“Good” is a word that can be perceived in a million ways. Each perspective has one’s own view and thoughts on its meaning. One can be called good for achieving a goal or being a loyal friend. The short story A Good Man is Hard to Find written by Flannery O’ Conner is about a grandma’s perspective on her family going on a road trip, but are confronted by the Misfit who kills their entire family. Throughout the story, the grandma also calls many people a “good man”, and explains how a good man is hard to find, which is also the title. Some possible meanings of a good man according to the grandma are if the other person is worse than the grandma or the other individual has connections with the grandma.
Throughout the story, the grandma has always been extremely selfish. When Bailey, the dad of the family, was trying to fix their broken car, the grandma boasts that he is not as good as her husband. Also, when the Misfit wanted to help Bailey fix the car, the grandma immediately pointed out that he was the Misfit, thinking her decision was smart and causing his entire family to die. Thinking that oneself is smart, or superior, is also a characteristic of someone who is selfish. All of this information basically proves that the grandma is selfish. One of the main features of a selfish person their eagerness for superiority. One can be called good when in reality it is just because they are not as “good” as the grandma. The grandma called Sammy, a customer at a burger restaurant, a good man because his car was drenched in oil before. This is something to feel good about if one is selfish. The grandma also ended up calling the Misfit a good man which is because the Misfit was a criminal. Criminals obviously are bad people, but this means that a selfish individual will feel superior, one of their cravings. The interpretations of a selfish individual can often be misleading.
During their road trip, the grandma meets a man called Sammy in a burger restaurant. The grandma and Sammy have a conversation which eventually leads to them talking about how the past used to be better. Sammy and the grandma talk about something that is relevant to both of them which causes the grandma to call him a good man. Since the grandma is selfish, many people despise her and don’t enjoy talking with her. This reason causes the grandma to push even further to call Sammy a good man. As a recap, the grandma says how a good man is hard to find, which ties back into the fact that not many people like her. The grandma and the Misfit were also having a conversation about relevant topics, which caused the grandma to call him a good man. These relevant conversations create rare connections which causes the grandma to called some people a good man.
The meaning of this puzzling title can have many interpretations. The grandma might be referring to people who are worse than her, which perfectly suits her selfishness. The grandma might also just enjoy having someone talk to her and create a connection. A hard man is hard to find, or should it be called, a supporter of selfishness is hard to find.