acting out the status quowhich for a young woman means getting married and having children. Similarly, Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell think of Manley Pointer as a simple and good man who cannot harm Hulga in any way. Disease is present throughout much of OConnors work, and she uses it to show how true hardship and an awareness of ones own mortality can transform people. However, she faces injury at a tender age that does not let her lead a happy life. He then demands her to profess her love to him. bookmarked pages associated with this title. He does not care about anyone else.
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