Short Story 'Good Country People By Flannery O' Connor

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“Good Country People”
What was your initial response to the story’s title? Did your impression of “Good Country People” change as you read it? Why or why not?
The short story of “Good Country People”, was written by Flannery O’Connor, who was born and grew up in Georgia. She was well known for her unique short stories based upon humor, irony and paradox within a system of Christian beliefs. When I first saw the title, “Good Country People”, I assumed this story was going to be about some hard working people who lived on a farm and were very nice with good intentions. After reading the story of “Good Country People”, my impression did change because I thought that these people had good intentions but instead I noticed some bad characteristics, …show more content…
Hopewell, Joy, Mrs. Freeman and Manley. Although, Manley was also viewed as an antagonist because he brought on conflict. Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman were actually nice country women. On the other hand, Joy, Mrs. Hopewell’s daughter was not pleasant at all. Joy was a young adult child who had an artificial leg and was highly educated with a Ph.D in philosophy. She was named Joy, but later in life she changed her name to Hulga. However, her mother continued to call her by her birth name. Joy could not stand that name, as I believe she did not like it because she was an atheist and the name joy is related to religious beliefs. Hulga had a bad attitude and her mother Mrs. Hopewell excused this attitude because she felt pity of her daughter since she had an artificial wooden leg and a weak heart. Hulga lost her leg in a hunting accident when she was ten years old. Mrs. Hopewell often felt pity of her daughter because she never got the excitement and pleasures of a normal little girl growing up. Hulga was thirty-two years old and still living home with her mother. It was hard for Mrs. Hopewell to cope with her daughter’s condition and I believed it was also hard for Hulga as well.
Mrs. Hopewell hired Mrs. Freeman who came highly recommended and was referred to as “Good Country People” and not trashy. Mrs. Freeman was also referred to as a good farmer. So maybe that is where the name “Good Country People” came from however, I thought all of them were country people. Mrs. Freeman had two teenage daughters, one of which was pregnant. She has been working for Mrs. Hopewell for the past four years as oppose to most families who had worked for Mrs. Hopewell only work for one
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