An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. Likewise, the experienced and independent Mrs. Hopewell is blind to see the antagonism of Mrs. Freeman for herself. The name Pointer (manly), not his real name, functions as a semi-obscene pun on one level, and it comes to point out, on another level, the depths to which humanity might descend if it follows only its "manly" nature. Our, "Sooo much more helpful thanSparkNotes. The concept of good country people recurs throughout the story, referring to Mrs. Hopewells view that there is a certain kind of person who lives out in the country and is a simple, moral person. He has also made her fall for him with his jokes and silly conversation. This further distances their relationship. 2. In the 19-20th century, class conflict was one of the major issues of English society. She is also a single mother and supposedly paid for her daughters education throughout her educational career. Mrs. Hopewell is jealous of the romantic success of Mrs. Freemans daughters. The spectacles also denote different perspectives of the people in the story. His religious devotion even shames Mrs. Hopewell into claiming (falsely) that she has a Bible at her bedside. By living such an intellectual life, Hulga has to some extent cut herself off from the natural world, reaffirming that, for all her knowledge of philosophy, she is missing out on many aspects of life. "Good country people are the salt of the earth! "And I'll tell you another thing," Pointer says, "You ain't so smart. Their relationship seems to be moving towards the possibility of love in the beginning, but they part in a huge disillusionment later on. Teach your students to analyze literature like LitCharts does. For instance, the surname for Joy and Mrs. Hopewell is Hopewell. On the contrary, Mrs. Freeman is depicted as a fairly shrewd woman who is capable of "using" Mrs. Hopewell's blindness to reality, just as Manley Pointer will later "use" Hulga's blindness to reality for his own selfish advantage. Mrs. Hopewell sees Manley going out of the woods but does not expect that they have met. Then Manley packs up his things along with Joys wooden leg in his briefcase and throws it down. Mr. Freeman is a farmer and tenant of Mrs. Hopewell. She wants to stay alone and away from her home and pursue her teaching career. In Hulga's case, despite her advanced academic degrees, she is unable to see what is bad, and her mother's stereotyping perspective proves to be equally misleading and false. Mrs. Hopewell has "divorced her husband long ago," which was certainly atypical of women in . Mrs. Hopewell thinks that girls should go to school and have a good time but Hulga has attained the ultimate educational degree, and yet education did not "bring her out"; privately, Mrs. Hopewell is glad that there is "no more excuse for [Hulga] to go to school again." However, in the end, he is the one who fools her and leaves her helpless. Since this is the case, it is not surprising that Pointer's comment that it is her leg which "makes her different" produces the total collapse of Hulga's plan. Joy looks helplessly at him going away and is quite upset.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'litpriest_com-leader-1','ezslot_5',112,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litpriest_com-leader-1-0'); Both Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman observe him come out of the woods and lead towards the road. She even exposes her weakness (her artificial leg) to him. Mrs. Hopewell considers Mrs. Freeman to be extremely nosy, but she knew that before she hired her and has dealt with this problem by making sure that it is Mrs. Freemans job to know everything; she is in charge of the whole household. His personality resembles that of the hollow Bible because his exterior is so simple and pure but there is nothing inside. Similar is the case with the characters of Good Country People. This is why she readily gives herself in the safety of Manley. For example, Mrs. Hopewell is always hopeful about life. LitCharts Teacher Editions. New York City, New York St. Paul, Minnesota Question 2 30 seconds Q. While Mrs. Hopewell lives in a world of clichs and conventional morality, Hulga. Joy lives with her mother only because of her weak heart. Carramae is married and pregnant while Glynese is not. They are the only tenants who are good for her unlike her previous tenants who were all trash. bookmarked pages associated with this title. Hulga, meanwhile, naturally scorns the Bible Salesman at first, but then feels a sudden burst of emotion when it seems like someone else might share her same heart condition. Similarly, Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell think of Manley Pointer as a simple and good man who cannot harm Hulga in any way. By contrast, Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman are happy to gossip. Refine any search. anywhere or introduce . . . What is the purpose of the last two paragraphs and explain how it contributes to the story's themes. Because both Hulga and her mother have accepted this false view of reality, each of them "hopes well" to tailor that world to meet her own needs Mrs. Hopewell by living in a world where clichs operate as truth, and Hulga by insisting that there is nothing behind, or beyond, the surface world. Accompanied by male porters, Peck attempted to climb the mountain, but howling winds and treacherous conditions thwarted the men and (she, her). She also thinks about her meeting with the salesman at ten and their previous days conversation. He didnt want to go to college, he just wanted to sell Bibles. There was nothing about her face or her round freezing-blue eyes to indicate that this had moved her; but she felt as if her heart had stopped and left her mind to pump her blood. The story ends up with Mrs. Freeman who begins it. The people judge a person to be good or bad only because of ones external factors. Even though the kiss causes an extra surge of adrenaline, like that which "enables one to carry a packed trunk out of a burning house," Hulga is now convinced that nothing exceptional happened and that everything is "a matter of the mind's control.". He also carries his briefcase along with him. Flannery O'Connor - Good Country People | Genius He takes obscene playing cards, alcohol, and prophylactics out of the book. This encounter represents the tiresome routine of womens life. Instant downloads of all 1725 LitChart PDFs She hopes to bring the Bible Salesman out of the ignorance that she sees in Christianity and into a broader understanding of the worldone in which enlightenment is the equivalent of being saved, and ignorance of being damned.. 2023 Course Hero, Inc. All rights reserved. eNotes.com will help you with any book or any question. Sometimes Mrs. Freeman also joins them in the debates. It is notable that Mrs. Hopewell values the normal above all else, and sees her own daughter as somehow abnormal because of her leg. Complete your free account to access notes and highlights. What do you think of Hulga's conviction that intelligence and education are incompatible with religious beliefs? She also changed her name from Joy to Hulga when she was in college at twenty-one. Carramae is Mrs. Freemans daughter who is fifteen years old. They are the opposite of how she views her own daughter, Hulga, who revels in her nihilism and uses her. Ironically, she detests the company of both of them because they are not well educated like her. To highlight their approach to life, the author names the characters according to such motives. Throw a missing leg into . Mrs. Hopewell survives in a self-made world of illusion, isolating herself from the real world by mouthing pseudo-philosophical, clichd maxims which only isolate her further from her daughter who has a Ph.D. in philosophy. Mrs. Hopewell champions these people as the salt, The way characters understand other characters in Good Country People is often the opposite of how these characters truly are. 1. She believes that she has tricked the Bible Salesman by lying about her age and education, and still doesnt realize that she is being tricked as well. Although O'Connor uses the intellectual, or the pseudo-intellectual, in one of her novels and in seven of her short stories, Hulga is the only female in the bunch. The valise, which seemed to contain Bibles, in fact contains traditional sinful objectsalcohol, pornography, and condoms. For instance, she thinks of her daughter as a child which means that she keeps her under her command and does not let her live freely by herself. They continue to kiss, and without her leg she feels entirely dependent on Manley. Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. Hulga is able to even though she has a wooden leg; in fact, she climbs up first to prove to Manley that she is not at a disadvantage. That's life!". Although the Hopewells consider him as a simple, unintelligent, and inferior person but still he manages to gain their attention and fool them, quite ironic. Also, his motivation to get others essentials that have no use for him reveals his superficial useless nature. The night before, Hulga had lain in bed, imagining intense conversations between herself and the. "Their conversation . He has no background and just comes in the story from nowhere, but he wins a firm place in Hulgas heart. Complete your free account to request a guide. However, the conversation turns to Mr. Pointer and upon questioning, Joy smashes into her room. Both of the characters whom Mrs. Hopewell describes as being good country people turn out not to fit that description at all. He can fulfill his ends in any way whether good or bad. They change according to the need of the time. Compare and contrast the characters and personalities of Joy (Hulga) and the Bible salesman in "Good Country People" by Flannery O'Connor. Now, Mrs. Hopewell wonders what was said between her daughter and Manley as Mrs. Freeman prattles on about her daughters. However, her illusion is shattered by the fraud of Manley who removes her wooden leg leaving her useless. She used black humor mixed with some of her religious beliefs, lots of irony, and extreme situations. Likewise, in the latter part of the story, she is left completely helpless by the salesmans fraud and her superiority and intelligence are smashed to the ground. Everything you need for every book you read. What characteristics of grotesque are used in "Good Country People"? This same disease was then diagnosed in OConnor herself, debilitating her for many years and causing her death at age 39. Nor does she love to enjoy nature. What does Hulga learn about herself and about other people through her encounter with the Bible salesman in "Good Country People"? Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are answered by real teachers. . Then the story shifts to the kitchen of Mrs. Hopewell. Hulga, however, is wrong, and even O'Connor's color imagery which is inserted as Hulga and Pointer make their way to the old barn (likened at one point to a train which they fear may "slide away") contributes to the impression that Hulga may have met her match. Also like Hulga, OConnor was well educated and brilliant, but living in a relatively uneducated Southern environment. but it ain't held me back none. He only uses religion to gain materialistic ends e.g. Hulga has now undergone mortification, and Mrs. Hopewell appears to be facing a future revelation. She so resents her mothers phoniness that she causes her mother annoyance whenever possibleand acts very immature in the process. because of pregnancy. She thinks that she has turned him to think about deeper perspectives of the world and live a freer life. Likewise, Joys encounter with Manley Pointer is another instance of appearance and reality distinction. When Manley tells her that he likes her wooden leg because it makes her different, she felt as if her heart had stopped and left her mind to pump her blood. Her mind, of course, is incapable of this feat. Having made her commitment to Pointer, Hulga allows herself to indulge in a fantasy in which "she would run away with him and that every night he would take the leg off and every morning put it back on again." Detailed explanations, analysis, and citation info for every important quote on LitCharts. What does Mrs. Hopewell mean by the phrase "good country people"? For instance, she spends most of her time reading and goes for a walk occasionally. Mrs. Hopewell would probably be pleased that her daughter was going on a date with such a nice boy, which is precisely why Hulga keeps it a secretshe doesnt want to give her mother any satisfaction. On the other hand, her daughter is in a flux of changing identities. The shallowness of daily life and the pointless conversations between Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman cause her constant annoyance. Literary Analysis of Good Country People by Flannery O' Connor Moreover, through the use of third-person omniscient narrative, the author judges the standard for good qualities and good people, therefore, elevating the importance of the title Good Country People. but I guess the world would be better off if we were all that simple." For example, Mrs. Hopewell is a respected lady and a landowner. Hulgas education is connected to her lack of faith in God, especially in the mind of her mother. Mrs. Hopewell lives alone with her daughter, Joy. Hulga is completely unprepared for any kind of romantic date, and immediately assumes the worstthat the Bible Salesman wont show up. The story itself narrates life as a mystery that remains a question for everyone whatever they think.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[250,250],'litpriest_com-leader-4','ezslot_13',116,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-litpriest_com-leader-4-0'); Through the character of Hulga Hopewell, OConnor gives the idea that education does not make a person practical unless one deals with every kind of surroundings. She is popular among boys and is proposed to by a man Harvey Hill but there is no information about her acceptance. Teachers and parents! As Hulga is a professor in philosophy, she considers herself unique and qualified and others as illiterate fools. Hulga Hopewell of "Good Country People" is a unique character in O'Connor's fictional world. read analysis of Class, Identity, and Superiority, read analysis of Appearances and Realities, read analysis of Authentic Faith and Vulnerability. Joy develops superiority over the only two women in her life Mrs. Freeman and her mother and it leaves her vulnerable to the dodges of the people outside. This request leads Hulga to believe that she has "seduced him without even making up her mind to try.". Thus, the reader is left with the impression that Mrs. Hopewell will also have to undergo an epiphanal experience which will destroy the confidence she has in her ability to control and to use Mrs. Freeman. She never complains about her daughters behavior but always accepts it quite thankfully. in the end, he is the one who fools her and leaves her helpless. The Bible Salesman has drawn Hulgas attention by being differentmore sincere, she thinksthan the other people Hulga knows, and by directly commenting on her artificial leg. Read below our complete notes on the poem Good Country People by Flannery OConnor. He withdraws Hulgas leg and keeps it aside. (including. This shows that having land and employees does not make a person independent; freedom exists in the mind of a person. She has her division of people into two classes i.e. OConnor also depicts a class conflict in her story Good Country People. Manley then takes her leg away and opens up his Bible that is hollow inside consisting of playing cards, whiskey, and condoms. What does Mrs. Hopewell mean by the phrase "good country people"? - eNotes LitPriest is a free resource of high-quality study guides and notes for students of English literature. Mrs. Hopewell had no bad qualities of her own but she was able to use other people's in such a constructive way . Hulga is a lonely girl who does not like the company of people. Then after supper, Mrs. Hopewell excuses him to make him end the meeting. Similarly, Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell think of Manley Pointer as a simple and good man who cannot harm Hulga in any way. Best summary PDF, themes, and quotes. . At ten oclock in the morning, Joy moves out on a date with Mr. Pointer. In an address delivered before a Southern Writers Conference, O'Connor commented on the wooden leg: "We're presented with the fact that the Ph.D. is spiritually as well as physically crippled . This misperception leads them to assume that the world is much simpler than it actually is. . It questions the idea of goodness, what are the standards for good qualities and why are some people considered good or bad. He does not want a church marriage like Lyman but prefers an ordinary one. They're like having in-class notes for every discussion!, This is absolutely THE best teacher resource I have ever purchased. Faith However, she is advised by the doctor to stay in the care of her mother. The arrival of nineteen-year-old Manley Pointer, Bible salesman and con artist, is presented in highly realistic terms by O'Connor. Therefore, she lives in the illusion that she considers reality. They lie against the hay and Manley kisses her again. Then he kisses Joy while walking in the woods but she ignores the act. Next is a group she identifies as good country people. These people are poorer than landowners like Mrs. Hopewell and her daughter Hulga, as well as less educated.
