Tuesday, December 1, 2009

Genre Study of "A Good Man is Hard to Find"

There are many Gothic elements present in "A Good Man is Hard to Find". Some of the major Gothic elements that are present in the story are those of suspense, seclusion/loneliness, and also a sense of evil/horror.

One element that seems essential to the story is the seclusion and loneliness aspect. When I say seclusion, I mean it in the sense of location rather than a sense of personality. This is present also in the story "The Striding Place" which we have read. The striding place was located out in the English wilderness and far from major locations. The same seclusion seems to be used in "A Good Man is Hard to Find". The Grandmother in the story frequently reminds her family that she lived in a rural area as a child. She recalls how there were no paved roads, lots of trees, and large mountains. She also causes the family to drive on a secluded road to get to a place she said that she had spent some time at in her youth. This is of course the road that the car ends up crashing into a ditch and leads to the slaughter of the family by the Misfit.

Another element that is there is the sense of horror and evil. I think this Gothic element is extremely predominant in the story "Strawberry Spring" by King. There is a sense that something vile and evil is lurking out there that no one really seems to be able to survive after an encounter with it. I think this is present in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" with the use of the Misfit. The grandmother uses his name to frighten her grandchildren into giving them a reason why she shouldn't stay home while the family goes to Florida. Throughout the story, he is an evil and repulsive presence that accompanies the family on their travels. Finally when their car is in the ditch, the Misfit arrives. He seems to be a representation of classic evil as he refutes and expresses his thoughts about Jesus, giving him a devilish personality. Then after all is said, he is responsible for the death of the family, leaving none alive in his path.

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