122 A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

What do you think the phrase “a good man” means? Is there somebody whom you can call “a good man”?

Flannery O’Connor’s short story is a polarizing novel which will make you think about good and evil, relationships with your relatives, etc. We will provide you with some ideas that will help you to cope with the “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” essay.

“A Good Man Is Hard To Find” Character Analysis

There are 12 characters: The Grandmother, the Misfit, Bailey, June Star, John Wesley, the Mother and the Baby, Bobby Lee, Hiram, Red Sammy and his wife, and Pitty Sing.

You can choose any for your character analysis.

If you choose a Granny, you can examine her manipulations to get the desired. For example, you can explore the way she makes her family travel to Tennessee instead of Florida.

She also states that she’s a lady. What does being a lady mean for her? What does “being a lady” mean for you?

Grandmother talks about Jesus, but is she a religious person? State your opinion and provide examples.

Another character to analyze is the Misfit, the misguided escaped prisoner. How do you think, was he “the Wrong Guy”? Why was he sent to the penitentiary? Is he a religious man?

Think about other characters and their roles in the story.

5 “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” Essay Themes

If you’re looking for “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” essay ideas, check our list below:

• Theme of grace. What is the moment of grace? If grandmother did not bring God into the picture, how it would change the plot?
• Theme of good and evil. Whom does the granny calls a “good man” and why? What does a “good man” mean, according to her? Is The Misfit a good or evil man?
• Theme of religion. Was The Misfit a religious person or not? Prove your opinion with the quotes. And what about the grandmother?
• Theme of manipulation. What is manipulations? Is the granny a manipulative person? Provide your opinion and supporting evidence.
• Theme of family. Do you think is the family described in a story realistic? Do they care for each other? Provide your evidence.

When you will be reading the story, ask these “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” essay questions:

What do you think about the story: is it a cynical tale about manipulation and human pettiness and manipulation? Or it’s rather a simple horror story?

What is being “good” means for you? Does it mean being religious or being kind?

Do we really need a religion to be a good person?

If you need more topic samples, you can always turn to IvyPanda free essays for more inspiration.

A Good Man Is Hard To Find Essay Tips

Before you start writing the paper, check our essay writing tips:

• Write a thesis statement that will reflect the topic of your paper. Include it at the end of your intro. The thesis is aimed to help your readers understand what you are going to discuss.
• Focus on the topic and determine points to support it. Avoid deviations from the essay subject because it would only distract your reader.
• Separate the essay body into structured sections with descriptive titles. This will make the navigation easier.
• Make sure that your “A Good Man Is Hard To Find” essay conclusion restates the thesis and does not provide any new ideas you haven’t covered in the body.

Do not let essay on O’Connor’s short story control your life and take away your sleep. Find free high-quality samples at IvyPanda!

🏆 Best A Good Man Is Hard to Find Topic Ideas & Essay Examples

1. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Literary Critical Analysis Essay
   The short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” stands as the American Southern Gothic writer Flannery O’Connor’s most disturbing work of fiction.”A Good Man Is Hard to Find” is the title work of […]
2. O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”: Foreshadowing Analysis
   Later, despite the grandmother’s plea, she is still killed, true to the young girl’s statement; the grandmother follows the rest in death.
3. Misfit in F. O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
   This seems to be the reaction of a badly abused child, and it may be that he has repeated his crime of shooting her.
4. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” vs. “Good Country People”: Themes & Characters Analysis
   Indeed, as the old lady in the story dies, the last ray of hope for the world to stay the way it used to fade away, and the remaining of the past that the family […]
5. A Good Man Is Hard to Find
   Grace In A Good Man is Hard to Find, O’Connor explores the theme of grace through her two characters: Misfit and Grandmother.
6. Flannery O’Connor’s Story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
   Despite the varied opinion about the grandmother, her manipulative behaviour is very clear to the reader throughout the story. The grandmother knows that Bailey would not allow her to visit the old plantation.
7. Psychoanalytical Analysis of a Book “A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Revelation” by Flannery O’Connor
   The stories under analysis A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Revelation focus on the psychological and moral analysis of the main actors with regard to their perception and attitude to the external social […]
8. The Message of Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
   The phrase ‘good man’ and the theme of who a good man is, according to peoples’ judgment in the play, stand abused.
9. Representation of Family in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
   According to Bandy, the selfish nature of the grandmother and her disregard to her family is evidenced when she seems to care the safety of the other family members.
10. Violence in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    Violence situation in the story entitled “A good man is hard to find” begins when the family is on a road trip to Florida during the vacation.
11. Dialogues in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    The dialogue aspect of A Good Man is Hard to Find is the story’s key component for delivering the characters’ thoughts, their personalities, their points of view on the events described in the story, and, […]
12. Knowledge and the Loss of Innocence: “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    The reason for that is the gain of knowledge about social reality. Without a doubt, knowledge of this kind leads to the loss of innocence.
13. Symbol of Weather in Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find
    Nevertheless, an in-depth analysis of symbolism shows that the weather is the most dominant symbol in the story, and every scene is described in a given type of weather.
14. Analysis of (Mary) Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    Concurring with the behavior of Misfit and Grandmother, O’Connor gives the elusive description of a good man relating it to gracility as a Christian value.
15. “An Occurrence at Owl Creek Bridge” and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” Comparison
    Farquhar is symbolic of the slave confederate states that sought to secede from the United States, whereas, the soldiers represent the might of the union.
16. Qualities in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor
    The confrontation between the Grandmother and Misfit has many direct allusions to Christianity such as that the criminal plays the role of the Devil’s advocate.
17. “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
    Later, the entire family’s death was caused because of the cat’s sing following the car accident, which derived into the encounter of the Misfit.
18. Literature: A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor
    All these aspects observe the truth in the writer’s perceptions through the words of the grandmother that “a good man is hard to find”.
19. Elements of Fiction in ”A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor
    For example, the first literary element, the setting, emphasizes the serene and simple beginning of the story. The author wants to show the real face of the character and her treatment of other characters.
20. Flannery O’Connor’s Message in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    She argues that what individuals truly mean by the phrase “good men” is the opposite of what they actually mean in her powerful masterpiece, A Good Man is Hard to Find.
21. Interpreting O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    O’Connor’s use of disruption and distortion to reconfigure ethical-religious forms of being in the world is illuminated by the Levinasian themes of alterity, anarchy, and the absolute.
22. Gothic in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor
    The grandmother persuades the family to take a detour to an old farm, but they crash the vehicle on the route and get trapped on a remote road.
23. “Barn Burning” by Faulkner and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by O’Connor
    The main themes are class problems and social issues, and the overall atmosphere is pervasive and terrifying to the reader. The woman is a burden to be borne because of the deep-seated belief in the […]
24. Grandmother From O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” Essay
    Not a single person from her family took her seriously, so the grandmother grabbed the opportunity to be noticed. The decision to speak out becomes the doom of the grandmother and her entire family.
25. The Short Story “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
    Perhaps it was this passage that served the emergence of various interpretations of the conclusion and perpetuated the story in the category of American classics. The quintessence of this hope is expressed in the exclamation, […]
26. Grandmother in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    Despite her image of a genteel, conscientious lady, the grandmother is a selfish hypocrite whose irresponsibility directly leads to the death of her family. However, in her final moments, she is able to recognize the […]
27. Gothic Aspects of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    This paper aims to identify and discuss O’Connor’s understanding of the good and the evil in the religious context, based on the A Good Man Is Hard to Find plot and characters.
28. Biblical Analysis of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    Thus, the essay will consider the short story from a Biblical perspective and demonstrate that O’Connor’s short story introduces Biblical allusions to critique people’s attitude to Christianity. Thus, the author tries to demonstrate that religion […]
29. Symbolism in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    The current essay discusses the implementation of symbolism in A Good Man is Hard to Find and its effects on the narrative.
30. O’Connor’ System of Characters in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    Below, the possible ideas of O’Connor within A Good Man are Hard to Find will be analyzed in various contexts through the prism of the system of characters in the story. The main and most […]
31. Subtle Religious Overtones Portrayed in O’Conner’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    Based on the actions of the grandmother it can be said that the short story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” contains subtle religious overtones portraying how aesthetics and what it means to truly […]
32. Religion-Based Morality in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
    After all, as the author shows in this particular story, it is named on the account of self-righteous/pious but perceptually arrogant individuals that the saying “road to hell is made out of good intentions” continues […]
33. A Rose for Emily and A Good Man Is Hard to Find
    In order to highlight this idea, the writers focus on the values and worldviews of the characters who prefer to live in the imaginary world of their past.
34. Grandmother Character in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    The grandmother asserts that she could paint the picture of the black boy if granted the chance. The grandmother seems to be complaining about the dramatic destruction of the environment since plantations that used to […]
35. The Old Age Concept in O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    Furthermore, the face of the woman is compared to that of the baby she is curdling. This shows the changes that old age has brought to the grandmother.
36. A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Other Stories
    She had a plan that was contrary to what the rest of the family had. She easily accepted to travel with the family to the destination she was against initially.
37. Flannery O’Connor: Grandmother’s Act in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
    The most dominant opinion though is that the grandmother’s final deed was graceful, thereby implying that “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” was penned by the author to depict a gradual change in the […]

📌 Interesting Topics to Write about A Good Man Is Hard To Find

1. The Poor Treatment and Relationship With the Grandmother in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
2. The Character Analysis of the Grandmother and the Misfits in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
3. An Analysis of a Family’s Fatal Confrontation With the Misfit in the Novel “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
4. Compare and Contrast the Use of Irony in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” and “The Necklace” by Guy de Maupassant
5. The Multifaceted Personality of the Grandmother in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
6. An Analysis of Incidents and Characters in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
7. Religion in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
8. The Use of Grotesque Character in “Good Country People” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
9. An Analysis of the Analogy Between Apostle Paul and Misfit From “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
10. The Effective Use of Tone in Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
11. The Theme of Conformation to Moral Standards and Thinking Before Acting in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
12. An Analysis of Parent-Child Relationship in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
13. The Mocking of the Mankind’s Moral Code in “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
14. An Analysis of Gullibility and Hypocrisy in the Life in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
15. A Literary Analysis of the Protagonist in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Conner
16. Man vs. Man Conflict in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
17. An Analysis of Southern Gothic Elements in Flannery O’Connor’s Short Story Collection “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
18. The Mistakes of Grandmother in “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
19. Tragic Heroes and Narcissists in the Short Story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
20. The Special Part of Every Characters in the Short Story “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor

✍️ Good Research Topics about A Good Man Is Hard To Find

1. The Misconception of the Idea of Goodness in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
2. Confrontations With a Killer in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
3. Analyze the Irony of the Grandmother’s Actions That Cost the Lives of the Entire Family
4. The Grandmother’s Journey and the Virtues and Qualities of a Person in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
5. The Dark Writing Style of Flannery O’Connor in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
6. Analysis of Spiritual Themes in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
7. Analysis of the Agent of Grace Archetype in the Character of the Misfit in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
8. Critics Described Wise Blood by O’Connor as “Low Comedy and High Seriousness.” Why Can We Say the Same About “A Good Man is Hard to Find”?
9. Compare the Depiction of Sin and Hatred in “The Cask of Amontillado” by Edgar Poe and “A Good Man is Hard to Find” by O’Connor
10. An Examination of the Crucial Character of the Grandma in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
11. Egotistical Nightmare in Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
12. The Religious and Ironic Interpretation of “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
13. Compare the Goodness of the Characters in “Good Country People” and “A Good Man is Hard to Find”
14. The Symbolic and Narrative Use of the Unlikely Character of the Misfit to Portray Christ in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
15. Analysis of the Foreshadowing in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O Connor
16. The Real Courage Comparison Between the Central Characters in “Roger Malvin’s Burial” and “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
17. Priorities and Values in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
18. The Fate of the Grandmother in Flannery O’Connor’s “A Good Man Is Hard to Find”
19. The Enjoyable and Likeable Character of the Misfit in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
20. Analysis of the Concept of Christianity in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
21. The Representation of Modern Culture in Each of the Character in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
22. The Lack of Genuine Spirituality in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
23. Enumerate the Situations When the Grandmother Acts as a Bad Person. Are They Evenly Distributed Throughout the Text?
24. Analysis of Real Grandmother’s Role in the Family in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor
25. The Real Thoughts and Motives of the Misfit and Grandmother in “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” by Flannery O’Connor

❓ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Questions

1. What role does racism play in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
2. What causes the accident in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
3. Why is the aspect of religion so important in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
4. What are the main characters in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
5. What does the wood where the family gets killed symbolize?
6. What is the short story A Good Man Is Hard to Find about?
7. A Good Man Is Hard to Find – what is the title’s meaning?
8. How does the setting affect the plot and character development in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
9. What is the main theme of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
10. What was the role of society in the formation of the Misfit’s character?
11. When was A Good Man Is Hard to Find written?
12. What is the problem in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
13. What is the meaning of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
14. Which values did the grandmother uphold as a woman from the south?
15. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: What does the ending mean?
16. What role does the setting play in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
17. How is the theme of the family represented in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
18. What is the moral of the story A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
19. What does the violence in A Good Man Is Hard to Find symbolize?
20. What is the Misfit’s name in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
21. Was the grandmother killed in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
22. What does the grandmother realize at the end of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
23. Who is the protagonist in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
24. How is imagery used in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
25. Why is A Good Man Is Hard to Find considered southern gothic?
26. How could Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily inspire O’Connor to write A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
27. What is the time period of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
28. What is the main conflict of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
29. How does the theme of Jesus show up in the characters, and what are the differences?
30. How does A Good Man Is Hard to Find depict conflict?
31. Why does the grandmother consider Red Sammy butts “a good man”?
32. What is the point of view of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
33. How is dramatic irony used in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
34. Who convinces the father in A Good Man Is Hard to Find to take the road to the plantation?
35. What role does foreshadowing play in the cemetery scene of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
36. What are the examples of verbal irony in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
37. Is the Misfit the grandmother’s son in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
38. What are the literary elements in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
39. What is the style of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
40. What is the symbolism of the characters’ names in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?