From the creators of SparkNotes, something better. Similar is the case with Mrs. Freeman who considers existence as pretensions and disturbing others in their comfort zones. However, her foil, Joy considers life as a meaningless existence. OConnor also depicts a class conflict in her story Good Country People. Good Country People offers few glimpses of true, authentic faith. He did not succeed in altering his religious thoughts but successfully managed to get some time with her. "And I'll tell you another thing," Pointer says, "You ain't so smart. . Asking to be excused for a moment, Mrs. Hopewell goes into the kitchen to check on dinner, where she is met by Hulga, who suggests that her mother "get rid of the salt of the earth . What is the significance of the title "Good Country People"? Despite the harsh externalities of the characters, they are deeply altered by love. Having reached the barn, the two climb into the loft, where Pointer actively begins to take control. On the contrary, the truth lies inside oneself. She feeds into Mrs. Hopewells own ego by agreeing with whatever her employer says, while also building up her own self-image as someone both polite and wise. It is full of elements typical for classical gothic novels (everything is dark, dusty, a mad man like a central figure) and a lot of elements of American gothic stories (American countryside, dark humor and irony. He says that his disbelief in any religion is bigger than her disapproval of religious institutions and runs away. (including. She has her division of people into two classes i.e. I'm as good as you any day in the week.". Complete your free account to request a guide. Good Country People Literary Analysis - GraduateWay Are you sure you want to remove #bookConfirmation# Pointer's trunk Mrs. Hopewell champions these people as the salt, The way characters understand other characters in Good Country People is often the opposite of how these characters truly are. In-depth explanations of Good Country People's themes. However, when she finds attention from Mr. Manley, her personality shifts towards agreeableness and she softens her limits. dinner which Mrs. Hopewell does not approve of. She is a believer in nothingness. Moreover, Manleys revealing of the hollow Bible is the main symbol of appearance versus reality. Most of the story is set in Mrs. Hopewells kitchen. 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." Hulga is in some ways similar to OConnor herself, who was diagnosed with lupus and not expected to live past middle age. 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. 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. She thinks that her way of life would ultimately turn out to be better for herself and others. Refine any search. He arrived with a large valise, apparently lugging around Bibles to sell, and charmed Mrs. Hopewell with his simple-mindedness. What characteristics of grotesque are used in "Good Country People"? Her bitter personality can be seen as the result of her harsh experiences also. Not only can they not see the Bible Salesman for what he is, but they pronounce him exactly the opposite: simple-minded, one of the good country people. Their condescension of him allows themselves to feel less simple, and the fact that they see him like this from a distance shows just how pervasive hypocrisy iseven someone who, from far away, seems like a stereotype of good country people, when examined more closely often reveals hidden sins and complexities. Connor sets up a conflicting argument between the staunch believers and disbelievers of Christianity. Hulga prefers to act just as miserable as she feels, valuing authenticity over a cheery attitude. Manage Settings For example, the name "Hopewell" (hope well) characterizes both the mother and her daughter. Her fake leg also denotes her crippled identity that is in a confusion of nothingness and superiority complex. Pointer's final comment strips Hulga of her last resource her feeling of intellectual superiority. century, class conflict was one of the major issues of English society. There they talk about some important matters every day. Manley Pointer is a Bible salesman who seduces the extremely knowledgeable and unsocial Hulga Hopewell. 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. Hulgas education is connected to her lack of faith in God, especially in the mind of her mother. To her, "good country people are the salt of the earth." Then the story shifts to the kitchen of Mrs. Hopewell. Who do Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman think Manley is selling bibles to at the end of the story? But Mrs. Hopewells bland, uncritical attitude, reflected by saying That is life, suggests that she is not as mature and sophisticated as she believes. Likewise, in the latter part of the story, she is left completely helpless by the salesmans fraud and her superiority and intelligence are smashed to the ground. After dinner, Manley overstayed his welcome telling Mrs. Hopewell about his poor family for two hours. They are the opposite of how she views her own daughter, Hulga, who revels in her nihilism and uses her. For instance, Hulga is an atheist; however, she is pure, innocent, simple, and devoted to her beliefs. I been believing in nothing ever since I was born. Mrs. Hopewell tells Manley, "I think there aren't enough good country people in the world! 3. Through the use of playful irony, the writer crafts a realistic picture of a society where there are always two sides to a coin. Mrs. Freemans good nature comes out by her attitude towards Hulga. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Nor does she love to enjoy nature. The concept of good country people recurs throughout the story, referring to Mrs. Hopewells view that there is a certain kind of person who lives out in the country and is a simple, moral person. She doesnt know how to be without it, so she panics, and he ends up stealing it and abandoning her in the loft. To highlight their approach to life, the author names the characters according to such motives. "Good Country People" doesn't quite rise to the level of a horror story, but there are many gothic elements. She has been working for Mrs. Hopewell for four years, and the two women often converse over breakfast in the Hopewells kitchen. On Saturday morning, Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman inquire Hulga about her conversation with Manley the day before. This misperception leads them to assume that the world is much simpler than it actually is. . They meet at the times of breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Hulga imagines that she is the one to seduce Manley to shed his religious shell and enter a freer world. Read the excerpt from "Good Country People." Mrs. Hopewell liked to PDFs of modern translations of every Shakespeare play and poem. The final irony in the story involves Mrs. Freeman's response: "Some can't be that simple. He didnt want to go to college, he just wanted to sell Bibles. Similarly, her ideas and intelligence does not help her when she needs them the most. Likewise, Hulga is named Joy by her mother as she wants her to be happy and fresh. to anyone." Mrs. Hopewell creates her reality and follows it accordingly. 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. I think thats whats wrong with it You dont see any more real honest people unless you go way out in the country. Of course, this judgment of Manley is incorrect, since he is a liar and swindler. But despite her class, she works hard like Mrs. Freeman. He says that his disbelief in any religion is bigger than her disapproval of religious institutions and runs away. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. Mrs. Freeman has good relations with all of them. She used to be insecure about her wooden leg, but now she reveres it as her defining quality, besides her education. At ten oclock in the morning, Joy moves out on a date with Mr. Pointer. and we perceive that there is a wooden part of her soul that corresponds to her wooden leg." Despite her job for the Hopewells, she does not let them rule her instincts and principles. In addition to Hulga's wearing inappropriate clothes, her name change (from "Joy" to "Hulga") cut such a wound into Mrs. Hopewell that she will never entirely heal. Mrs. Freeman, another main character, never admits herself to be wrong. She does not want to go to Florida. Her disdain for the others sickly-sweet demeanor is reflected in her choice of nicknames for Mrs. Freemans daughters. Again the present morning in the story, Joy cooks her breakfast in the kitchen while Mrs. Freeman is busy praising her daughters. Test . In "Good Country People," does Mrs. Hopewell's character explain her daughter's character in any way? Therefore, she wears a wooden leg. 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. For example, when she meets Manley, Hulga disapproves of his religious ideas but she still believes that he is good and sincere. Mrs. Hopewell is Hulgas mother in the story. She is an independent lady and a successful landowner in the Southern part of the US in the 1950s with farmers and tenants working for her. Mrs. Hopewells willingness to introduce the Freeman family around town is presented as surprisingin the world where this story takes place, class and status place people into a clear hierarchy. She thinks that she has turned him to think about deeper perspectives of the world and live a freer life. Hulga and Manley in "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor are never honest with each other. Whenever Mrs. Hopewell distinguishes between good and trash people, OConnor is ironic about the use of the terms according to personal choices. "Good country people are the salt of the earth! His religious beliefs are as hollow as the hollow Bible he has. 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. Why does Hulga agree to meet with Manley Pointer? "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." She is not even able to support her with it. What makes the title "Good Country People" ironic? The truth of life is created by ones thoughts, not by some external reality. Good Country People Literary Analysis Flannery O'Connor's dismissal of the outside world allows you to understand more of the symbolic quality of all of the active characters. . Listall the archetypes in the short story "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor. This illusion is induced in her mind first by her mother and then by Manley Pointer. Hulga Hopewell (Joy) Character Analysis in Good Country People - LitCharts Good Country People Themes | LitCharts Hulgas wooden leg is considered her uniqueness throughout her life. He calls Joy as a stupid and a fool girl who is seduced by a smart person like him. I know I never could.". from your Reading List will also remove any When Mrs. Hopewell returns to the parlor, she finds Pointer with a Bible on each knee. In the story, she is the most authentic source for truth and reality. She relied upon the wisdom of this world to guide her, contrary to the biblical warning to "See to it that no one deceives you by philosophy and vain deceit, according to human traditions, according to the elements of the world and not according to Christ" (Colossians 2:8). Hulga imagines that she is the one to seduce Manley to shed his religious shell and enter a freer world. The Bible Salesman has drawn Hulgas attention by being differentmore sincere, she thinksthan the other people Hulga knows, and by directly commenting on her artificial leg. To sum up, there is a misrepresentation of the title in the story that depicts its ironic nature. In the short story "Good Country People," how do the names of the characters symbolically represent thematic contrasts in the story, and what exactly is Hulga's greatest handicap? because of pregnancy. She also imagines that she has seduced him and will have to deal with his remorse. Education Mrs. Hopewell lives alone with her daughter, Joy. However, Manleys personality is revealed at the end when he takes away Hulgas most important part (her leg) just like tricking her dear feelings. By living such an intellectual life, Hulga has to some extent cut herself off from the natural world, reaffirming that, for all her knowledge of philosophy, she is missing out on many aspects of life. Flannery O'Connor - Good Country People | Genius Morality In Flannery O Connor's Good Country People Her unwillingness to associate herself with those around her has made Hulga a very unlikeable person. Therefore, her mother is more caring and forgiving towards her arrogance. When she asks that he return it, he refuses, and from a hollowed-out Bible (emblematic perhaps of his own religious condition), he produces whiskey, prophylactics, and playing cards with pornographic pictures on them. She admires her daughters before Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell because Mrs. Freeman likes to make Hulga feel inferior and ordinary. The other day, Mr. Pointer called at their house. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Good Country People Genre | Shmoop She is self-willed and grumpy. Similarly, Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell think of Manley Pointer as a simple and good man who cannot harm Hulga in any way. It questions the idea of goodness, what are the standards for good qualities and why are some people considered good or bad. . The story itself narrates life as a mystery that remains a question for everyone whatever they think. Mrs. Hopewell tells Manley, I think there arent enough good country people in the world! In what ways do Mrs. Freemans descriptions of her daughters contribute to the theme of the story "Good Country People"? In O'Connor's "Good Country People," why are the characters' names significant? He had some conversation with Hulga about her religious beliefs but having atheistic thoughts, she negated his religiosity. She also indulges in complex discussions with her mother, as Mrs. Hopewell prefers simplicity in dialogues. -Graham S. Mrs. Freeman agrees with Mrs. Hopewells assessment of her employees helpfulness without a hint of humility. Since she has surrendered her leg (now functioning emblematically as her soul) to Pointer, Hulga feels "entirely dependent on him.". Hulga's own attitude toward the two Freeman girls is one of repulsion. Mrs. Hopewell sees Manley going out of the woods but does not expect that they have met. During the date, he persuades her to go up into the barn loft where he persuades her to remove her prosthetic leg and takes her glasses. When a shocked Hulga asks whether or not he is "good country people," as he claims he is, Pointer replies, "Yeah . Hulgas heart condition and artificial leg have dominated her life: instead of travelling the world and learning, she is trapped at homeand yet she seems to wallow in her misery, rather than trying to do anything to change her situation. She takes pride in telling the Bible Salesman that she is an atheist, imagining that she will seduce him, corrupt him, and reveal to him the cynical, non-religious truth of the universe. Through the use of this narrative, she highlights the importance of the main characters and expects the readers to focus on these characters mainly. Their unexceptional kiss reinforces her belief that she is more sophisticated than ordinary people, and sees through everyday illusions like romance.
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