Questions for Critical Thinking
Questions for Critical Thinking A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor 1) What is the grandmother’s attitude toward the South as opposed to the rest of her family’s attitude, particularly her grandson’s? How do you account for the difference? In the short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find,” the grandmother’s attitude toward the South is that the “old South” was better than the current South. For example, in paragraph 14, John Wesley, the grandson, states “Let’s go through Georgia fast so we won’t have to look at it much.” And the grandmother replies, “If I were a little boy, I wouldn’t talk about my native state that way. She continues to say, “In my time, children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else. People did right then.” The way in which the grandmother spoke in a sharp tone implies that she feels the “old South” was somehow better then. The rest of the family especially the grandson John Wesley, view the South in a more modern way. John Wesley views the South in a more current way. He demonstrates this view with his attitude and disrespectful behavior towards his origins, elders, and the past. For example, in paragraph 16, John Wesley states, “Tennessee is just a hillbilly dumping ground, and Georgia is a lousy state too. The family seemed like a more a present, middle class southern family with less feelings for their roots and the norms of old south southern society. I account for the differences because the grandma and the rest of the family are different generation and the world changes with every generation. In this short story, the South is changing causing different attitudes to the characters. 2) “It is the grandmother’s ‘Southern pride’ that leads to the family’s downfall.” In a short essay, explain whether you agree or disagree with this statement. Support your answer with examples from the text. I do not believe that it was the grandmother’s ‘Southern Pride’ that leaded to the