[Type text] A Good Man Is Hard to Find The repetition of specific images of color throughout the story was

s significant. The colors that appeared the most often were red and gray. Followed by white, black, orange, yellow and blue. Based on the events of the story and with the murders and bloodshed of the grandmother at the end the color red can suggest death. This color along with gray and the blue also suggests the confederacy. A strong undertone throughout the story was of slavery. The use of Georgia as former southern plantation state sets the groundwork for this symbol. Also with the form of dominion fat Sammy has over his wife who is specifically described as hard working and with a skin dark like that of an African American. And with the image of the monkey chained to the pole. The monkey is eating a flea which reveals its poor living conditions, much like those of a slave. The grandmother also wore white cotton gloves. Cotton was the primary slave harvested crop. Probably the most prominent theme of the story was that of nostalgia. The grandmother was constantly reminiscing about how much better things, and especially people used to be compared to modern times. She explains how children used to be respectful and people used to be good. Her application of the word good is very broad. It is used firstly to describe Sammy who treats his wife poorly, is gluttonous, and also gullible. None of these qualities would typically be associated with good. She also uses this word good and the phrase of good blood to appease the misfit and in an attempt to prevent him from killing her. This idea of being of good blood hints again at slavery and race superiority. The main reason for the reoccurring images of slavery was to demonstrate, that unlike the grandmother seems to believe, the past times were no better than the present especially in regards to the people. Her realizing that the beautiful plantation house was in reality not where

she thought was a symbol for the falsity of her memories of good times, like the house they only existed in her head. The grandmother is first seen in the opening of the story as self serving and manipulative of her family. She tries to use the news of the misfit to convince them to go to Tennessee. She also manipulates the children again and uses them to force Bailey into driving to the house she remembers. Based on her characteristics the grandmother would not typically be described as a good person. Her view of good though is a traditional one. She views good as being ladylike. She wears her dress and straw hat so that she will appear a lady based on her traditional definition of one The character the misfit is more complicated than he originally appears. Unlike his assistants he is not a simple minded killer. He may not be completely sane, but all of his actions are consistently guided by his unchanging system of morals. This consistency is what the grandmother lacks. The misfit is like an image of an anti Christ. This is based off of his references to Jesus actions as wrong, but also because he sees killing as his only way to get pleasure. This in the end changes though, killing becomes a task rather than enjoyable after he kills the grandmother. He wipes off his glasses like a working man. The final scene is one of many religious undertones. With the sunlight, and also with the grandma smiling at the end as if she has been enlightened and gone to heaven. Another significant detail of the story is the cat pity sing. The cat appears at the beginning of the story when the grandmother suggests that she cannot leave him at home, even though Bailey strongly dislikes this idea. And it is the cat that causes the car accident that ultimately leads to the demise of the family. And the cat appears again at the end when it brushes up against the misfit. The misfit who claims he enjoys killing for some reason does not kill the cat. With the

interpretation of this story as a theodicy the cat is a tool god uses to change the lives of the family, especially the grandmother. The cat could be a Jesus like figure. The repetitive use of the word thin was curious. Thin was used four times with each description of the grandmothers feeble body. And the only other use of the word thin was in describing the misfits ankles and shoulder blades. This could support the interpretation of this story making reference to the holocaust. All the survivors of the concentration camp were deathly thin. Or this again could be a reference to Christ who is typically depicted as very thin. The character the misfit who denounces Jesus and all of his actions interestingly enough very much like him. Especially in the fact that he was punished for no reason. But instead of praying he turned in the opposite direction towards Satan. With his actions of killing. Killing appears to be a job to the misfit though. Its as if he is working for god. With the way he cleans his glasses like a worker having just finished a job. His connection to the devil can be seen with his actions but also with the colors used to describe him and his minions. Both red and black are associated with the devil The setting of the story was also very important to the message it was conveying. The clear sky was an obvious suggestion that there was a direct link between heaven and earth at the time of the killings. This again supports the fact that God was aware and even potentially commanding the misfit to do as he did. As a theodicy this would make perfect sense. Especially with the last line of the story where the misfit says its no real pleasure in life this suggests that the only pleasure is after life with god.