Exploring Psychotic Characters in Let
Exploring Psychotic Characters in Literature
The following characters are villains, or antagonists in their stories. An antagonist is the character who strives against another main character. This character opposes the hero or protagonist in drama. The term is also used to describe one who contends with or opposes another in a fight, conflict, or battle of wills. In literature, this is the principal opponent or foil of the main character and is considered the villain unless the protagonist is a villain; in that case, the antagonist is the hero. (Guide to Literary Terms: Antagonist) The Misfit in A Good Man is Hard to Find, is a criminal and murderer. He seems to do bad things for the sake of doing it without remorse. He doesn’t understand why he has been punished the way he has for what he did. “I call myself the misfit,” he said, “because I can’t make what all I done wrong fit what all I gone through in punishment.” (O’Connor 211) This leads me to believe that maybe he doesn’t see anything wrong in what he does and that killing people isn’t a bad thing to him. The Misfit seems to believe Jesus exists but cannot decide whether or not he did what the bible says. “If He did what He said, then it’s nothing for you to do but throw away everything and follow Him, and if He didn’t, then it’s nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can- by killing somebody or burning down his house or doing some other meanness to him. No pleasure but meanness.” (O’Connor
211) If the Misfit could have seen with his own eyes the work of Jesus he would believe but because he can’t see it, it isn’t real. Manly Pointer in Good Country People is a traveling bible salesman and con artist. He is not searching for anything but a good time and he is a firm believer in nothing. Manly does not care for Jesus nor is he looking to justify what he does. He sells bibles but doesn’t believe in what he sells. He is a liar and a fraud with a weak heart.
The following characters are villains, or antagonists in their stories. An antagonist is the character who strives against another main character. This character opposes the hero or protagonist in drama. The term is also used to describe one who contends with or opposes another in a fight, conflict, or battle of wills. In literature, this is the principal opponent or foil of the main character and is considered the villain unless the protagonist is a villain; in that case, the antagonist is the hero. (Guide to Literary Terms: Antagonist) The Misfit in A Good Man is Hard to Find, is a criminal and murderer. He seems to do bad things for the sake of doing it without remorse. He doesn’t understand why he has been punished the way he has for what he did. “I call myself the misfit,” he said, “because I can’t make what all I done wrong fit what all I gone through in punishment.” (O’Connor 211) This leads me to believe that maybe he doesn’t see anything wrong in what he does and that killing people isn’t a bad thing to him. The Misfit seems to believe Jesus exists but cannot decide whether or not he did what the bible says. “If He did what He said, then it’s nothing for you to do but throw away everything and follow Him, and if He didn’t, then it’s nothing for you to do but enjoy the few minutes you got left the best way you can- by killing somebody or burning down his house or doing some other meanness to him. No pleasure but meanness.” (O’Connor
211) If the Misfit could have seen with his own eyes the work of Jesus he would believe but because he can’t see it, it isn’t real. Manly Pointer in Good Country People is a traveling bible salesman and con artist. He is not searching for anything but a good time and he is a firm believer in nothing. Manly does not care for Jesus nor is he looking to justify what he does. He sells bibles but doesn’t believe in what he sells. He is a liar and a fraud with a weak heart.