Their unexceptional kiss reinforces her belief that she is more sophisticated than ordinary people, and sees through everyday illusions like romance. His comment, "People don't like to fool with country people like me," touches a hidden switch in Mrs. Hopewell, and she responds with a barrage of platitudes concerning good country people and the world's lack of sufficient numbers of that breed. To explain, the sincere and fair main characters of the story, Mrs. Hopewell and Hulga fall in the trap of the people who mask themselves as good people. In fact, Mrs. Hopewell is so blind to reality that she believes that she can "use" Mrs. Freeman. . The second and most significant setting is the barn where the climax of Hulgas life occurs. her wooden leg, to make her helpless and useless. When he kisses her, she is pleased to discover that it is just a matter of the minds control. Before he tells her he loves her, her mind never stopped or lost itself for a second to her feelings. But operating in this way leaves her handicapped when she becomes vulnerable. Continue with Recommended Cookies. 1. Manley Pointer, on the other hand, is also on an existential journey. Identity In nihilism, there is no concrete basis for distinguishing right from wrong. She decided that for the first time in her life she was face to face with real innocence. This is because the doctors have advised her to take great care of her daughter as with the best of care, Joy might live to see forty-five. Although Pointer may seem an unlikely candidate for the role of grace-bringer, O'Connor, in commenting on the action of grace in her stories, has noted that "frequently it is an action in which the devil has been the unwilling instrument of grace.". Hulga is in some ways similar to OConnor herself, who was diagnosed with lupus and not expected to live past middle age. The hollow Bible presents the hollow and deceptive nature of Manley Pointer. The people judge a person to be good or bad only because of ones external factors. read analysis of Class, Identity, and Superiority, read analysis of Appearances and Realities, read analysis of Authentic Faith and Vulnerability. In "Good Country People," why is it significant that Mrs. Hopewell's daughter has two names? Why did Flannery O'Connor choose an onion as the closing image in the story "Good Country People"? "My students can't get enough of your charts and their results have gone through the roof." Also, she is always busy in some work; therefore, Mrs. Hopewell gives her the charge of her household. The night before, Hulga had lain in bed, imagining intense conversations between herself and the. Hulga states outright that she still sees herself as seeing through all of lifes illusions (like romantic love), in contrast with the Bible Salesman, whom she still thinks is simple and nave. Although O'Connor uses the intellectual, or the pseudo-intellectual, in one of her novels and in seven of her short stories, Hulga is the only female in the bunch. The Freemans are farmers and tenants of Mrs. Hopewell. Joy thinks that Manley is the most simple and loving person she has ever met. I know I never could.". His former record in farming is good and is approved by his last owner. What do you think of Hulga's conviction that intelligence and education are incompatible with religious beliefs? Whenever the writer uses good for the people, she is judgmental about their realities and means the opposite of it. Although Hulga tries to continue her "indoctrination" of the youth by explaining that she is "one of those people who have seen through to nothing," Pointer ignores her comments and continues to woo her, kissing her passionately and insisting that she tell him that she loves him. realized that nothing is perfect and that in the Freemans she had good country people and that if, in this day and age, you get good country people, you had better hang onto them. 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. bookmarked pages associated with this title. Her major flaw is her blindness towards the reality of people. While leaving the house, he sees Hulga outside who joins him towards the door and he manages to have some talk with her before leaving. Manley Pointer plays his role by removing Hulga's leg and setting it out of her reach. Joy lives with her mother only because of her weak heart. Further, he inquires about her wooden leg where it joins her leg and seems quite interested in it but she does not respond actively. However, this type of attitude without any faith in God is represented as leading to her downfall, since once she lets Manley take off her leg, she becomes extremely vulnerable. Mrs. Hopewell thinks that girls should go to school and have a good time but Hulga has attained the ultimate educational degree, and yet education did not "bring her out"; privately, Mrs. Hopewell is glad that there is "no more excuse for [Hulga] to go to school again." 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 three-step pattern of an O'Connor story, and how is this pattern seen in "Good Country People"? Although she is arrogant, her mother cares for her and wants her to stay active and beautiful. Mrs. Hopewell wonders about her daughters encounter with Manley Pointer, the Bibles salesman. Teachers and parents! and any corresponding bookmarks? Good Country People Characters Next Hulga Hopewell (Joy) Hulga Hopewell (Joy) The daughter of Mrs. Hopewell, Hulga is intelligent, intellectual, and cynical. When he tells her that he is just a simple country boy, she answers, Why! Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. She completely blinds herself to the approval of the reality of things and sways in his love. The other characters are mainly presented through the eye of their minds. Briefly explain its connection to European history from 1500 to 1800. The truth of life is created by ones thoughts, not by some external reality. He is Glyneses suitor and seems a foil to Lymans character. She has very few options in life and is always trapped in awkward situations that further heighten her irritation for the world. "Flannery O'Connors Stories Good Country People Summary and Analysis". Mr. Freeman was a good farmer but that his wife was the nosiest woman ever to walk the earth. Consequently, they will be prevented from the dodging world by living their way. Soon he convinces her to show him where her wooden leg connects to her body, and eventually he gets her to remove it. She is popular among boys and is proposed to by a man Harvey Hill but there is no information about her acceptance. In supper, Mr. Pointer discusses his family and his eagerness to help people. Most of the story is set in Mrs. Hopewells kitchen. The original text plus a side-by-side modern translation of. She expresses the deep ways of human existence in a simple short work of art. He has been the savvy manipulator all along (the exact opposite of a good country boy), whereas Hulga thought she was the one seducing him. Their major task is to talk in platitudes but Joy has more abstract and philosophic ideas. Hulga imagines that she is the one to seduce Manley to shed his religious shell and enter a freer world. She is also a single mother and supposedly paid for her daughters education throughout her educational career. Mrs. Freemans interest in Hulgas disability seems to bother Hulga, indicating that her artificial leg is the key to her vulnerability. The loss of Hulga's glasses symbolically marks her total loss of perception, and she begins to return his kisses, "kissing him again and again as if she were trying to draw all the breath out of him." eNotes' "Good Country People" Overview Quiz covers important questions from Flannery O'Connor's short story, including what happens to Joy, and the question of Manley Pointer's background. Mr. Freeman is a farmer and tenant of Mrs. Hopewell. His personality resembles that of the hollow Bible because his exterior is so simple and pure but there is nothing inside. For example, Mrs. Hopewell is a respected lady and a landowner. Its clear that Hulga feels stifled and alone in her mothers house, and so she cant help idealizing the Bible Salesman as soon as he seems like he might be a deep person who could share her interests. What is the central conflict of "Good Country People"? I'm as good as you any day in the week.". In "Good Country People," identify the point of view and explain how knowing the point of view influences how we understand a major theme of the story. The easygoing chatter between Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman contrasts with Hulgas sense of seriousness about life. However, she does not intend to lose these good people, so she keeps calm. The Bible Salesman seems able to read Mrs. Hopewells hypocrisy right away, and plays into her clichd idea of good country people, using a (possibly invented) farm-country heritage to indicate that he is good-natured, simply, and sincere. PDF downloads of all 1725 LitCharts literature guides, and of every new one we publish. In an address delivered before a Southern Writers Conference, O'Connor commented on the wooden leg: "We're presented with the fact that the Ph.D. is spiritually as well as physically crippled . Mrs. Hopewell lives alone with her daughter, Joy. She has believed that she was an iron-willed rationalist, as indicated by the underlined passage in one of her books that Mrs. Hopewell attempted to read. However, she has a loving mother to care for. It was like losing her own life and finding it again, miraculously in his. Its suggested that Hulga wasnt as cynical as she thought she was, and she is now punished for her act of faith and vulnerabilitypunished by someone who better sees the harsh truth of life, and in his cynicism is totally deceitful, atheistic, and amoral. He marvels at it and it seems as if he just wants to learn how to take it on and off. Manley has been waiting for her behind a bush across the street, and as they walk toward the woods, he immediately asks her about her wooden leg. . She also indulges in complex discussions with her mother, as Mrs. Hopewell prefers simplicity in dialogues. The three leading women, Mrs. Freeman, Mrs. Hopewell, and Hulga encounter each other there thrice a day. He calls Joy as a stupid and a fool girl who is seduced by a smart person like him. It is precisely Hulga's Ph.D. degree in philosophy which creates a major problem between the two women. However, she is dependent upon her mother due to her physical illness. The title Good Country People is an irony for the contrasting natures of the characters in the story. Joy nicknames her Glycerin that predicts the lightness of her and her sisters character. Connor sets up a conflicting argument between the staunch believers and disbelievers of Christianity. Hulga's eyes, she says, are "icy blue, with the look of someone who has achieved blindness by an act of will and means to keep it.". Joy calls her Caramel, however, it is not mentioned whether she has any interaction with her. Sometimes, there is enough wordiness in his dialogues. That night, she lies in bed imagining dialogues between herself and Pointer that are insane on the surface but which reach below to depths that no Bible salesman would be aware of. What is the resolution? Hulga realizes she is not as smart as she thinks she is and gains life experience; Manly Pointer leaves with her leg, Mrs. Hopewell is still oblivious, etc. She shows up at their private times i.e. Now, Mrs. Hopewell wonders what was said between her daughter and Manley as Mrs. Freeman prattles on about her daughters. However, her mother calls her senseless and impractical. Similarly, she realizes it to Mrs. Freeman at every point that Mrs. Hopewell is superior to her and she is nothing in front of Hopewell. As the story is structured in the Southern part of the state, some factors depict the south gothic nature of the short story. 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. O'Connor is showing us here that Hulga, with her Ph.D. degree in philosophy, has until now professed absolute atheism. She has heard that Mrs. Freeman always wants to "be into everything"; that being the case, Mrs. Hopewell believes that she can counter this character defect by putting Mrs. Freeman "in charge." When they reach the edge of the woods, he kisses her; she has never been kissed before and is not particularly impressed. Chazelle, Damien ed. Why were the Wakatsukis sent to Manzanar? Definitions and examples of 136 literary terms and devices. He then produces a hollowed-out Bible containing a bottle of whiskey, sex cards, and some condoms. In this short story, Connor ironically depicts the contradictory natures of the characters of the discussed Southern society. He removes her glasses but she does not seem to notice. She is used to reading a lot and prefers to live in isolation. in the end, he is the one who fools her and leaves her helpless. She misjudges Manley Pointer for his goodness who turns out to be a fraud person. Instant PDF downloads. Choose the correct pronoun from those shown in parentheses. Similarly, Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell think of Manley Pointer as a simple and good man who cannot harm Hulga in any way. Hulga, then, by O'Connor's admission is "blind," and ironically, it is during one of Hulga's exchanges with her mother, while Hulga is attempting to reveal her mother's blindness to her (her lack of awareness), that Hulga fails; instead, she reveals a vast weakness in her own professedly atheistic views, laying her open later to Manley Pointer's attack. if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'litpriest_com-banner-1','ezslot_1',105,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litpriest_com-banner-1-0');However, Joy does not pay attention to him after greeting him. Faith 10 Questions Show answers Question 1 30 seconds Q. Manley packs up her wooden leg and his other possessions in his valise. What are the character traits of Joy-Hulga in "Good Country People"? Now, however, we see that Hulga unconsciously wants to believe that there is a power greater than herself. For instance, she spends most of her time reading and goes for a walk occasionally. Her first novel was "Wise Blood' in 1952. Although Mrs. Freeman (free man) is given a clearer view of the realities of the world (she does not, for example, accept either Hulga or Manley Pointer at face value), she chooses to concentrate on the diseased and the grotesque aspects of life. Therefore, she changes her name to Hulga later on. Her vulnerable soul can be determined first from the weakness of her heart, as she is not wise and experienced, and secondly, from her fake leg, as she has no strong standing in the world of reality. LitPriest is a free resource of high-quality study guides and notes for students of English literature. Mrs. Freeman is free to rule herself. She also thinks of young men as stupid and useless (because she is intelligent and philosophic). They change according to the need of the time. However, Manleys personality is revealed at the end when he takes away Hulgas most important part (her leg) just like tricking her dear feelings. For instance, both Mrs. Freeman and Manley Pointer are seen as "good country people" by Mrs. Hopewell; both have a morbid interest in Hulga's wooden leg; both of them allow their "victims" to form an erroneous view of "good country people"; and finally, both Pointer and Mrs. Freeman are described as having steely eyes capable of penetrating Hulga's facade. Joy is thirty-two and is quite arrogant and self-willed. Being in power, Hopewell has the authority to shape a person according to her point of view. As long as any of the characters begins judgment about others in the story, the tone changes to playful and comic. Mrs. Hopewell tells Manley, I think there arent enough good country people in the world! Reality vs. Illusion/Desire, 1. dinner which Mrs. Hopewell does not approve of. On the contrary, he is the most deceptive and heartless person who deceives other people also. LitCharts Teacher Editions. Another reason for her mothers tolerance is that Joy Hopewell has a heart issue and will supposedly live for almost ten more years. ). He only uses religion to gain materialistic ends e.g. The pink weeds and "speckled pink hillsides" (pink being the color symbolic of sensuality and the emotions) serve to emphasize how Hulga is slowly losing control of the situation. Mrs. Hopewell has "divorced her husband long ago," which was certainly atypical of women in . Likewise, the experienced and independent Mrs. Hopewell is blind to see the antagonism of Mrs. Freeman for herself. . He says that his disbelief in any religion is bigger than her disapproval of religious institutions and runs away. He also carries his briefcase along with him. Similarly, the writer begins the story with a descriptive note on Mrs. Freemans truck-like facial structure. For example, Hulga is an intellectual character and the story ridicules her for her false admiration by the people around her because of her knowledge. If you would like to change your settings or withdraw consent at any time, the link to do so is in our privacy policy accessible from our home page..