“Good Country People,” by Flannery O’Conner is not so much about good country people, but rather the extent to which country people can be good. In other words, it is a depiction of the fraud of misrepresenting yourself, and O’Conner makes this point in her depiction of Manley Pointer.

What does Manley Pointer represent in Good Country People?

“Good Country People,” by Flannery O’Conner is not so much about good country people, but rather the extent to which country people can be good. In other words, it is a depiction of the fraud of misrepresenting yourself, and O’Conner makes this point in her depiction of Manley Pointer.

What is the meaning of Mrs Hopewell’s phrase Good Country People?

Hopewell continues to call them “good country people” because she wants to believe they are. She almost seems to think that repeating the phrase will make it true. Just as Mrs. Hopewell seems to want to reshape the Freemans in the image of her favorite platitudes, she also seems to want to reshape her daughter.

What does Manley do to joy?

And because we know nothing about Manley—no proof backs anything he says up—she is giving her soul over to nothing. And you know what? It’s terrible. He completely plays her, tricking her and then stealing her leg, a.k.a. the thing that represents her soul.

What does Hulga’s artificial leg represent?

Hulga’s leg symbolizes her soul (O’Connor 276) in the aspect that she has been damaged to the point where she puts on a hard exterior but ends up believing in the lies of a stranger. Manley’s bible that has been hollowed out to hold obscene items shows symbolism in the display of Manley as a hollow Christian.

What is a theme of Good Country People?

The main themes in “Good Country People” are social status, Christianity, and innocence versus experience. Social Status: Manley Pointer’s description of himself as a “country boy” puts the Hopewells at ease and makes them vulnerable to his deception, emphasizing the unique social landscape of the rural South.

Why does Hulga seduce Manley?

Hulga views herself as Manley’s savior—just as she does with her mother—and thinks that she is a step above him because of her knowledge and ‘understanding of the world.

What literary devices are used in Good Country People?

The two literary devices used in this short story are irony and an epiphany. It’s ironic because the bible salesman ends up tricking everyone. Also, Joy-Hulga thinks she is going to trick Manley but she ends up getting tricked. Joy-Hulga’s epiphany is when Manley leaves her in the hayloft without her wooden leg.

What does Manley pointers name mean?

Furthermore, his first name, Manley, is ironic because while he acts like a “good country people” (O’Connor) and a very mature man, his name tells the reader that Manley Pointer only follows his poor, manly instincts such as seducing women and using them for his own pleasures (“Good Country People by Flannery …show …

Do you think Hulga truly believes in nothing?

Well, nihilism is a philosophical strain that, in its simplest terms, basically means there’s no real basis for judging right from wrong. Hulga, then, believes in the truth of nothing, and from this, that everything people believe is constructed instead of somehow essentially true.

How did Joy Hulga lose her leg?

When she was ten, her leg was “shot off in a hunting accident” (13), which sounds like a major bummer to us. Joy legally changed her name to Hulga when she was twenty-one, but Mrs.

What is the irony of Good Country People?

Hopewell’s beliefs disgusts Hulga who has professed to believe in nothing. Besides Hulga, Manly Pointer the bible salesman is the second biggest example irony in “Good Country People”. The reader would first presume that this man is the very definition of good country people; he turned out to be the complete opposite.

What does Hulga’s artificial leg symbolize to her?

Hulga’s leg can symbolize her doubtful soul, which she refuses to show to anyone by hiding the seam between her body and the prosthetic. Moreover, her mother believes that the loss of the leg cost Hulga an ability to enjoy life. Thus, the artificial leg also means that Hulga is missing joy.