Displacement, Goodness and Religion

While " A Good Man Is Hard To Find," is a story which employs the search for goodness and for individuals with ethical values, the underlying theme is that neither seem to exist in O’Connor’s story. O’Connor reveals that few things, or people, are what they seem. The theme that is ultimately embraced in this story is displacement, of both religion and goodness. Most importantly, one must take into account the role of both the grandmother and the misfit. They share some of the same values although it may not be readily apparent to the reader. Throughout the story two basic themes are revealed: Displacement of goodness in religion and the fact that both the grandmother and the misfit parallel the same values. Displaced goodness in religion are exploited throughout the entire story. Indeed, the characters in the story are, on a purely surface level, displaced geographically. They are not only all from different geographical locations, but also have different beliefs. The ...