Ancillary #3: Literary Analysis and Reflection - Essay Example

Wickedness constitutes the major theme O’Connor presents in “A good Man is Hard to Find” that depicts the tragic death of Bailey and his family who have the misfortune to meet the Misfit. The latter, a prisoner who escapes from jail, finds no alternative than kill them in order to pursue his way safely. This destructive spirit reflects the evil nature of this man who cold-bloodedly puts an end to the lives of an entire family, including children and an old woman. The narrator describes the tragic murder of Bailey and his son and the pitiful reaction of his mother: “There was a pistol shot from the woods, followed closely by another.

Then silence. The old ladys head jerked around. She could hear the wind move through the tree tops like a long satisfied insuck of breath. ‘Bailey Boy!’ she called” (O’Connor). This painful reaction of a mother who witnesses powerlessly the murder of her only child demonstrates the evilness of the Misfit. Another illustration of the wickedness displayed in the short story resides in the killing of a nursing mother and her baby. Mourning the death of her husband and son, the nameless woman in the story got punished and sent to the woods to be executed with her remaining children.

The way the Misfit sends his boys to accomplish his evil mission shows that he does not feel any regret or remorse. And the obedience and near professionalism of the boys also indicate that for them killing does not represent a big issue, which reveals that they are used to such a practice. The narrator presents one of the killings: “There was a piercing scream from the woods, followed closely by a pistol report” (O’Connor). This statement informs of another death in the family, which may be either the mother or one of her children.

The narration continues: “There were two more pistol reports and