Miall -- Engl 206: O'Connor

Engl 206: Short Story. Student notes on O'Connor, "Good Country People"

Passages discussed:

#1. "Nothing is perfect . . . means to keep it." p. 248
#2. "Here she went about . . . smile never hurt anyone." p. 251
#3. "He didn't get up . . . That's life!" pp. 252-3
#4. "Hulga got up . . . been of this kind." p. 255
#5. "She sat staring . . . miraculously, in his." p. 260

Passage Theory groups Essay groups

1 Mrs Hopewell's optimism is excessive. The author even implies this: one of her "favorite sayings"; "another"; "and still another" -- this excessiveness is absurd.

2 "Here she went about all day . . . ": shows the antisocial, outlawed, character of Joy; her loneliness.

Passage shows Mrs Hopewell's inner world. She actually has a realistic view of Joy as "bloated, rude, and squint-eyed," without any sense, but she internalizes this and displays only optimism outwardly.

3 Upholds O'Connor's belief that the character's own language is essential in creating a meaningful character.

The Bible salesman reflects the author's comment on the short story having a sense of mystery (he appears out of nowhere), and a sense of manners (he's polite with "good country people").

The use of the senses to make the reader also believe the salesman -- his accent is spelled out: "Chrustian" (p. 252); he twists his hands and acts simple.

4 O'Connor says "Fiction operates through the senses" (p. 367) -- O'Connor draws attention to Joy by emphasizing her disability through her limping.

5
"flash of light": this is almost an epiphanal moment for Hulga -- yet it's ironic, because he ends up manipulating her -- her unconsciousness is revealed, that she may actually want love and not to be an outcast. She realizes that her dependency on her leg gives her her 'confidence' -- a spiritual experience for her.
Shows in-depth meaning of her feelings (O'Connor feels a short story should not be slight, but have depth to it)

Description needs to be vivid enough for readers to place themselves in the life of the character (feelings / thoughts / emotions: p. 367)

Joy is vulnerable facing "real innocence": she spiritually explores her unconscious inner world. The leg exists first as a physical device (p. 370) -- It uncovers who she is as a character -- through her leg she has her security.

What happens to Joy in the loft is a reflection of the author's comments that the South "is rich in contradiction, rich in irony, rich in contrast" (p. 372).

Hulga's perception of the salesman is affected by the environment in which she has lived: her mother's idea of Good Country People and the superiority she draws from her education. She believes in the boy's good intentions because her societal context dictates this, and therefore makes him believable as a character.

Essay groups: other comments

"a story always involves in a dramatic way the mystery of personality" (p. 366): We don't see the true salesman's personality until the end of the story.

"The characters are shown through the action and the action is controlled through the characters" (p. 366) -- The bible salesman's actions describe him at the beginning and at the end.

Story from Gary Geddes, Ed., The Art of Short Fiction: Brief Edition. Addison-Wesley, 1999.

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Document prepared March 7th 2001 / updated March 9th

Passage	Theory groups	Essay groups
1	Mrs Hopewell's optimism is excessive. The author even implies this: one of her "favorite sayings"; "another"; "and still another" -- this excessiveness is absurd.
2	"Here she went about all day . . . ": shows the antisocial, outlawed, character of Joy; her loneliness.
2	Passage shows Mrs Hopewell's inner world. She actually has a realistic view of Joy as "bloated, rude, and squint-eyed," without any sense, but she internalizes this and displays only optimism outwardly.
3		Upholds O'Connor's belief that the character's own language is essential in creating a meaningful character.
		The Bible salesman reflects the author's comment on the short story having a sense of mystery (he appears out of nowhere), and a sense of manners (he's polite with "good country people").
		The use of the senses to make the reader also believe the salesman -- his accent is spelled out: "Chrustian" (p. 252); he twists his hands and acts simple.
4		O'Connor says "Fiction operates through the senses" (p. 367) -- O'Connor draws attention to Joy by emphasizing her disability through her limping.
5	"flash of light": this is almost an epiphanal moment for Hulga -- yet it's ironic, because he ends up manipulating her -- her unconsciousness is revealed, that she may actually want love and not to be an outcast. She realizes that her dependency on her leg gives her her 'confidence' -- a spiritual experience for her.	Shows in-depth meaning of her feelings (O'Connor feels a short story should not be slight, but have depth to it)
		Description needs to be vivid enough for readers to place themselves in the life of the character (feelings / thoughts / emotions: p. 367)
	Joy is vulnerable facing "real innocence": she spiritually explores her unconscious inner world.	The leg exists first as a physical device (p. 370) -- It uncovers who she is as a character -- through her leg she has her security.
		What happens to Joy in the loft is a reflection of the author's comments that the South "is rich in contradiction, rich in irony, rich in contrast" (p. 372).
		Hulga's perception of the salesman is affected by the environment in which she has lived: her mother's idea of Good Country People and the superiority she draws from her education. She believes in the boy's good intentions because her societal context dictates this, and therefore makes him believable as a character.