Flannery O Connor Stories - Book Report/Review Example

In the end, both are faced with realization and a costly price to pay, and that is the lives of those around them (Cook). In the grandmother's confrontation with the Misfit, she insisted in the hope and belief that "a good man must come from nice people" (qtd. in O'Connor). Later, she learns that reality and belief are two different things. The Misfit, unconvinced that salvation is achievable, entrusts himself to evil. The Misfit symbolizes mankind's wickedness while the grandmother signifies society's weakness.

As the grandmother's family began to die around her, she attempts to save herself, reaches out to him, and calls him her own child which infuriates the Misfit even more and triggering him to brutally kill her. In that final "moment of grace" came the realization that her attempt at connection with life's intimacy was not completely a failure but a success at reaching out to the killer's heart when he remarked later that it was no real fun doing such violence because the grandmother would have been a good woman (Cook).

Sheppard is impatient and insensitive to his son, Norton and is more focused on reforming a fatherless boy, Rufus. Rufus who was born with a club foot, believes himself to be evil and lives by stealing. He believes he is empowered by the devil to do evil and that his sins will be ultimately forgiven. He is convinced that "the lame shall enter first". Sheppard losses his compassion for the boy Rufus who is beyond salvation. Sheppard's once closed heart opened and poured out love, hopefulness and promise for his own son.

But it was too late, Norton has hanged himself, believing that by doing so he would be rejoined with his dead mother (Cook).In her stories, it is clear that O'Connor wants her readers to understand life's realism and to believe that we do not always live in a perfect world. Nonetheless, the moment of grace for her characters are presented with the realization of their erroneous ways and a belief that, no matter how late, there is still hope for salvation. With fervor, everyone should learn to withstand all consequences of this flawed world.

"Otherwise, the unpredictable currents of fate will sweep away those who do not have a firm footing--be it on the high ground or low ." (Cook).In "Good Country People", Hulga, who lost her leg in a childhood accident sees herself as hopeless and ugly. She has a Ph.D in Philosophy which by far is her utmost accomplishment in life, plus being a wide-reader in the field of worldly philosophy corroborate her inherent beliefs (Bernardo). "I don't have illusions, I'm one of those people who see through to nothing." (qtd. in O'Connor).

Hulga's biggest disadvantage is not her being an amputee but her lack of spirituality. Her spiritual union with the Maker is missing. Intentionally evil and over-confident that she is a "functionally complete person", she thinks that she is honorably superior than most anyone. This fundamentally leads to dispute amid Protestantism and Catholicism. With Protestants, salvation can be achieved through a personal connection with God and with Catholics, upholding salvation is through a true communion