Duality of the Grandmother’s Personality in A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Abstract

Flannery O’Connor who writes A Good Man Is Hard to Find is acclaimed as one of leading figures of American Southern Literature in the 20th century. Influenced by southern culture and Catholic faith, O’Connor is devoted to describing social phenomena by means of violence to show people’s twisted soul and reveal the darkness of society. The Grandmother, the protagonist in A Good Man Is Hard to Find, is a typical character related to social environment after the World War II. Some studies on A Good Man is Hard to Find focus on religious faith and multiple themes of redemption, bias, indifference. Other researches were carried out on the subject of original sin and human beings’ weakness. This thesis is going to discuss the duality of the Grandmother’s personality and further explore what results in the cultivation of the Grandmother’s dual personality from the influence of family environment, social environment and religion.

This thesis is divided into three parts. The first part introduces the author Flannery O’Connor and A Good Man Is Hard to Find. The second part focuses on the duality of Grandmother’s personality, including the merits and demerits. The last part explores the reasons of the Grandmother’s dual personality. According to analysis on human nature, the thesis is to remind people of negative effects of industrial development and inspire people to show respect for their spiritual world so that the world can be a more harmonious and pleasant one where a good man is not hard to find.

Key words: A Good Man Is Hard to Find; the Grandmother; duality of personality