In the brilliant writing of the story “Good Country People” by Flannery O’Conner, it shows how people tend to use clichés in ways that make it easy for them to avoid thinking or seeing clearly. O’Conner develops naïve and close-minded as the main theme that connects with the characters Hulga, Mrs. Hopewell, and Mrs. Freeman because all three characters seem intelligent , but yet again can’t use their common sense in different levels.
I. Hulga
A. She never really grew up, she acts like a rebellious teenager, when she’s actually a grown woman in her 30’s
1. Stomps around the house slamming doors
2. Accusing her mother of being stupid
3. Wears a grungy old skirt, and a sweater with a cowboy on it
B. Has pride in her own intellect and in her mastery of existentialism
1. Comes crashing down when she is so gullible and naïve
2. Easily manipulated by the young “bible” sales man
C. Hulga may be on some spiritual search
1. Her denial that god exists
2. Fooled by Manly, who makes her think he is a religious country bumpkin
3. Hulga turns out to be not so wise or worldly
II. Mrs. Hopewell
A. Less apparent sinner
1. Simplistic, content to make judgments solely on superficial qualities
B. Mrs. Hopewell mindlessly conforms to society’s standards
1. Judges her daughter constantly
2. Places people in to categories based on “class and kind”
C. Has one-dimension approach to life
1. Does not approve of her daughter becoming a philosopher, an intellectual profession she has trouble understanding.
2. Cannot conceive of the life of the mind rather than try, but she ignores it.
III. Mrs. Freeman
A. Has an obsession with people’s physical problems
1. Focuses on the superficial aspects of others
B. Exhibits a flawed and shallow personality
1. Choses to focus on physical deformities
2. Hulga’s deformity attracts her
C. Mrs. Freeman feels that she understands people based on their physical deformity or illness.
1. Her narrow-minded focuses on a person’s suffering
2. Her dialogue is filled with clichés , which she claims she has an understanding of the deeper nature of people.
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