Flannery O’Connor’s Good Country People
by Lillian Bonar
Essay: Flannery O’Connor’s Good Country People
Pages: 11
Rating: 3 stars
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Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People,” describes the lives of a mother, Mrs. Hopewell and her daughter, Joy
and the irony of their relationship. This passage from the short story expounds on their character development
through details of their lives. The selected paragraph uses a matter-of-fact tone to give more information about
Mrs. Hopewell and Joy. Flannery O’Connor has given an objective recount of the story, which makes the third
person narrator a reliable source. Mrs. Hopewell’s feelings are given on her daughter to examine their relationship.
It is reader who takes these facts to create an understanding of these women and their lives. This part of the story
illustrates the aspects of their lives that they had little control over. Therefore, it indirectly shows how each woman
acclimated to their circumstance. Although genetically related and living with one another, Mrs. Hopewell and Joy
were exceedingly different people.
The passage relies on the setting of the story. It is written in 1955 and women were not seen as equal to men as
they are in contemporary times. Women had more of a domestic role, while men were educated and worked to
support the family. In that time, a country family had religious valves that Joy did not follow, unlike her mother.
Mrs. Hopewell did not appreciate Joy’s success in her education. She believed girls went to school for their
enjoyment not as a serious scholar, seeking intellect and a greater understanding of the world. Joy getting a Ph.D.
in Philosophy is seen as a disappointment for a woman like Hrs. Hopewell. In an addition to the historical setting,
the physical setting of their home on the farm plays a role in this story. For someone who is living in a rural area
with wide-open acre...