Write about your immediate reaction to the story (especially the ending).
21 comments:
Anonymous
said...
I hope this is an informal blog because I have already broken the rules if it is not. This story was yet another twisted story, though there were a few things that I saw right off. I knew they would run into "the Misfit" because that is all the grandma was talking about, I could also see when it was going to happen because the whole they family ignored grandma and the one time they do not ignore her was the wrong time. I, along with family members, was very perturbed with grandma and was really getting on my nerves. Honestly I kept hoping that she was going to die even though I knew that she would be the last to die or the only one to live, if anyone was going to die it was going to be the wonderful family. The whole story made me anxious and worried and when it got to the end I had to say in knew it, my predictions were correct. The ending was horrible but expected, and it was an excellent short story.
Although i had read this piece before, i was yet again suprised by the disrespect the children had for their grandmother, while yes she was being kind of annoying about her disagreement towards the trip, the way the children talked to her was very rude. I like this piece a lot less compared to the last, mostly because in the very first paragraph you could see what was going to happen. This piece is also a lot more confusing the significance of the cat is unclear to me, exspecially seeing as how they all die anyway. The twist of the mother and son is actually very suprising though, however i wonder how the misfit was so fortunate to find them as they were on a trip to florida and how he was able to cause the accident. Over all this short story has been one of my least favorites, mostly inpart to the obvious foreshadowing, and the confusing added details.
This story is a mix of the gothic short story and the more upbeat positive version. The story was also very ironic and contained a lot of foreshadowing. An example of foreshadowing was grandmother's statement about not wanting to go to Florida because the "Misfit" was on the loose. At that point in the story the reader can certainly supports the realization that the family will meet this criminal on their little excursion, and they do. The story was ironic because the grandmother continually talked about going to Tennessee instead of Florida. The family would not listen to her. However, the one time Bailey listens to his mother is the time the family falls into a holocaust. The children’s uncouth behavior also struck a note with me. They were just outlandish in their bad behavior- the flaunted it around. For example, when they started screaming “we were in an accident” and then complained that nobody died. Lastly, what was the meaning in comment by the grandmother before she gets shot? Was her comment literal, was the “Misfit” literally her son or was she just saying something with a hidden meaning. My last remark, the whole family dies but the cat that caused that accident did not. What ever happened to the cat?
I don't know if I did this right, but I can only hope I did.
From the very beginning of this short story, the author states the grandmother wants to go to Tennessee, but throughout the story she seems to be very confused about if she is really on her way to Tennessee. She uses "The Misfit" as an excuse before realizing that her family could really be in potential danger. I thought from the beginning that "The Misfit" would somehow come to play a key role in the story. I also noticed how disrespectful the children were, they did not care about the wreck, just if someone died. They did nothing but complain, and their father allowed this. He applied no discipline to them, and the same can be inferred from the relationship between the grandmother and her son. The son paid no attention to his mother, and only found her increasingly annoying. While the children's mother, sat idly by and also did nothing. Towards the end of the story though, nothing really seemed to make any sense. They get into a wreck because the cat got loose, and "The Misfit" appears. The grandmother thinks he has a scholarly look about him, but the jargon he uses shows he is uneducated. "The Misfit" is also a very indecisive man, he can't decide between following Jesus, or not because he wasn't there to see it. In my mind, the grandmother was a selfish woman. She showed little remorse when every one of her family members died, but at the same time I understand why she couldn't just break down in hysterics. However overall, it was a very good piece and I enjoyed it.
My reatcion to the story was complete shock. I had some sense that something was coming with this 'Misfit' character and how he just happened to be lose where the family was to desperate to vacation, but I guess it is always going to be a shock when you read something as tragic as how this family dies. Overall I thought this story was very good and easy to read and to see symbolism that the author included.
My reatcion to the story was complete shock. I had some sense that something was coming with this 'Misfit' character and how he just happened to be lose where the family was to desperate to vacation, but I guess it is always going to be a shock when you read something as tragic as how this family dies. Overall I thought this story was very good and easy to read and to see symbolism that the author included.
My first thought: What was Flannery O'Connor's inspiration and purpose for writing this story? After that, one of my main reactions to this short story is the disrespect of their children. It is often expected, or not surprising at the very least, in this American society to encounter children who whine and disrespect their parents. However, grandparents, that next generation, generally receive more understanding-- the grandmother definitely did not. Another aspect of the story that touched me was the unappreciated nature of the grandmother. She is meant to be pitied, but I almost pity all the other members of the family for missing out on the her energy and being so laden with dull misery, with which they plague themselves. I wonder more about the various religious connections made throughout the story, as well as the grandmother's meaning in her final words: "'Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!'" Gothic gets you guessing...
It was obvious The Misfit would come into play with the story. Bringing up his name again and again sort of gave it away. The children also in the story were horrid! They were so rude and obnoxious! There were also a few religious connections I made in the story. One being the name John Wesley, who was a religious founder of the Methodist movement during the 18th centrury. Alongside that is the grandmother's final "You're one of my children" before she died is remnicent of all people being children of God. Overall, I think O'Conner might be trying to have the grandmother symbolize God.
My initial thought when reading " Good Man Is Hard to Find," was pure shock. At the beginning it seemed like a normal family outting with a few subtle hints of a trauma to come. "The Misfit" kept recoccuring which I, too, agree sent an alarming message. The ending however was the part in which left me the most taken back. How there was no remorse by "Misfit" but i suppose that is his purpose isn't it? Overall, I wanted to know what inspired such a story. Why so many details, and loose ends left unacknowledged? I couldn't help but compare it to another piece we read in Honors English last year too, though I can't remember what that was called...
Like Kiley, after reading the story, i had no other reaction than shock. I didn't understand how her family had so much disrespect for the grandma and did not listen to a word she said. While reading the story, i felt it was predictable - until i reached the end. Yes, i knew she would die because it is a gothic short story, and the events leading up to the end can foreshadow the families' death, but i did not expect the murders to happen the way they did. The reader can also expect to see the "Misfit" somewhere in the story just by reading the first couple paragraphs. The "Misfit" on the loose is the only thing the grandma talks about. When the killer and the grandma are alone and in conversation, the grandma tells the "Misfit", "Why your one of my babies. You're one of my own children!". After saying this, I had thought the "Misfit" would be a changed man and pray with the grandma, rather than shoot her in the chest. The end was a surprise and would not easily be predicted. Overall, the short story was a good written one, and kept the mind in wonder.
I don't think I liked this story very much. I read it last year so I knew what was going to happen in the end but it still shocked me. It was so predictable that I didn't expect them all to be killed at the end. I was looking for a twist in the story and never found one. Also, everyone keeps saying how bad the children were, and while I agree with them I also think that the Grandmother was acting a little selfishly. She was trying to do everything she could to go on the vacation she wanted and in the end when her family was dying she was still only trying to save her own life. The main thing I'm wondering is what Flannery O'Connor's purpose in writing this was. Overall, this was my least favorite short story because you could tell what was going to happen the whole time.
Unlike most of the bloggers, I was not completely shocked with this story because it was thes story we read for the honors english final so I am somewhat familiar with the story. However, it only being the second time reading it I forgot some things like the way the deaths occured and I also forgot how crazy I thought the grandma was to me. I agree with Logan in that the story does seem to give the reader a certain sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat feeling and you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. The ending for me was kind of abrupt...maybe that's just me...I don't know.
The end I was just like, "O MY GOSH!!!!!" I really don't like stories like this because it could really happen to someone. It is scary to think about. But grandma is an older woman and like most, they are set in their ways and do things exactly how they want them. If it isn't done their way then it is wrong. The rest of the family puts up with her but is very rude and disrespectful to her. The foreshadowing is also very obvious about running into "The Misfit" but I did not expect the cat at all. I completely forgot that grandma hid it in the car. It is a very tragic story and completely cruel. I really dont like it. It is too scary to think about but for literal reference it is a good short story. I am just not that into the Gothic era of short stories.
Seeing as we read this short story in Gillette's last year I did not have a lot of shock to the fact that "The Misfit" killed the family. The story was really predictable just from the description, rumor, and warnings of the Misfit. I did not understand why the grandma kept saying pray instead of running after her family because she knew what had happened. I also thought that the Misfit obviously went along with whatever the grandma was saying because it would be an easy distraction of her, the mother, and the little girl from Bailey and his son's shootings. I did not understand exactly the cat was even relevant to the story. It was pretty random that they were driving and the cat just has a spasm and jumps on Bailey from sitting on the floor of the car. - Kelsey Lauersdorf Blk: 7
I can honestly say I do not recall reading this story on the final but everyone else claims I have, therefore when I pulled the story from my notebook I was just hoping this story would be good enough to recall sometime down the road. As I began to read I knew the misfit was going to do something sweet in the end but I was unsure what he would do exactly but when he just killed the family in cold blood I was amazed, not only that he killed everyone but this story didnt end happily which is important to me because happy endings are not near as frequent as they are made up to be.
When I was reading this story I thought I could predict the ending - then as I kept reading, I was shocked. I also can not believe how direspectful the children are. It would have seemed like this was like any other normal family outing, though maybe with a little more drama, that is until the name "misfit" kept re-occuring. You could easily predict something bad was going to happen because he was mntioned so much. Overall, this gothic short story contained a lot of irony and foreshadowing. Through all of the confusion of this crazy story, I have many unanswered questions. Hillary Simpson Block 1
I definitely was not shocked by the ending of this story, but then again, I have already read it. If I remember correctly, I was not too surprised by the ending when we read it last year in Honors English. As someone who tunes in to soap operas and other forms of dramatic television, I know too well that random comments and references do not exist. Everything mentioned is important and is foreshadowing future events, otherwise the author would not have wasted his or her time writing it. Therefore, the constant mention of the Misfit made it clear to me that he would be brought into the story later on. However, I do remember being surprised it ended the way it did, in that most story's have the major conflict solved--a happy ending. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" did not, but I personally found that refreshing, and I do not see how it could have been ended any other way.
I agree with most of the people here with how the Misfit would show up at some point because otherwise he wouldn't be mentioned.
I was confused as to why the Misfit said his father was killed by the flu, but he was imprisoned for it. Was he just insane and his conscious created that story to deny what he did?
I am also confused as to the "Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!" I know it's supposed to make us remember and question the piece, but it's still really strange.
I also wish to know the symbolism of the cat causing the accident and then it lives while the family is killed.
I am not surprised by the children's actions, because everyone knows how children are.
Although I have already read this story in another English class, it still has the capability to shock me. I have never analyzed or even compared the characters within the story and it happens to be that the "Misfit" was really the best overall person personality wise. Unlike all the others, he was not disrepectful to the family and he even used yes ma'm and no ma'm when talking to the grandmother. When I previously read this, I thought he was a careless murderer when really he was the most respectful of them all (despite him killing everyone of course).
This story by O'Connor was twisted. I was shocked when the Misfit showed the grandmother an certain amout of respect then decided to blast her into the next millinium. I noticed how there was multiple signs of foreshadowing. The ditch that had a red tint, the cemetary that the family past, and what the grandmother said about "being gone with the wind". The children in the story had no sence of rewspect toward the grandmother either, which I found disgusting. The cat I found to be akward. She took it with her so she would not be lonely, it caused the wreck, and then it is seen rubbing against the misfit. Ashleigh Block 7
My first reaction to this story was the disrespect the entire family had for eachother. The mom ignored the children and grandchildren. The kids were just plain brats, the dad was so disrespectful to his mother, and the the grandmother was annoyingly stubborn. I wasn't exactly shocked by the ending. Of course, this could have to do with the fact that this story was not new to me. Throughout the story, I couldn't help but hope that the terrible family would have some punishment and realize how wrong they are in their actions. So, even though the author chooses for them to be murdered which might be a tad brutal, I couldn't help but find some satisfaction with their "judgment."
21 comments:
I hope this is an informal blog because I have already broken the rules if it is not. This story was yet another twisted story, though there were a few things that I saw right off. I knew they would run into "the Misfit" because that is all the grandma was talking about, I could also see when it was going to happen because the whole they family ignored grandma and the one time they do not ignore her was the wrong time. I, along with family members, was very perturbed with grandma and was really getting on my nerves. Honestly I kept hoping that she was going to die even though I knew that she would be the last to die or the only one to live, if anyone was going to die it was going to be the wonderful family. The whole story made me anxious and worried and when it got to the end I had to say in knew it, my predictions were correct. The ending was horrible but expected, and it was an excellent short story.
Pippitt Block 2
Although i had read this piece before, i was yet again suprised by the disrespect the children had for their grandmother, while yes she was being kind of annoying about her disagreement towards the trip, the way the children talked to her was very rude. I like this piece a lot less compared to the last, mostly because in the very first paragraph you could see what was going to happen. This piece is also a lot more confusing the significance of the cat is unclear to me, exspecially seeing as how they all die anyway. The twist of the mother and son is actually very suprising though, however i wonder how the misfit was so fortunate to find them as they were on a trip to florida and how he was able to cause the accident. Over all this short story has been one of my least favorites, mostly inpart to the obvious foreshadowing, and the confusing added details.
Caitlyn Sanner
Blk 7
This story is a mix of the gothic short story and the more upbeat positive version. The story was also very ironic and contained a lot of foreshadowing.
An example of foreshadowing was grandmother's statement about not wanting to go to Florida because the "Misfit" was on the loose. At that point in the story the reader can certainly supports the realization that the family will meet this criminal on their little excursion, and they do.
The story was ironic because the grandmother continually talked about going to Tennessee instead of Florida. The family would not listen to her. However, the one time Bailey listens to his mother is the time the family falls into a holocaust.
The children’s uncouth behavior also struck a note with me. They were just outlandish in their bad behavior- the flaunted it around. For example, when they started screaming “we were in an accident” and then complained that nobody died.
Lastly, what was the meaning in comment by the grandmother before she gets shot? Was her comment literal, was the “Misfit” literally her son or was she just saying something with a hidden meaning.
My last remark, the whole family dies but the cat that caused that accident did not. What ever happened to the cat?
David Gardiner
2nd Block
I don't know if I did this right, but I can only hope I did.
From the very beginning of this short story, the author states the grandmother wants to go to Tennessee, but throughout the story she seems to be very confused about if she is really on her way to Tennessee. She uses "The Misfit" as an excuse before realizing that her family could really be in potential danger. I thought from the beginning that "The Misfit" would somehow come to play a key role in the story.
I also noticed how disrespectful the children were, they did not care about the wreck, just if someone died. They did nothing but complain, and their father allowed this. He applied no discipline to them, and the same can be inferred from the relationship between the grandmother and her son. The son paid no attention to his mother, and only found her increasingly annoying. While the children's mother, sat idly by and also did nothing.
Towards the end of the story though, nothing really seemed to make any sense. They get into a wreck because the cat got loose, and "The Misfit" appears. The grandmother thinks he has a scholarly look about him, but the jargon he uses shows he is uneducated. "The Misfit" is also a very indecisive man, he can't decide between following Jesus, or not because he wasn't there to see it.
In my mind, the grandmother was a selfish woman. She showed little remorse when every one of her family members died, but at the same time I understand why she couldn't just break down in hysterics.
However overall, it was a very good piece and I enjoyed it.
Karyn Elliott
Block 1
My reatcion to the story was complete shock. I had some sense that something was coming with this 'Misfit' character and how he just happened to be lose where the family was to desperate to vacation, but I guess it is always going to be a shock when you read something as tragic as how this family dies. Overall I thought this story was very good and easy to read and to see symbolism that the author included.
My reatcion to the story was complete shock. I had some sense that something was coming with this 'Misfit' character and how he just happened to be lose where the family was to desperate to vacation, but I guess it is always going to be a shock when you read something as tragic as how this family dies. Overall I thought this story was very good and easy to read and to see symbolism that the author included.
Kiley Ulses, Block 1
My first thought: What was Flannery O'Connor's inspiration and purpose for writing this story? After that, one of my main reactions to this short story is the disrespect of their children. It is often expected, or not surprising at the very least, in this American society to encounter children who whine and disrespect their parents. However, grandparents, that next generation, generally receive more understanding-- the grandmother definitely did not. Another aspect of the story that touched me was the unappreciated nature of the grandmother. She is meant to be pitied, but I almost pity all the other members of the family for missing out on the her energy and being so laden with dull misery, with which they plague themselves. I wonder more about the various religious connections made throughout the story, as well as the grandmother's meaning in her final words: "'Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!'" Gothic gets you guessing...
Lydia Clark-Hargreaves
Block 7
It was obvious The Misfit would come into play with the story. Bringing up his name again and again sort of gave it away. The children also in the story were horrid! They were so rude and obnoxious! There were also a few religious connections I made in the story. One being the name John Wesley, who was a religious founder of the Methodist movement during the 18th centrury. Alongside that is the grandmother's final "You're one of my children" before she died is remnicent of all people being children of God. Overall, I think O'Conner might be trying to have the grandmother symbolize God.
Kelsey Kreiser
Block 7
My initial thought when reading " Good Man Is Hard to Find," was pure shock. At the beginning it seemed like a normal family outting with a few subtle hints of a trauma to come. "The Misfit" kept recoccuring which I, too, agree sent an alarming message. The ending however was the part in which left me the most taken back. How there was no remorse by "Misfit" but i suppose that is his purpose isn't it? Overall, I wanted to know what inspired such a story. Why so many details, and loose ends left unacknowledged? I couldn't help but compare it to another piece we read in Honors English last year too, though I can't remember what that was called...
Aubree Smethers Block 1
Like Kiley, after reading the story, i had no other reaction than shock. I didn't understand how her family had so much disrespect for the grandma and did not listen to a word she said. While reading the story, i felt it was predictable - until i reached the end. Yes, i knew she would die because it is a gothic short story, and the events leading up to the end can foreshadow the families' death, but i did not expect the murders to happen the way they did. The reader can also expect to see the "Misfit" somewhere in the story just by reading the first couple paragraphs. The "Misfit" on the loose is the only thing the grandma talks about. When the killer and the grandma are alone and in conversation, the grandma tells the "Misfit", "Why your one of my babies. You're one of my own children!". After saying this, I had thought the "Misfit" would be a changed man and pray with the grandma, rather than shoot her in the chest. The end was a surprise and would not easily be predicted. Overall, the short story was a good written one, and kept the mind in wonder.
Diamond Davis
Block 1
I don't think I liked this story very much. I read it last year so I knew what was going to happen in the end but it still shocked me. It was so predictable that I didn't expect them all to be killed at the end. I was looking for a twist in the story and never found one. Also, everyone keeps saying how bad the children were, and while I agree with them I also think that the Grandmother was acting a little selfishly. She was trying to do everything she could to go on the vacation she wanted and in the end when her family was dying she was still only trying to save her own life. The main thing I'm wondering is what Flannery O'Connor's purpose in writing this was. Overall, this was my least favorite short story because you could tell what was going to happen the whole time.
Duran Block 2
Unlike most of the bloggers, I was not completely shocked with this story because it was thes story we read for the honors english final so I am somewhat familiar with the story. However, it only being the second time reading it I forgot some things like the way the deaths occured and I also forgot how crazy I thought the grandma was to me. I agree with Logan in that the story does seem to give the reader a certain sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat feeling and you want to keep reading to find out what happens next. The ending for me was kind of abrupt...maybe that's just me...I don't know.
Naegele
Block2
The end I was just like, "O MY GOSH!!!!!" I really don't like stories like this because it could really happen to someone. It is scary to think about. But grandma is an older woman and like most, they are set in their ways and do things exactly how they want them. If it isn't done their way then it is wrong. The rest of the family puts up with her but is very rude and disrespectful to her. The foreshadowing is also very obvious about running into "The Misfit" but I did not expect the cat at all. I completely forgot that grandma hid it in the car. It is a very tragic story and completely cruel. I really dont like it. It is too scary to think about but for literal reference it is a good short story. I am just not that into the Gothic era of short stories.
Aubrey Young
Block 7
Seeing as we read this short story in Gillette's last year I did not have a lot of shock to the fact that "The Misfit" killed the family. The story was really predictable just from the description, rumor, and warnings of the Misfit. I did not understand why the grandma kept saying pray instead of running after her family because she knew what had happened. I also thought that the Misfit obviously went along with whatever the grandma was saying because it would be an easy distraction of her, the mother, and the little girl from Bailey and his son's shootings. I did not understand exactly the cat was even relevant to the story. It was pretty random that they were driving and the cat just has a spasm and jumps on Bailey from sitting on the floor of the car.
- Kelsey Lauersdorf Blk: 7
I can honestly say I do not recall reading this story on the final but everyone else claims I have, therefore when I pulled the story from my notebook I was just hoping this story would be good enough to recall sometime down the road. As I began to read I knew the misfit was going to do something sweet in the end but I was unsure what he would do exactly but when he just killed the family in cold blood I was amazed, not only that he killed everyone but this story didnt end happily which is important to me because happy endings are not near as frequent as they are made up to be.
Dylon Cale
Block 7
When I was reading this story I thought I could predict the ending - then as I kept reading, I was shocked. I also can not believe how direspectful the children are. It would have seemed like this was like any other normal family outing, though maybe with a little more drama, that is until the name "misfit" kept re-occuring. You could easily predict something bad was going to happen because he was mntioned so much. Overall, this gothic short story contained a lot of irony and foreshadowing. Through all of the confusion of this crazy story, I have many unanswered questions.
Hillary Simpson
Block 1
I definitely was not shocked by the ending of this story, but then again, I have already read it. If I remember correctly, I was not too surprised by the ending when we read it last year in Honors English. As someone who tunes in to soap operas and other forms of dramatic television, I know too well that random comments and references do not exist. Everything mentioned is important and is foreshadowing future events, otherwise the author would not have wasted his or her time writing it. Therefore, the constant mention of the Misfit made it clear to me that he would be brought into the story later on. However, I do remember being surprised it ended the way it did, in that most story's have the major conflict solved--a happy ending. "A Good Man is Hard to Find" did not, but I personally found that refreshing, and I do not see how it could have been ended any other way.
Erica Rains
Block 7
I agree with most of the people here with how the Misfit would show up at some point because otherwise he wouldn't be mentioned.
I was confused as to why the Misfit said his father was killed by the flu, but he was imprisoned for it. Was he just insane and his conscious created that story to deny what he did?
I am also confused as to the "Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!" I know it's supposed to make us remember and question the piece, but it's still really strange.
I also wish to know the symbolism of the cat causing the accident and then it lives while the family is killed.
I am not surprised by the children's actions, because everyone knows how children are.
Chris Hohman
Block 2
Although I have already read this story in another English class, it still has the capability to shock me. I have never analyzed or even compared the characters within the story and it happens to be that the "Misfit" was really the best overall person personality wise. Unlike all the others, he was not disrepectful to the family and he even used yes ma'm and no ma'm when talking to the grandmother. When I previously read this, I thought he was a careless murderer when really he was the most respectful of them all (despite him killing everyone of course).
Clarissa Johnson, Block 7
This story by O'Connor was twisted. I was shocked when the Misfit showed the grandmother an certain amout of respect then decided to blast her into the next millinium. I noticed how there was multiple signs of foreshadowing. The ditch that had a red tint, the cemetary that the family past, and what the grandmother said about "being gone with the wind". The children in the story had no sence of rewspect toward the grandmother either, which I found disgusting. The cat I found to be akward. She took it with her so she would not be lonely, it caused the wreck, and then it is seen rubbing against the misfit.
Ashleigh Block 7
My first reaction to this story was the disrespect the entire family had for eachother. The mom ignored the children and grandchildren. The kids were just plain brats, the dad was so disrespectful to his mother, and the the grandmother was annoyingly stubborn.
I wasn't exactly shocked by the ending. Of course, this could have to do with the fact that this story was not new to me. Throughout the story, I couldn't help but hope that the terrible family would have some punishment and realize how wrong they are in their actions. So, even though the author chooses for them to be murdered which might be a tad brutal, I couldn't help but find some satisfaction with their "judgment."
Hannah Stirnaman
Block 7
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