A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O’Connor, Essay Example

Locate the paper’s thesis. Is it obvious or unclear? Does it establish an interpretation of a key theme from the story? Is the thesis as specific as it needs to be?

The essay presents a thesis at the end of the introduction paragraph, and it is specific and clear.  The writer decides on a unique interpretation, asserting that the primary characters of the Misfit and the grandmother are capable of change., even as the story reflects how good and evil continually clash.

Is each paragraph organized around one key point? Do topic sentences clearly indicate the focus of each paragraph?

The key points addressed in each paragraph more take the form of relating the story itself.  The writer does this well, but the topic sentences are not exactly addressed.  For example, the paragraph dealing with the theme of mistrust begins well, but then goes into a further summary of the action, and the theme is no longer discussed in it.

Does the author support each main point with direct quotations from the story that are analyzed and explained? Do you have any suggestions for improvement?

The essay uses quotes and paraphrasing throughout, and they definitely support the points made. This is most effective in the discussion of the grandmother’s idea of herself, and as mistrust is addressed.  The grammar needs some improvement, as the author has several sentences of joined dependent clauses. Also, the thesis is not supported very well as the essay ends.

Where do you disagree with the author’s analysis?

I disagree with the main point of the thesis, because I do not at all see possibilities of transformation in the main characters.  The “epiphany” of the grandmother is strong, but both her nature and the Misfit’s seem to be inflexible.  Her desperate attempt to avoid dying, her lack of concern as her entire family is murdered, and the Misfit’s commitment to his own fate more suggest that these people cannot change.

What aspects of the story are left unexplained?

While the author explains the nature of the Misfit as capable of change, the explanation seems doubtful.  It is stated that the Misfit appears to have a conscience at the end, but he is instead only speculating on his own fate, and he has no problem in murdering a family in cold blood. This reality then defies the thesis and the explanation seems weak.

The author, first and foremost, reveals a strong commitment to understanding the story.  Then, the earlier character analysis of the grandmother is thorough and insightful.  The author importantly notes and supports her self-delusion and her tendency to lie. If the final assessment of the Misfit is flawed, as I believe it to be, there is still a deep and interesting analysis of his character.