"A Good Man is Hard to Find" In-Class Group Work Assignments

QUESTION: What does the grandmother mean by "a good man"? Whom does she consider "good people"? Why does she tell the Misfit that he is "a good man"?

• The grandmother is the protagonist. She has strong religious beliefs and also has the superior attitude to think that everybody behaves wrongly except her. In her mind we can clearly judge that she was controlling the rest of the people around her by telling them where to go and what to do.
• When the grandmother said “good people” shows her selfishness to safe her life; using those strong words, the grandmother thinks that she can change her destiny and the way of thinking of the misfit.
• Also the grandmother considers that “good people” are those people like her only people from her generation were good, responsible, honest, and educated.
• Since the beginning in the story the grandmother always want to change people’s idea.  “The grandmother didn’t want to go to Florida. She wanted to visit some of her connections in East Tennessee and seizing at every chance to change Bailey’s mind.” The same way she wants to do with the misfit when she knew that will be killed. The grandmother said “Jesus” the old lady cried. “You’ve got good blood!! I know you wouldn’t shoot a lady! I know you come from nice people! Pray! Jesus, you ought not to shoot a lady, I’ll give you all the money I’ve got!” unconsciously the grandmother was wrong about what good people.
• We could say that the grandmother didn’t know anything about life because nobody knows what is good of bad or what people are capable to do. The misfit gave her a lesson. In the story the Misfit shows that you have to life the fullness without criticizing everybody around you.  “He thrown everything off balance” this phrase tells us that in this world there is not good or bad people and even thought your parents raised you with morals by telling you what is good or bad, everyone chooses what is better for each individual.
• When the grandmother says “You are one of my children” she realizes the responsibility she had for the misfit as society has the responsibility for the common people in the world.
• The grandmother tells the misfit that he is a good man because through his actions made her acknowledge how the grace can strength the faith. When the grandmother died she clears her mind knowing that she was like any other human being.
• At the end of the story we can conclude that the Misfit and the Grandmother redeem themselves. The grandmother had to know where the good people are when they recognize their mistakes, and the only way was dying. She reached the grace of god and meet with Jesus in the only place in which Jesus is, Heaven. “It’s not a real pleasure in life.” These are the words the misfit said. He also had the opportunity to accept the grace when he killed the grandmother; watching the grandmother expression that kept in mind and wasn’t happy at all for what he done. 

Submitted by: Tania G., Diana M., and Cesar M.