Who wouldn't want to be a good human being? Being good can lead to happiness, joy, faith and grace. Flannery O'Connor's “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” however, reveals a satirical reality in which not many people fully understand the fundamental meaning of being “a good man.” This tale is one of the most famous examples of Southern Gothic literature. Focusing on strange events, local colors and eccentric characters, O'Connor successfully depicts the difference and similarity of the moral code of the two main characters. Although the grandmother and the Misfit have conflicting philosophies and principles, they both struggle to discover their own righteousness that is buried deep beneath their flaws. In “A Good Man Is Hard to Find,” O'Connor uses many literary devices such as conflict, symbolism, foreshadowing, and irony to reveal the good and evil in the story. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Conflict is the main means of organizing the entire story, which begins with the disagreement between the grandmother and the rest of the family. Readers may be surprised that no one in the family cares about their grandmother or her opinions; even the children don't show her any respect. O'Connor forces readers to question: What did the grandmother do to be treated that way? The grandmother presents herself to readers as "harmless, nosy, completely self-centered but also funny" (Bandy, 957). However, as the story develops, the grandmother ultimately appears to be a selfish, dishonest and not “good” person. The central conflict is the internal conflict of the grandmother, who blindly perceives herself as superior to others. Her mistaken beliefs of being good and constantly pursuing her conscience are what ultimately destroys the entire family. By leading them down the wrong path and indirectly causing the accident, it is the grandmother who leads the family to the Misfits. Furthermore, believing that good people always follow their conscience, Grandma savagely tells the Misfit that she recognizes him, which ultimately puts her family in danger. The grandmother proudly dresses for the trip with "her collars and cuffs were of white organza edged with lace and to her necklace she had pinned a purple branch of purple cloth containing a pouch" (O'Connor 941). A woman's appearance is the most important virtue for which she would not want to pay anything to exchange it. Being a white woman means power and superiority; therefore, he incessantly expresses judgments on others. Speaking arrogantly about her past, Grandma represents an old-fashioned, upper-class Southern mentality. One of the interesting parts of the story is when he tries to tell John Wesley to be more respectful towards his home state and others. Immediately, the grandmother discovers her true self as a judgmental woman by pointing out the "cute little pickaninny" on the street and pleases her grandchildren with a story about a watermelon where a "nigger boy" devoured it (O'Connor 942 ). At this time, it is quite obvious that the grandmother “is full of the prejudices of her class and her time” (Bandy 957). The repetitive use of the word “good” is symbolic as it reflects how the grandmother views others. Apply the label "good" indiscriminately to anyone as long as their expectations align with yours. For example, he considers Red Sammy “a good man” because he trusts people blindly; she then insists that the Misfit is also "a good man" because, she reasons, he wouldn't shoot a woman. Finally, he never begs the Misfit to spare his family; in fact, the only person she cares about is herself. On the surface, the grandmother is paintedas a “good” person with a strong faith in God. Sins reside within her, however, making her an evil woman due to her own beliefs. Not only conflict but also symbolism and foreshadowing are important narrative devices in the entire story. O'Connor invites readers to think and predict as he reveals omens of doom one by one. From the beginning, the grandmother warns her family about the Misfit, a fugitive from the conflict, headed for Florida. Following her conscience, the grandmother convinces her son not to “lead [her] children in any direction where such a criminal is free to do so” (O'Connor, 940). The seemingly ridiculous warning signals that confrontation with the Misfit is inevitable. Second, the grandmother dresses as if she is prepared for her own death. She carefully wore her Sunday best so that "anyone who saw her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady" (O'Connor, 941). As the story unfolds, O'Connor continues to reveal numerous signs of life versus death that prepare readers for the impending catastrophe. While the family is traveling to Florida, they pass the cotton field with five or six graves that exactly represent the number of people in the car. The grandmother points and mentions that they belonged to an old plantation that "went with the wind" as it is reminiscent of a long-gone destruction of the Old South (O'Connor 941). Finally, as the Misfit's car approaches the family, it is described as a “large black hearse-like automobile” (O'Connor, 945). A hearse is a vehicle that carries coffins and foreshadows the family's faith even before the Misfit gets out of the car. One of the main symbols of “A Good Man is Hard to Find” is the grandmother's hat. The hat she wore for the sole purpose of being a lady symbolizes her wrong moral code. Her only concern is appearing like a Southern woman; ironically, it is even more important to her than her own life and even that of her children. The hat represents his selfishness and fragile moral conviction. While confronting the Misfit, the grandmother drops her hat on the ground as she recognizes that her conception of herself as goodness and purity is a big, flat flaw. O'Connor judiciously incorporates many literary devices to realize the main theme of "A good man is hard to find"; and irony is one of the most important devices that contribute to the success of the story's ending. Dramatic irony occurs when a character fails to recognize what is obvious to the reader. Throughout the story, the grandmother's perception of herself and society is greatly distorted agrees with how she judges others, blames Europe for the loss of good people, manipulates her family, and mistakenly blurts out that she recognizes the Misfit Only when faced with the Misfit and death will the grandmother's moral code reveal itself ultimately inconsistent and deluded. In contrast, the Misfit can be seen as a villain as he and his men unapologetically kill the entire family. However, he is the only character in the story to have a coherent philosophy that everyone else seems to lack. Is self-aware and carefully considers his actions and life experiences; he knows that "[he's] not a good man, but [he's] not the worst either" (O'Connor 949). The Misfit relies on his moral code to guide his action; while the grandmother must return to her beliefs in an attempt to save herself. The story is a struggle of the two main characters trying to find their own path to righteousness. The final irony occurs when man 956-959