“Good Country People” by Flannery O’Connor is a story that is full of irony and this irony is achieved by means of the main character, Mrs. Freeman. Moreover, the very title of the story gives the effect of irony. After reading the story, it becomes understandable what the title means in reality and how fully it supports the ironic contest of the story.
The irony of the story is introduced by Hulga Hopewell’s attitude to life, being more specific to her faith and pride. As it is seen from the reading, Hulga Hopewell believes only in her wood leg, which she had lost many years ago. Having been named Joy in her birth, she thinks that she does not deserve such a name and begin to call herself Hulga. The culmination of irony is the episode when Hulga’s leg is broken by Manley Pointer, a person from the country around Willohobie. When the leg is broken, Hunga understands that the life was spent in vain, because the only thing she believed in and considered to be the strongest is broken. The title of the story is the irony as not all people from the countryside as so good, as it may seem from the first side.
It may be concluded that Hulga’s life was really spent in vain, but not because of her leg broken, but because all her life she believed in nothing and she did not have any aim. The leg cannot be the sense of people’s life as it is just a leg, and people should believe in something more real. Hulga did not have any goal, she did not try to reach something, it may be concluded that she did not live as it is impossible to live without aim and without any interest in life. Hulga just swans in the common flow and without desires and interests in her life, so this may be named the real reason for the vanity of her life. As for me, it is impossible to imagine life without aim or desire as people always want to reach something, they always have the sphere of interests.
Works Cited
O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: And Other Stories. New York: Demco Media, 2002