what is good man essay

Young Goodman Brown

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A Summary and Analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown’

By Dr Oliver Tearle (Loughborough University)

‘Young Goodman Brown’ (1835) is one of the most famous stories by the American author Nathaniel Hawthorne. Inspired in part by the Salem witch craze of 1692, the story is a powerful exploration of the dark side of human nature. How Hawthorne loads his story with such power is worthy of some closer analysis, but before we get there, you can read ‘Young Goodman Brown’ here .

Let’s begin with a summary of the story’s plot. We have analysed the story’s symbolism in a separate post .

Plot summary

In the village of Salem one evening, a young man named Goodman Brown bids farewell to his wife, Faith. Faith wants him to stay with her, but Goodman Brown says he needs to travel tonight. When he leaves her, he vows to himself that he will be good after his business is done tonight.

He meets an old men dressed in ‘grave and decent attire’, as he is travelling on the road. This man has a staff in his hand which resembles a snake. Sensing his young companion is weary, the man offers Goodman Brown the staff but Goodman Brown declines. Indeed, he has honoured his promise to meet with the man tonight, but he has misgivings about it, and wants to turn back and go home. He is a good Christian, and his ancestors were good Christians, and he doesn’t want to get involved.

The man with the staff responds by saying that he knew Goodman Brown’s father and grandfather as well as numerous other high-profile Christians in the state, including the governor himself.

Goodman Brown asks how he will be able to look his minister in the face if he goes on with the business they have planned. This amuses the older man, although when Goodman Brown expresses his fears concerning his wife, Faith, the man is more sympathetic, and reassures him that Faith will come to no harm.

As they walk deeper into the woods, Goodman Brown recognises Goody Cloyse, the old woman who taught him religious instruction when he was a child. As she is well-respected back in his village, he doesn’t want her to recognise him and see him with the strange man with the staff, so he tells the older man that he will come off the path until they have passed the woman.

From the trees, Goodman Brown is astonished when the older man, upon reaching Goody Cloyse, taps her on the shoulder with his snake-staff, and she recognises him as ‘the Devil’. It turns out she is actually a witch (she even cackles) and is accompanying the man to their sabbath!

The two of them talk of young Goodman Brown, whom they will be initiating into their ‘communion’ tonight. Goodman Brown watches as the woman takes the man’s staff and promptly vanishes. He then rejoins the man on the path, shocked by what he has witnessed.

They continue on for a while, but then Goodman Brown has second thoughts again, and sits down, determined not to go any further. But the older man tells him he will think better of it. Two riders approach, who are clearly also involved in the ‘deviltry’ of the night, and as Goodman Brown and his companion walk on, they hear a woman lamenting, and then a scream.

A pink ribbon floats through the air to him, such as his wife Faith wore. ‘My Faith is gone!’ Goodman Brown cries.

Realising all hope is lost, he becomes almost possessed by demonic despair and powers on through the forest, laughing wildly. He stumbles into a clearing in the woods, where a black mass or witches’ sabbath appears to be taking place, featuring many people he recognises, including Deacon Gookin.

He then sees a veiled figure, who turns out to be his wife, Faith, who is a member of the sinful community gathered there. Blood is presented in a bowl, preparatory to the ‘baptism’ initiating the new converts. However, Goodman Brown resists, before staggering against a rock.

The next morning, he returns to Salem village, and everyone from the witches’ sabbath is acting as usual: Goody Cloyse is catechising a child, and Deacon Gookin is praying, while Faith welcomes her husband with joy. We are led to doubt whether what he witnessed the night before actually happened.

Was it all a dream? Either way, he becomes a sterner man thereafter, very ‘distrustful’, seeing sin everywhere. He becomes distant from his own wife. The story ends years in the future, with the narrator telling us that when Goodman Brown died, his neighbours ‘carved no hopeful verse upon his tombstone, for his dying hour was gloom.’

Herman Melville, the author of Moby-Dick , thought ‘Young Goodman Brown’ was ‘deep as Dante’ in its exploration of the darker side of human nature.

The story is remarkable in its depiction of evil not least because it raises interesting questions about what it means to ‘become’ or ‘know’ evil. Young Goodman Brown actually resists the initiation in the woodland clearing, involving the blood-baptism, but the story suggests that this doesn’t matter: he has still come to recognise evil and has thus been initiated into its ways.

If it’s true that the only two kinds of person who are wholly obsessed with evil are the very bad and the very good (in the sense of being puritanical about making sure everyone else is as ‘good’ as they are), then ‘Young Goodman Brown’ is as much a cautionary tale about being lured over to the ‘dark side’, because even if you don’t end up embracing it, it will already have embraced you. The Puritan is as possessed by ‘evil’ as the devil-worshipper they condemn; they’re just possessed in different ways.

In other words, Goodman Brown is clearly drawn to the world of sin and witchcraft, as his meeting with the older man with the snake-staff (the ‘serpent’ summoning the satanic snake from the Garden of Eden, of course, which tempted Eve) indicates. Once he has made the decision to go down to the woods tonight he was always going to be in for a big surprise.

The twist, of course, is that in leaving Faith (his wife) behind, he finds Faith again, in the woodland black sabbath, where she is at first veiled and then revealed to him. (Calling her ‘Faith’, by the way, is an inspired touch by Hawthorne; it was a popular woman’s name among Puritans, but it resonates with obviously symbolic significance in this story about faith and sin.)

‘Young Goodman Brown’, then, is a highly symbolic and suggestive story about the nature of evil and also the nature of puritanism: once the veil has been lifted, Young Goodman Brown sees evil everywhere, even where it may well not actually exist.

This last part is important: although Hawthorne leaves some room for ambiguity, and the narrator himself seems uncertain, if Goodman Brown did merely dream the events of the witches’ sabbath, that raises further questions. He already suspects those in authority around him, those who teach religion to the village children or who dutifully pray, of secretly harbouring evil desires and performing dark deeds. His dream was merely an enacting of these (paranoid) suspicions.

But his conviction that the dream was real, and that his wife, his minister, Goody Cloyse, and the others are all secretly marked by evil, suggests that extreme puritanism destroys one’s moral compass and leads to a life devoid of pleasure or meaning.

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2 thoughts on “A Summary and Analysis of Nathaniel Hawthorne’s ‘Young Goodman Brown’”

The symbolism in this story is as subtle as a ton of rocks. This is not one of my favorite Hawthorne stories.

Pingback: A Summary and Analysis of Washington Irving’s ‘The Legend of Sleepy Hollow’ – Interesting Literature

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Home › Literature › Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find

Analysis of Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find

By NASRULLAH MAMBROL on May 25, 2021

Frequently anthologized, “A Good Man Is Hard to Find” exemplifies Flannery O’Connor’s southern religious grounding. The story depicts the impact of Christ on the lives of two seemingly disparate characters. One is a grandmother joining her son’s family on a trip to Florida. Accompanied by a silent daughter-in-law, a baby, two unpleasant children, and her smuggled cat, she wheedles the son into making a detour to see a plantation that she remembers from an earlier time.

Moments of recognition and connection multiply as the seemingly foreordained meeting of the grandmother and the killer she has read about in the paper takes place. She upsets the basket in which she has hidden her cat; the cat lands on her son’s neck, causing an accident. Soon three men appear on the dirt road, and the grandmother recognizes one of them as the notorious killer the Misfit.

Flannery O’Connor/National Catholic Register

O’Connor weaves the notion of punishment and Christian love into the conversation between the Misfit and the grandmother while the grandmother’s family is being murdered. Referring to the similarity that he shares with Christ, the Misfit declares that “Jesus thrown everything off balance” (27), but he admits that unlike Christ, he must have committed a crime because there were papers to prove it. When the grandmother touches his shoulder because she sees him as one of her own children, she demonstrates a Christian love that causes him to shoot her.

This story typifies O’Connor’s mingling of comedy, goodness, banality, and violence in her vision of a world that, however imperfect, most readers inevitably recognize as part of their own. O’Connor views the world as a place where benevolence and good intentions conflict with perversity and evil, and her protagonists frequently learn too late that their lives can crumble in an instant when confronted by the very real powers of darkness.

BIBLIOGRAPHY Kessler, Edward. Flannery O’Connor and the Language of Apocalypse. Princeton, N.J.: Princeton University Press, 1986. Orvell, Miles. Flannery O’Connor: An Introduction. Jackson: University Press of Mississippi, 1991

15 Qualities That Are At The Core Of Every ‘Good’ Person

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pensive young woman with slight smile - illustrating a good person

What makes a person “good” in the grand scheme of things?

There are some traits considered to be good by just about everyone. There are also cultural variables as to what symbolizes and expresses goodness in a person.

Ultimately, it’s up to the individual to determine what they feel are the qualities of a “good person.”

When we’re asked to explain why some of our heroes are (or were) sincerely good people, many of these traits will make the list.

1. Prudence

A good person is a prudent person. Prudence is the ability to determine whether or not a particular action is a good (or appropriate) idea at that specific point in time. It’s considered to be one of the four cardinal virtues, derived originally from Plato’s Republic .

Prudence also refers to a situation in which you have the strength to do something, but choose not to. Or, when you could do something that’s self-indulgent in the moment, but choose to err on the side of better judgment for later.

An example of this would be refraining from spending money on games and junk food because you need to save enough to cover your portion of the rent and bills. You may spend a bit on a small indulgence, but choose responsibility over temporary amusement or gratification.

2. Temperance

Although most people interpret temperance as being abstinence from something, what it actually means is moderation.

Having temperance means finding the middle path, and balancing the self in the face of any situation. It encompasses self-discipline and self-awareness. After all, you have to know your own abilities as well as your own limits in order to find the moderate zone between them.

For example, embodying a sense of diplomacy as a moderator means finding that magical middle ground between expressing what you need to say, with the needs and views of others around you.

In other people, temperance might mean accepting a small drink when toasting with others, but refraining from drinking to inebriation. Or thoroughly enjoying a slice of cake without overindulging.

When you are balanced and measured in your approaches to everything, you can experience and understand all without being overwhelmed by it.

Good people often show courage. Courage isn’t the absence of fear, but rather the ability to take action even though you feel afraid. It is knowing that there is a difficult, potentially dangerous task ahead of you, but doing it because you know it needs to be done.

This one goes along with several of the other qualities listed here. For example, it often takes courage to act with integrity.

Courage can take many forms, from trying a new, challenging exercise to standing up to an intimidating person, or facing something that scares you.

The first level of courage is doing something even though it terrifies you.

The last level is being a calm, inspirational force to others, while feeling the same fear that they’re experiencing.

For example, a high-ranking officer in a WWI trench was a bastion of calm and confidence, while the troops around him were quaking with fear. A young Private asked him how he was so calm, and the officer replied that he had to be in order to keep morale up. Additionally, he knew that the soldiers on the other side were also afraid, and that was oddly reassuring to him.

4. Compassion

Being compassionate isn’t just about understanding someone else’s pain. It’s also the desire to help alleviate it. One can look at a person and see that they’re suffering (sympathy) and then walk on by. But when we want to do what we can to help, then that’s compassion in action.

Ultimately, the basic element of compassion is kindness. We want to give of our own abilities to help another being who may be suffering. We can have compassion for people, animals, trees, rivers… anything that seems to be in distress that we can help to lessen.

The greatest mastery of compassion is when the one you’re trying to help is hurting you, and yet you’re still offering them assistance in a loving, gentle way. An adult may rail against you, or the hurt animal may bite you, but you still try to help.

Compassion means that you understand another’s pain without compounding it, offering what the other needs, and giving of yourself, regardless of the outcome.

5. Generosity

Generosity is a quality often associated with a good person. When we have a surplus of something, it’s important to share with others who have less. Even if we don’t have a surplus, it’s important to share with others.

We always have something that we can share or give to those around us. This doesn’t have to be monetary wealth or physical objects, either. People who don’t have a lot of money can still be immensely generous with their time, for example. They can volunteer with the elderly or doing charity work. Or they can teach their skills to others who would like to learn from them.

Being generous means that you’re giving with the heart, without any schemes to receive anything in return, or control those you are being generous with. These are gifts freely given, not because you think you’ll benefit in turn.

Quite often, those who have the least are the most generous toward others, because they know what it’s like to have nothing. They have the biggest hearts, and tend to be the most willing to help others in need.

6. Patience

This is one of the qualities that many admire, but it is also one of the most difficult to put into practice. It’s possible that this is because few of use are actually patient by nature.

We tend to want things on our terms, on our own time. As a result, we get frustrated and annoyed when things don’t play out the way we think they should.

This is why it’s important to remember that the world doesn’t revolve around our wants and our schedule. There are billions of other players on this chess board, all engaged in an intricate dance. As such, we need to acknowledge and respect that we are all cogs in the machine, and our time to turn will come when it’s meant to.

Furthermore, it’s important to be aware that a lack of patience can cause a great deal of harm. People can only do their best, and when we’re impatient with those who aren’t as capable as we are, we can make them feel truly horrible about themselves. Or worse, they may end up traumatized and damaged.

This is why it’s important to be patient with the grandmother or the child when crossing the road in a hurry, because they can’t keep up with you. If you’re not, and you walk away quickly instead of helping, they may end up getting hurt.

Patience means that you can remain calm and measured in your responses, even when irritated. To not throw a tantrum when forced to wait. And to not complain unduly when things are taking longer than expected.

7. Respect

Respect is undoubtedly a characteristic of a good person. When we talk about respect, we’re encompassing various aspects thereof. This includes respect for other people, self-respect, respect for life, for nature, etc.

Tolerance, esteem, appreciation, and recognition are just a few aspects of respect that can come into play.

For example, we can respect nature by not throwing garbage around or polluting water supplies. We can respect housemates by acknowledging the fact that they live their lives differently than we do, so we don’t project our behavioral expectations onto them.

We can respect our bodies by eating well and getting plenty of exercise, and show self-respect by not engaging in activities that would make us feel shame later.

We acknowledge boundaries – our own and other people’s – and don’t overstep them for the sake of self-indulgence. We acknowledge that every individual is perfect, sovereign, and sacred. As such, we don’t put others down or mistreat them. Instead, we pay attention when they speak, honor their words, heed their personal choices.

It doesn’t take much effort to help others feel seen and heard, but it makes a world of difference to them when we do so.

8. Tolerance

Tolerance means accepting that others may think, behave, or live differently than we are, without trying to change their ways to suit our own preferences.

In simplest terms: live and let live.

Seek to understand your contemporaries in other cultures, races, religions, and creeds, rather than attacking them for their differences from you.

This is the difference between people who talk about how tolerant they are, but want to lead the next witch hunt.

In the 1600s it was witches. In the 1800s it was Amerindians. In the 1930s it was Jews. It is what it is today, and in 200 years, there will be another target group for people’s ire.

Don’t jump on that bandwagon. We’re all better than that.

9. Integrity

A good person will act with integrity. Integrity means doing the right thing, even when nobody is watching. It’s holding to your individual moral and ethical convictions despite other people’s opinions and influences. Especially when it’s difficult to do so.

For example, let’s say that you’re working on a construction site and you find a precious artifact. You’re only making minimum wage at this gig, and this is a centuries-old gold ring buried in the mud. Nobody saw it except you. If you sold it, you’d likely make a ton of money. But you also recognize that it has historical significance.

Your sense of integrity would have you report the ring to the local coroner or Finds liaison officer so they can investigate it. Sure, you might get a reward for it – likely less than you’d have made for pawning it – but you know it’s the right thing to do. You didn’t have to, but you did it anyway.

10. Commitment

This one goes along with integrity, but expands upon it differently.

Commitment means that you’ve held to your word, even if it was difficult to do so. This might mean sticking with a job or project that you absolutely hate because you promised someone that you would do so. Or it could be remaining faithful to a partner, despite your own non-monogamous leanings, because you gave your word that you’d be loyal.

You’ll see something through, simply because you made a promise.

A person who keeps their commitments is someone who can be trusted and relied upon. When you’re known as someone who keeps their word, you’re incredibly valued and respected in your community, as well as among your friends and loved ones.

11. Honesty

Honesty is often expressed as a quality of a good person. After all, if you discovered that someone lied to you, could you ever trust them again? If they lied to you that time, what would stop them from lying to you about everything and anything else?

People respect and appreciate honesty, especially when it’s difficult. For example, if and when we mess up horribly at work, but own that screw-up, admit to it, and take action to remedy it. Our employers and peers will respect us a lot more than if we try to cover it up or cast blame on others.

Furthermore, many people even appreciate honesty when it’s a bit hurtful. When someone is honest about a difficult topic or situation, it means that they care enough not to betray the other’s trust by lying about it.

Of course, a lot depends on how a truth is shared. We can be gentle in our tone and the words we choose, rather than being cruel or scathing. How a truth is delivered can make the difference between long-term positive change, and trauma.

12. Humility

You know the type of person who’s always bragging about how awesome they are? Humility is the opposite of that.

Humility is holding to the idea that no person is greater or lesser than any others, despite popularity, wealth, titles, or achievements.

Those who feel that they are better or more important than other people tend to treat others badly. Since they consider themselves to be special, they often expect better treatment, and to be allowed to belittle those around them.

In contrast, someone who remains humble treats everyone around them with care and respect. They don’t tell others about all the wonderful charitable things they’ve done: they just do them. Their actions are for the greater good, not for the acknowledgement and praise they’ll receive from doing so.

13. Strength

The strength that makes a good person is mental and emotional rather than physical. Strength can be shown in a gentle way, albeit one that is unyielding. Look at Mahatma Gandhi and his hunger strike. It took immense strength to quash his own hunger, though agonizing, in order to work toward positive change.

Hannibal and Marcus Aurelius showed immense strength of character in keeping everyone together while undertaking a massive journey.

Anne Frank and Mother Teresa both showed tremendous strength in atrocious circumstances. Furthermore, their ability to love and care for others remained intact despite the horrors they witnessed and experienced.

You’ve likely noticed that strength and compassion, and strength and courage are linked. This is because strength is not always a projective virtue, but rather it’s an adaptive term.

Strength is often a battery for many of the other qualities on this list. For example, you may show immense strength when you hold to integrity when everyone around you is doing something that goes against everything you believe in. Standing up for what you believe is right might be dangerous to you – perhaps even life threatening. As such, it takes immense strength of character and will to be true to yourself.

There are many different types of love, despite the fact that only one word is used to encompass them in the Western world. We’re mostly familiar with romantic love, or the love felt between parents and children. But we can love humanity or nature with all our hearts as well. And we know that we love when we pour our energy toward other beings’ happiness, health, success, and freedom.

Some people mistake infatuation for love. Or possessiveness. Someone might love another person because they feel that the other person will give them what they need. Similarly, they might love a pet, or a house, or any other being or creature that brings them fulfillment.

In contrast, when we truly love a person, our greatest wish is for their happiness.

Rabbi Dr. Abraham Twerski covers this when he talks about “fish love.” What most people consider to be “love” is when their needs are fulfilled. Such as a man who eats a fish because he loves fish. This man loves the fish he’s eating so much that he took it out of the water, boiled it, and is eating it. He loves himself, and sees the fish as something that will fulfill his needs and wants.

If he truly loved the fish, he would encourage it to swim happily and lead a beautiful life.

Real love isn’t a question of what we’re going to get from a situation or a person, but what we can give .

15. Self-awareness

You know in your gut when you’ve done wrong, or when you have done good.

If you ever do something and feel a twinge of shame or disgust with your actions, then you’re fully aware that you didn’t act in love or respect. Perhaps you did something sneaky for the sake of your own self-interests. Or the selfish altruism you displayed was far more for your own benefit than the other person’s.

In contrast, when you’ve done something that’s ethical and loving, you’ll feel an immense lightness of being. A warm glow will suffuse through you, and you might even get a bit choked up. You know that your actions will have long-reaching positive repercussions; like a glowing pebble thrown into a pond. Every ripple will carry light along with it.

Listen to this feeling when it speaks to you. Recognize it as your own inner compass, and allow it to lead you to the sincere goodness you’re capable of.

About The Author

Finn Robinson has spent the past few decades travelling the globe and honing his skills in bodywork, holistic health, and environmental stewardship. In his role as a personal trainer and fitness coach, he’s acted as an informal counselor to clients and friends alike, drawing upon his own life experience as well as his studies in both Eastern and Western philosophies. For him, every day is an opportunity to be of service to others in the hope of sowing seeds for a better world.

21 Qualities of a Good Man You Should Look For

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Women outnumber men in all but 10 states in the US. Not only are you competing to find a man, but also one of good caliber. I don't mean to sound like a party pooper, but I know you know from experience that a good man is hard to find . You'll probably encounter a lot of toxic guys before meeting a high-quality man.

Finding a man who exhibits the traits you're looking for in a partner is like hitting the relationship jackpot . You'll enjoy a type of healthy and supportive romantic relationship or marriage that promotes happiness and well-being.

Today, I'm going to discuss having dating standards and prepare you to recognize 21 qualities of a good man when he crosses your path.

Table of Contents

Can Men Be Taught Good Qualities?

Yes and no . According to scientists, an individual's core personality is set by the time they reach first grade. Their adult behaviors can be predicted relatively accurately at this stage of development. However, humans have the capacity to reshape their thinking and develop new habits, even though it's not that easy .

While it's possible for men to improve themselves, they have to have a certain level of emotional maturity and self-awareness as well as a desire to change .

Should You Try to Fix a Man?

Women are nurturers by nature and have a tendency to try and fix their significant other. Your boyfriend might rebel, become resentful, or reject you for trying to make him change. You'll feel hurt and try even harder, but he'll relentlessly resist. This may lead to lowered self-esteem, codependency , and resentment on your part.

Even if your man tries, he'll quickly relapse into his old behavioral patterns . Behavioral changes take time and cognitive work such as mindfulness, positive affirmations , and cognitive therapy.

Ask yourself if you're looking for a man who got it together or one you have to teach to be a man . According to Bolde , he’s a grown man. You can’t fix him and you shouldn’t have to. You'll only stress yourself out trying to change him .

As a woman of standards and self-respect, you know it's not your job to groom a man. If he needs fixing, he needs to do it on his own or with the help of a behavioral therapist.

You're better off with someone who exhibits the qualities of a good man, someone who's by nature a good partner, father, and friend.

Instead of having to teach him how to treat you, you can focus on helping him to become a better version of himself. Both of you and the relationship will benefit as a whole.

The Importance of Dating with High Standards

High-quality women have high standards and choose partners wisely . In dating, standards refer to having a list of things or ideal traits in a potential partner that you're not willing to compromise on .

Call them your non-negotiables . I'm referring to qualities that have nothing to do with his looks, career, financial status, or social connections. It's all about his behavior, values, and belief system .

Your dating-with-standards list can range from refusing to settle for a guy who is emotionally unavailable to one who is avoidant . These are big red flags you shouldn't ignore as he will be unable to meet your emotional needs in a relationship.

A guy with an avoidant personality struggles to communicate his needs and shies away from problem-solving. Instead, he will shut down, withdraw, or stonewall, leaving you unheard, frustrated, or feeling undeserving of his love and attention.

Using your personal dating standards as a guide will help you find someone with the qualities of a good man and who is husband material. Creating boundaries also helps you to establish a healthy, supportive relationship instead of one filled with drama.

21 Qualities of a Good Man You Should Look for

Physical attraction and chemistry may help a guy get one foot in the door when he's dealing with you, a woman who knows she deserves the best guy out there. However, he still needs to prove he's worthy of your time, attention, love, and your… everything .

You're more interested in the man within . Of course, you're not expecting him to be perfect, but he should at least demonstrate the following qualities of a good man.

1. Emotionally Available

You're looking for someone who will provide you with a steady stream of love and affection . If he goes back and forth from hot to cold, that's a sign of emotional unavailability. What you will get is a little love and attention for a few days before he pushes you away.

10 qualities of a good man | 20 qualities of a good man | qualities of a good man to marry

Emotional availability means your partner is comfortable talking about his personal life , family, childhood, and past romantic relationships. He won't seem closed off, avoid conversations about commitment, or display other signs of emotional unavailability .

There was a guy who tried to engage me in a push-pull, let-us-see-where-this-goes relationship. I called him out on his BS and assured him that I knew I deserved better. Looking back, he had zero of these 21 qualities of a good man.

2. Vulnerable

Many men are of the view that showing feelings or vulnerability is a sign of weakness, but it's mostly about protecting their ego. A man of essence is capable of putting his ego aside. You'll recognize he's comfortable having conversations about his thoughts, feelings, weaknesses, and mistakes .

I once met a guy who claimed he wanted to settle down but had difficulties opening up and letting me see who he was at the core. It appeared as if he was hiding things from me and I hated how suspicious and anxious that made me feel.

He was 40 years old, claimed he was never in love, and wanted to experience it. You should see how he clammed up whenever I mentioned the word “love.”

Following that experience, I run as far away as I can from guys who struggle to open up. Don't waste your time trying to break down the emotional walls of a man who's incapable of loving you.

3. Commitment-minded

Another one of the qualities of a good man is leaning towards commitment. He's not the type to string you along . In fact, he'll show and tell you earlier on in the dating phase that he's interested in exclusivity and a future with you.

Don't worry, it's easy to spot a commitment-phobic. He doesn't like to make plans ahead of time, cancels at the last minute, and has a track record of short-term relationships . You'll soon start to feel like you're at the bottom of his priority list. Things won't change much unless he wants to work on being a better boyfriend.

4. Respectful

Disrespect in any form doesn't spell well for a healthy relationship. Once it starts, it tends to get worse with time. A high-quality man respects himself and others. Respect is shown in many ways.

For example, valuing your opinions even if he disagrees and allowing you to maintain a life outside of the relationship.

A respectful guy will treat you, everyone connected to you, and even strangers well . He's not going to call you out your name, ever, even when he's angry.

On the other hand, a toxic, immature guy will resort to calling you a “bitch” and other defamatory names. Women with low dating standards and low self-worth are the ones who usually put up with that type of guy.

As a high-quality woman, you'd kick him to the curb the moment he thinks of disrespecting you.

5. Kind and Loving

He's a keeper if he is kind by nature and wired for love. Kindness and authentic love usually go together and are non-negotiable qualities of a good man. Ensure you do a kindness and compassion test on him. By that, I mean observing how he treats everyone else.

qualities of a good man to marry in islam | qualities of a good man to date | qualities of a good man in islam

Does he talk down to people he thinks are inferior to him, e.g, the wait staff at restaurants? He's a wolf in sheep's clothing if he shows you a nice face, but is mean to others, including kids, or cruel to animals.

6. Emotionally Intelligent

It's a game-changer when you find a man who can put himself in your shoes and understand how you feel. It's called empathy and is a big sign of emotional intelligence (EQ) . It's easier for a man to mistreat you if he cannot see or is unwilling to acknowledge how his behaviors affect you.

You'll know the guy you have your eyes on is emotionally intelligent if he is kind and supportive when you're in distress. He has the ability to perceive, understand, use, and manage negative emotions in positive ways .

Even though he's authentic and straightforward, he's mindful of his words , so as not to offend or hurt you. Other signs of EQ include being honest, humble, forgiving, and able to self-reflect and apologize.

7. Good Communicator

Couples complain all the time that a lack of communication is chipping away at their relationship. There's going to be a lot of passive-aggressive behaviors like pouting and refusal to speak if you're dating someone with an avoidant attachment style or narcissistic traits.

Thank your lucky stars if you're seeing a guy who actively listens to you, makes eye contact, doesn't interrupt, and doesn't dismiss your opinions. As a good communicator, he will respond after choosing the right words and provide validation. His attentiveness is a sign that he's connected and values you, your thoughts, as well as your feelings.

8. Trustworthiness

You struck gold if you found a trustworthy guy. Trustworthiness is at the top of my list of qualities of a good man, particularly because it encompasses so many traits that speak to a man's honesty and overall moral integrity .

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Characteristics of a trustworthy man include being consistent, reliable, dependable, willing to compromise, and respectful of boundaries. The need to have a man with these standards becomes greater if you're bringing kids into the relationship. You must be fully confident that he will respect and treat them well .

9. Secure-attachment Style

According to John Bowlby's Attachment Theory , individuals with a secure attachment style make better romantic partners. Compared to the anxious and avoidant styles, a secure man won't overbear you with his feelings or push you away. He's emotionally and mentally balanced, well-grounded, and has healthy self-esteem and self-confidence.

He is honest, trusting, trustworthy, and comfortable showing his vulnerable side. This guy is calm and self-assured. Being with him feels like “home . ” You won't have to chase after him because he's not the one to play mind games. Instead, he'll state his romantic intentions upfront , treat you like a priority, and make you feel safe, secure, and protected .

Sounds too good to be true, right? Well, you're in luck. Over 50% of the population is secure attachment types. I've had the good fortune of marrying a secure man. They're not perfect but come with a long list of amazing qualities that overshadow their shortcomings.

If you find a guy like this, cherish him. Secure attachment style men feel the most committed to their romantic relationships and usually don't remain on the market for long .

10. Accountable

Toxic men shirk their responsibilities and are unwilling to own up to their problematic behaviors. Not only are they emotionally immature, but they also shift blame and play the victim even when they're the ones causing the chaos.

A good man is confident in himself and will acknowledge his mistakes, instead of lying, denying, defending, or blaming you . People with narcissistic tendencies are known for pathological lying and blame-shifting to avoid accountability. They use gas lighting tactics to abuse you emotionally and make you question your own reality.

Narcissist or not, it's impossible to enjoy a healthy, loving, respecting, and supportive relationship with anyone who is unable to man up.

11. Emotionally Stable

You can enjoy a loving, happy, and healthy relationship with a man who has stable emotions and is able to self-regulate when things go wrong. As women, we need to be 100% honest with ourselves and stop giving men an easy pass because they're cute or financially stable. What about emotional stability or anger problems?

Emotional instability is an instant deal breaker for me, along with lies, game-playing, and disrespect. Unstable emotions are usually a sign of mental illness, such as mood disorder, borderline personality disorder (BPD) , or bipolar disorder. Beware!

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You're signing up for a rollercoaster relationship if you choose a guy who “looks good on paper” but cannot control his anger or self-regulate negative emotions . And, please, don't try to become his therapist, savior, or fixer.

Stand in your truth knowing you're deserving of love and a happy relationship or marriage . Show empathy and compassion for his struggles, but don't feel guilty if you have to quit him. You'll probably save yourself from physical or emotional abuse if you leave before the guy starts lashing out or becomes unhinged.

12. Faithful

A faithful man is a man whose loyalty doesn't waver toward you. In the good or the bad, a good man makes choices with your best interest in mind . He considers how his decisions affect you and how others will view you because of his choices.

For example, Aaron works in an office with many single men and women. His co-workers know he has a loving and caring wife at home to whom he is devoted and faithful. Everyone who knows him well is very aware of it.

One morning, after a disagreement with his wife, Aaron went to work, and his co-workers noticed he didn't seem like himself.

One of the single ladies in the office (who was attracted to Aaron) tried to get him to open up about the issue that was bothering him, even offering to hug him and treat him to lunch.

Knowing how it would look to others, Aaron declined to talk about the issue and turned down the offer for lunch, especially if others from the office didn't join them.

He not only wanted to avoid putting himself in a situation that tempted him to be unfaithful, but because of his loyalty toward his wife, he sought to avoid the appearance of unfaithfulness.

13. Dependable

A good man is a dependable man that you can rely on to do what he says when he says he will do it. No one wants to make a date with a guy who doesn't show up because he forgot or simply didn't make you a priority.

For instance, Dana really liked Jeffrey, and they both tried dating for a while. But he lacked dependability, and that was a red flag to her. They would schedule dates, and she would eagerly show up.

Still, he either wouldn't show, or he didn't prioritize the date and later talked about rescheduling. His behavior could have opened the door for Dana to feel insecure had she not been strong enough to walk away.

14. Sense of humor

A good man is not just a man who makes you laugh but finds great joy in making you smile when you don't feel like it. For example, he is witty enough to put on music and sing with a hideous voice just to improve your mood.

A good sense of humor can brighten a dark day and diffuse tension in a room , like a fresh breeze on a hot summer day. Being around a man who doesn’t take life too seriously all the time is refreshing.

For instance, Derrick and Megan have been dating for over 6 months. They just moved in together a few weeks ago. The two of them work stressful jobs, often bringing the stress and tension home.

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However, Derrick, devoted to making the home a safe space and peaceful environment, uses his humor to make Megan laugh and relieve much of her stress from the day. After good laughs, the two talk about their day calmly and reasonably.

Derrick's humor has helped Megan navigate difficult family moments and personal crises. As a result, not only has she begun to lean on him, but they rely on each other for advice and comfort after a rough day. This allows them to move past the stress to enjoy being home and away from the chaos of the outside world.

15. Romantic

Like being kind and loving, a good man tends to be very romantic. He consistently thinks of ways to express himself in a relationship that shows the magnitude of his affection for his partner.

When we hear the word romantic, we often think of physical intimacy, but it goes way beyond that. Instead, it's loving, serving, and offering kind gestures that outwardly express what is felt on the inside.

For instance, Kal had deep feelings for his girlfriend, Taylor. So, each week he made it his priority to do things, aside from going on a date, to let Taylor know she was special to him.

So, Kal had flowers sent to her office at work, left sweet notes around her house when he visited, and cleaned ice and snow from her car and driveway in inclement weather. He did those things because her well-being was important to him, and he wanted her to know it.

16. Generous

A good man is a generous and giving one. He always thinks of blessing others , and in many circumstances, he makes others' needs a priority. For example, Eric is a single guy who makes a good living as a carpenter.

He is known as a charitable man in the community. Not only does he give of his money, but he also volunteers much of his time helping the elderly in his city with small projects around their houses. If he didn't do it, there is no way they could afford to pay someone.

A generous man believes in leaving people better than he found them.

17. Cooks and Cleans

A man can be good and not good at cooking or cleaning. Still, according to psychology , women find that trait in a man irresistible. Still, if he prioritizes cleanliness and is a good cook, you’ve got a good man on your hands.

In relationships, we see where one partner (usually the wife) prioritizes cooking, cleaning, and overall home organization.

But a man willing to cook and clean usually understands the value of partnership to make things go smoothly in the home. He recognizes that it shouldn't fall on one person's shoulders in the relationship.

18. Confident

Confident men aren’t trying to be something they are not. Instead, they are comfortable in their own skin and are less likely to be fickle. When most of you think of a confident man, you may think of a guy who is overconfident and abrasive .

But a good man can keep that in balance. He knows who he is and lives life from that perspective . This means you won't get down the road and discover unsavory things he was afraid to discuss with you because he “didn't want to lose you.”

Moreover, a confident man believes that his mistakes and shortcoming made him into the strong and bold man he is today.

19. Moral Integrity (as a Standard of Faith)

Good men have a moral standard they seek to uphold, no matter the circumstances. You also know a man is good when he will carefully uphold the standards of his faith and treat you, his family, and others well.

His dedication to God (who is loving, forgiving, and compassionate) should reflect how he treats others and views life as a whole. Lastly, as a result, he is always looking to grow in integrity and be a better version of himself every day.

20. Goal Oriented

A good man sets goals. It shows that he is willing to improve upon himself and the situations surrounding his life. It also demonstrates that he doesn’t take life lying down and accepts every situation that befalls him or his family. He sees better (in his mind) and plans to bring it to pass.

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So, a goal-oriented man is a man who is “going places in life” because he has vision. And a man with vision later becomes a man who is accomplished. And an accomplished man is certainly one you will be proud of.

21. Humble

Good men are humble. They aren’t pushovers , but they understand their limitations and don’t mind giving credit where credit is due . Additionally, a good man will step back to let others shine while playing to their strengths .

Furthermore, he is not self-absorbed because it doesn't matter who gets the credit as long as everyone wins. For instance, Chris' wife received a promotion on her job and now makes more money than him. Naturally, his close friends found out and teased him about it.

However, Chris expressed to them how proud he was of her and that she worked hard to get where she is. Furthermore, he has no issues with her bringing home the bigger salary if their goals as a couple and family are accomplished.

Final Thoughts on Qualities of a Good Man

Connecting with a fine gentleman is easier when you know exactly what it is you're looking for . You're able to see through the BS almost immediately and quickly filter out men who are into game playing.

Don't bother trying to love a guy into emotional submission , mold him to suit your taste, compromise your standards or settle.

You deserve someone who is physically, mentally, and emotionally ready to pursue a healthy relationship and marriage. Continue to keep your standards high by repeating 70 Affirmations for Self-Worth and Love Yourself More .

Finally, if you want to identify YOUR personality type, then take one of these 11 personality tests to better understand what makes you tick .

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A Good Man Is Hard to Find Analysis: Essay Example & Summary

Are you about to write  A Good Man Is Hard to Find theme essay? Then, make sure to check this sample out! Here, you’ll find the story’s summary, moral lesson, themes, and other aspects of the analysis. Keep reading to get some inspiration for your A Good Man Is Hard to Find thesis! 

A great writer Flannery O’Connor has always been a central figure in American literature. Just like her colleague Nadine Gordimer, she covered the moral issues in her bizarre stories. Her short story A Good Man is Hard to Find provides a solid ground for literary analysis. Flannery O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find analysis will help you better grasp the story.

Introduction

A Good Man is Hard to Find appeared in 1955 and remains a widely-discussed story up till nowadays. Flannery O’Connor combined the most thoughts-provocative issues of that time in a short piece (Kinney 1). Although society has developed since then, people still deal with the problems mentioned by Flannery O’Connor. A Good Man is Hard to Find analysis will discuss two key themes of the story: selfishness and individualism.

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Summary

A Good Man is Hard to Find is a tragic short story about a family. A grandmother, father, mother, and three kids are going to visit Florida. At first sight, they seem to be good country people. However, there are many pitfalls. Their older children – John Wesley and June Star – are very boorish and ignorant. The mother devotes herself to her kids, not having enough time to live a fulfilled life. The father seems to be annoyed by his children. Finally, the grandmother thinks only about herself, not paying enough attention to the family.

Despite the rumors about the escaped prisoner, The Misfit, the family goes on a trip. While on the way to Florida, the grandmom suddenly remembers an old plantation. Many years ago, she was astonished by its incredible beauty. So, she convinces Bailey, the father, to go off the road and visit that place. Being unsure if she is pointing in the right direction, the grandmother loses her control. As a result, she does not manage to hold her cat. It jumps on Bailey’s shoulder, causing a car accident.

Fortunately, everybody stayed alive. But then, the real troubles start. Trying to deal with the situation, the family hopes somebody will stop by them and offer help. Suddenly, the car appears on the road. The three men get out of the car, and the grandmom recognizes The Misfit among them. In desperate attempts to save her life, the grandmother tries to convince the criminal that he is a good man. She asks him to pray to become closer to Jesus. However, her effort is useless. Ultimately, The Misfit commands to kill all the family members and kills the grandmom himself. That is how dramatically the story ends. 

A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Literary Analysis

Selfishness and individualism are the essential themes covered in the story A Good Man is Hard to Find . In the story, the grandmother prioritized her interests rather than the interest of her family. As a result, the tragic ending occurred to everybody. With the example of the grandmom, the author shows how the desire to achieve personal needs affects society.

Selfishness

The main character of the story – the grandmother – is an entirely selfish woman. Her selfishness reflects in the way she acts, the way she interacts with her family, and even in the way she dresses up.

The grandmother is always concerned about her appearance. She is obsessed with the idea of being a lady. So, she dresses up in elegant dresses and fancy hats. She hopes that “in case of an accident, anyone seeing her dead on the highway would know at once that she was a lady” (O’Connor 2). Thus, she does not spend time with her grandchildren or help her daughter-in-law with household chores. Instead, the grandmother devotes all her time to herself, choosing appropriate dresses and hats.

Besides being ignorant, the grandmom is also a manipulative woman. She effectively manipulates her family members to suit her interests. For example, she takes her cat on a trip despite Bailey’s prohibition against doing that. She just thinks her cat would miss her if she left it alone at home. As a result, the cat becomes a cause of a terrible car crash.

Moreover, the grandmother manipulates her family to see a plantation she saw many years ago. After taking a nap in the car, she suddenly remembers a beautiful place she visited while young. She wants to recall these memories, so she urges her son to go off the road. The grandmother is sure that Bailey will not be willing to spend much time on an old plantation. Thus, she lies to her grandchildren’s children about a secret panel with plenty of silver in that house. The woman says: “It’s not far from here, I know. It wouldn’t take over twenty minutes” (O’Connor 5). In reality, she does not know for sure how long it would take to reach that place. However, her sense of self-importance makes her lie to her family. She manipulates her son to achieve the desired result.

Grandmom’s selfish purposes create dangerous circumstances for the family. Being under the pressure of his mother, Bailey follows her directions. As a result, they get into a car accident and meet The Misfit. 

Individualism

In addition to selfishness, the grandmother’s character traits also include individualism. In the story, the woman’s individualism is confronted with the individualism of the Misfit. Both characters achieve their own needs through surrounding people. They take whatever they need and move forward, not taking into consideration the needs of others. As a result of this behavior, the world becomes a place where “community holds no value” (Hooten 198).

Both the grandmom and The Misfit are predisposed to be humane. For example, the woman tries to convince the prisoner about the significance of spiritual values. Thus, she has a clear image of what kindness means. Similarly, The Misfit seems to be a well-behaved person from first sight. For instance, he apologizes for being dressed improperly. Nevertheless, in the inner battle of good and evil, evil wins in both characters. 

Therefore, individualism takes the upper hand in the character set of both: the grandmother and the Misfit. While being ignorant of other people, the woman and the criminal destroy society. Their individualistic nature becomes a real threat to the surrounding people. 

The analysis of A Good Man is Hard to Find reveals an intriguing aspect. The grandmother and The Misfit have very similar personalities. They both are ready to lie, manipulate, and murder to fulfill their desires.

A Good Man is Hard to Find essay covers Flannery O’Connor’s concern. The themes of selfishness and individualism worry the author. This issue is critical and should be dealt with immediately. If people keep being selfish individualists, the world will become a group of “self-focused wanderers without a community who use others as means to their own ends” (Hooten 197).

Gresham, Stephen. Things Darkly Buried: In Praise of A Good Man Is Hard to Find. 2010, Shenandoah , 1-2: 17-18. Web.
Hooten, Jessica. Individualism in O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find. 2008, The Explicator , 4: 197-198. Web.
Kinney, Arthur F. A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Overview. 1994, Reference Guide to Short Fiction. Noelle Watson. Detroit: St. James Press 1-2. Print.
O’Connor, Flannery. A Good Man is Hard to Find. 2 011, Literature: An Introduction to Fiction, Poetry, Drama, and Writing: Custom Edition . X.J. Kennedy and Dana Gioia. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall. 1-12. Print.

How do you start A Good Man Is Hard to Find analysis essay?

The best way to start an essay on A Good Man Is Hard to Find is to state a clear thesis statement. First, decide on the main points you are going to present. Then, develop a strong thesis, including those ideas. Put everything in words and impress your audience from the very beginning of your essay.

What is the main theme of A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

A Good Man Is Hard to Find covers a lot of crucial issues. However, the central theme is the destructive nature of selfishness and individualism. Flannery O’Connor points out that these traits lead to the establishment of an immoral society.

How would you describe the grandmother in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

The grandmother is a woman from the Old South. She considers herself an elegant and graceful lady. In fact, she is a selfish, judgmental, and manipulative granny. She gets what she desires by disrespecting the people that surround her.

What is the message in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

Flannery O’Connor’s message is that human compassion and grace may change even the most ignorant person. It is best seen during the final encounter between the grandmother and The Misfit.

Is the Misfit a good man?

It is a controversial question, and the reader needs to decide for himself. On the one hand, The Misfit is a dangerous escaped convict. He does not feel responsible for his actions and does not believe in God. On the other hand, he compares himself to Jesus. The Misfit gets into a deep philosophical conversation with the grandmother.

What literary devices are used in A Good Man Is Hard to Find?

A Good Man Is Hard to Find is full of literary devices. The author uses symbolism, irony, foreshadowing, and philosophical thoughts that awaken conversations. These literary devices help the reader understand the story’s moral and experience it better.

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The Qualities of a Good Man

“Your gonna’ grow up and be just like your father! ” Much more than a forecast of an unfortunate demise, but this and other comments have rendered me as screwed up as I am today. A personal goal I have set is to be nothing like my father; the question why can be debated later on a damn’ NBC mini-series, or a rather entertaining episode of the Maury Povic show. Anger, dishonesty, cowardice and weakness are traits we can all do without, but thanks to heredity my father embraces them, like his father did and so on.

With a healthy share of negative male influences around me, I can accurately judge what qualities make a “good” man, taking into consideration the fact that ones definition of “good” varies from one person to the next. A good man should posses all the traits you can attribute with “good. ” A “good” man should be honest. A man is not a man if he tells stories like a small boy. A “good” man should be fun to hang out with, have a sense of humor, and be someone you can just sit and talk with.

A “good” man isn’t overly dull and should be the kind of person who can take a joke, even if the joke isn’t humorous because it may have racist or sexist content. Nobody ever said there’s anything wrong with a “smile” and a “wave. ” A “good” man can rise above the fact that the world is full of ignorance, accept reality for what it is and rise above his human tendency to be offended and seek retaliation. Scientific tests find that an organism that reacts on impulse alone is defined as an animal, and men are not animals, or at least most of them.

A “good” man can effectively use his animal instinct to get whatever he wants out of life. The animal instinct in a man is the single element that separates the men from the boys, and help prove sometimes “good” can mean “bad” at the same time. Its this animal instinct that can reduce you to a street vagrant, or empower you to become a rich and powerful stock broker or lawyer. The principle is as simple as why the neighbor’s dog has to urinate on that fire hydrant every single time he runs by during those early morning jogs.

In order to get ahead in this world, you have to use that animal instinct, that special something that puts you ahead of the rest, to the best of your ability. You may at some point have to stab some backs or break someone’s heart in the process to keep from slowing your momentum. The “Homies,” or the group of 21st century top selling rap artists (i. e. puff daddy, master p), would describe this animal instinct as a person who could “represent. ” But at what point do you stop “represent”-ing in order to “keep it real? ”

A “good” man doesn’t sacrifice being honest to him self or others in order to remain “cool. ” This is a very relevant and ever present way of life in American culture today. Especially among teenagers, sacrificing your beliefs to ensure a position among a high social rank is a very problematic situation. In some cases ignorance inhibits the fact that everything you do, you’re doing to be cool. When everyone around you acts a certain way, you’re fooled into thinking that it’s right. There is a point where one must capitalize on an opportunity because of personal choice, not influence.

When a man learns why breaking away from the flock is a better alternative, he can take part in the greener grasses that await him. Having a sense of originality is almost like roving blinders. Originality can make you see things in a new light. A “good” man can also empathize very well. The ability to see from other people’s perspectives can get you a lot further than stubbornness. This ability also sets a pathway for learning. If you can look at a situation with an open point of view instead of looking at it objectively by questioning its validation, you concentrate on what makes that situation different from others.

By contrasting and comparing, you can make judgments on what actions or words you may have used to improve or provoke a situation, and use them to improve the way you interact with others. A “good” man is a civil human that can successfully interact with other human beings. The one fundamentally sound idea of man is the freedom to interact with other normal people. When you use social skills, manage yourself and your emotions, you set a foundation for developing a unique personality. Through this you can get what all men are afterwomen.

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Guest Essay

The Best College Is One Where You Don’t Fit In

Two people walking down a pathway on an otherwise seemingly empty college campus.

By Michael S. Roth

Mr. Roth is the president of Wesleyan University.

This time of year, college campuses like the one where I live fill up with high school seniors preparing to make what feels like a momentous choice. The first imperative is to find a school that they can afford, but beyond that, many students have been advised to find one where they can see themselves. Too often, they take this to mean finding a place with students like them, even students who look like them — a place where they will feel comfortable. I can’t tell you how many families have described driving many hours to a campus somewhere and having their daughter or son say something like: “We don’t need to get out. I can tell already this isn’t for me.”

“How about the info session?” the patient parent asks.

Choosing a college based on where you feel comfortable is a mistake. The most rewarding forms of education make you feel very uncomfortable, not least because they force you to recognize your own ignorance. Students should hope to encounter ideas and experience cultural forms that push them beyond their current opinions and tastes. Sure, revulsion is possible (and one can learn from that), but so is the discovery that your filtered ways of taking in the world had blocked out things in which you now delight. One learns from that, too.

Either way, a college education should enable you to discover capabilities you didn’t even know you had while deepening those that provide you with meaning and direction. To discover these capabilities is to practice freedom, the opposite of trying to figure out how to conform to the world as it is. Tomorrow the world will be different anyway. Education should help you find ways of shaping change, not just ways of coping with it.

These days, the first thing that campus visitors may notice are protests over the war in Gaza. These will be attractive to some who see in them an admirable commitment to principle and off-putting to those who see evidence of groupthink or intimidation. Any campus should be a “ safe enough space ,” one free of harassment and intimidation, but not one where identities and beliefs are just reinforced. That’s why it’s profoundly disturbing to hear of Jewish students afraid to move about because of the threat of verbal and physical abuse. And that’s why it’s inspiring to see Muslim and Jewish students camped out together to protest a war they think is unjust.

Refusing to conform can mean being rebellious, but it can also mean just going against the grain, like being unabashedly religious in a very secular institution or being the conservative or libertarian voice in classes filled with progressives. I recently asked one such student if he perceived any faculty bias. “Don’t worry about me,” he replied. “My professors find me fascinating.” Some of the military veterans who’ve attended my liberal arts university have disrupted the easy prejudices of their progressive peers while finding themselves working in areas they’d never expected to be interested in.

Over the years, I’ve found nonconformists to be the most interesting people to have in my classes; I’ve also found that they often turn out to be the people who add the greatest value to the organizations in which they work. I’m thinking of Kendall, a computer science major I had in a philosophy class whom I saw on campus recently because she was directing an ambitious musical. When I expressed my admiration at her unlikely combination of interests, she was almost insulted by my surprise and enthusiasm. Had I really stereotyped her as someone not interested in the arts just because she excels in science?

Or take the student activist (please!) who a couple of years after leading a demonstration to the president’s office made an appointment to meet with me. I was worried about new political demands, but she had something else in mind: getting a recommendation for law school. I could, she reminded me with a smile, write about her leadership abilities on campus. And I did.

Of course, even students who refuse to fall in with the herd should learn how to listen and speak to it and to various groups different from their own. That’s an increasingly valuable capacity, and it will help them make their way in the world, whatever school they attend, whatever their major.

Side by side, students should learn how to be full human beings, not mere appendages, and this means continually questioning what they are doing and learning from one another. “Truly speaking,” Ralph Waldo Emerson said about a century ago, “it is not instruction, but provocation, that I can receive from another soul.” That’s why the colleges — large public institutions or small faith-based colleges or anything in between — that nurture and respond to the energies of their students are the ones that feel most intellectually alive.

So, what makes a school the right one? It’s not the prestige of a name or the campus amenities. First and foremost, it’s the teachers. Great teachers help make a college great because they themselves are never done being students. Sure, there are plenty of schools filled with faculty members who think alike, who relish the bubble of fellowship in received opinion. A college can make being weird or radical into adolescent orthodoxy. These places should be avoided. By contrast, there are colleges with great teachers who practice freedom by activating wonder, a capacity for appreciation and a taste for inquiry — and who do so because they themselves seek out these broadening experiences. You can feel their own nonconformity as they try to provoke their students away from the various forms of received opinion.

Finding the right college will often mean finding these kinds of people — classmates and mentors, perpetual students who seek open-ended learning that brings joy and meaning. That’s what young people checking out schools should really be looking for: not a place merely to fit in but a place to practice freedom in good company.

Michael S. Roth is the president of Wesleyan University. His most recent books are “ The Student: A Short History” and “ Safe Enough Spaces: A Pragmatist’s Approach to Inclusion, Free Speech, and Political Correctness on College Campuses.”

The Times is committed to publishing a diversity of letters to the editor. We’d like to hear what you think about this or any of our articles. Here are some tips . And here’s our email: [email protected] .

Follow the New York Times Opinion section on Facebook , Instagram , TikTok , WhatsApp , X and Threads .

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Gary oldman's slow horses wish is great for the show's future after season 5.

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Gary Oldman's Slow Horses Success Means He Can Finally Pay Off His Unfulfilled Hero Role From 13 Years Ago

How accurate is slow horses 6 things the show gets wrong about mi5, slow horses season 4's major lamb reveals teased by gary oldman.

Gary Oldman, star of Slow Horses , hopes for the spy series to continue for several more years to come.
Slow Horses , based on Mick Herron's novels, has gained popularity with critics, leading to multiple seasons.
Apple TV+ has shown faith in Slow Horses by renewing for a fifth season, paving the way for continued success.

Slow Horses has been a massive hit for Apple TV+, and if its main star, Gary Oldman, gets his way, the spy series won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The show revolves around the agents of Slough House , a place where MI5 service personnel go following career-ending blunders. Thus far, three seasons of Slow Horses have aired, all of which have garnered acclaim from critics. Now Oldman, who plays the head of Slough House, Jackson Lamb, has voiced his desire to see the series continue for several more years, which will come as good news to fans of the show.

The TV series, which first debuted in 2022, is based on the Slough House novels by Mick Herron, with each of the three seasons adapting a different book in the series. Season 4 of Slow Horses is currently in the works, and in a testament to the show's popularity, a fifth season was recently greenlit. With plenty of material still yet to be adapted, Slow Horses has the potential to keep going for years to come, which is certainly what Gary Oldman would like to see .

Gary Oldman's performance as Jackon Lamb has cemented his status in the spy-thriller genre, paving the way for him to pay off one of his best roles.

Gary Oldman Wanting To Adapt All 9 Slow Horses Books Is Great For The Show's Future

The actor is keen for the series to continue.

As it stands, there are currently eight books in Herron's Slough House series , which started with Slow Horses in 2010. Oldman recently commented on Slow Horses ' future and his fondness for playing the character of Jackson Lamb, sharing his hopes that he can play him for many more years to come. About the possibility of adapting more of Herron's novels, Oldman said, " If they’re happy to keep us on the air, then I’m very happy to do this and do all eight books. "

Slow Horses season 4, which will be based on Mick Herron's 2017 novel Spook Street , is expected to premiere in the second half of 2024.

Oldman also revealed that Herron has written a ninth novel, which has yet to be released but is something he would also like to see adapted. " Who knows? " Oldman pondered, " Maybe it’ll be nine books, and I’ll be happy to play Jackson Lamb [in all of them. ]” The actor's enthusiasm for Slow Horses and his eagerness for the show to continue beyond season 5 is incredibly encouraging. After all, Oldman is the face of Slow Horses , and his commitment to the project makes the prospect of adapting all nine books far more tangible than it would otherwise be.

Slow Horses Season 5's Early Confirmation Means Adapting More Books Is Possible

Apple clearly have faith in the show.

In the age of streaming, Slow Horses ' season 5 renewal is something that is rather unprecedented for Apple TV+, especially given that season 4 has yet to begin airing. The move demonstrates just how much faith Apple has in Slow Horses being a hit for the next couple of years. Additionally, the streamer clearly believes that, with the show, they have a strong property that will keep attracting viewers and winning over critics. What it also means is that the likelihood of Gary Oldman's nine-season wish being fulfilled is fairly strong.

Slow Horses ' continued popularity is far from guaranteed, but as long as viewers keep tuning in, there's no reason the show can't reach the nine-season milestone.

Herron's novels have already proven to be ideal for TV adaptations, especially with the involvement of Will Smith as showrunner and Oldman in the lead role. The fact that there are several other Slough House books still yet to be adapted will no doubt delight Apple executives , who, owing to the show's undeniable popularity, will be hoping to continue making the show for as long as it continues to be profitable. Of course, Slow Horses ' continued popularity is far from guaranteed, but as long as viewers keep tuning in, there's no reason the show can't reach the nine-season milestone.

Based on the Slough House novels by Mick Herron, Slow Horses isn't a totally accurate depiction of MI5, though the spy thriller nails some details.

Slow Horses Reaching Season 9 Would Be A Massive Milestone For Streaming

It's something that is unheard of in the current television landscape.

Of course, if Slow Horses were to cross the season 9 mark, it would be a massive achievement. Only a handful of TV shows make it past the first few seasons, and even fewer run for nine years or more. Certainly, in terms of streaming, the idea of a series reaching nine seasons is rare. Most streaming shows bow out after one or two runs of episodes, either because of cancelation or story-driven decisions. In 2024, a TV show crossing the three-season mark is somewhat of a rarity.

The fact that Slow Horses has managed to make it to five seasons is, therefore, something that’s worth celebrating in itself. It would be excellent if the series broke the current trend and stayed on screens for years to come. However, the more seasons that are made, the more likely the show is to experience a drop in quality. Then again, in the short time it's been around, Slow Horses has proven to be one of the most consistently reliable shows on TV; if any show can make it to nine seasons and still be good, it’s Slow Horses .

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Man who drank 10 beers before fatal DWI crash sentenced to 26 years in prison

William james ballestero must serve at least 13 years before being eligible for parole.

David Ibañez , Web - Managing Editor

SAN ANTONIO – A Bexar County jury sentenced a man Thursday to 26 years in prison for a violent DWI crash that claimed the life of a woman in 2022.

William James Ballestero, 34, was found guilty Wednesday in the 379th District Court on a murder charge.

About the Author

David ibañez.

David Ibañez has been managing editor of KSAT.com since the website's launch in October 2000.

The 10 Best So-Bad-They're-Good Nicolas Cage Movies, Ranked

"What's in the bag? A shark or something?"

As Community once explored and explained , Nicolas Cage is a complex figure within the world of cinema; an actor who’s achieved greatness in some films, and has just as often been at the center of many less-than-amazing movies, too. That’s part of what makes Cage fascinating. He’s perhaps the biggest wild card working in the world of film today, defying expectations and unabashedly always doing his thing, not to mention committing to almost every movie he stars in, regardless of quality.

This all adds up and ensures that there are numerous Nicolas Cage movies that could be called bad, for lack of a better word , with the best-case scenario being that some of these bad movies are actually kind of fun. “So bad it’s good” is a term that can come up fairly often when looking at some of these lesser (or more bizarre) movies within Cage’s body of work, with the following films being some of the best so bad they’re good movies the actor’s been featured in.

10 'Rage' (2014)

Director: paco cabezas.

Cage being in a movie literally called Rage is an admittedly enticing concept, and that’s before learning that it revolves around gangsters and is also an action/thriller movie . More specifically, its plot sees Russian mobsters kidnapping someone they really shouldn’t have, because the victim is an ex-criminal, and he gets his old gang back together to enact vengeance on these kidnappers.

Its 2014 release means it came out during a somewhat rough time for Nicolas Cage, and indeed, a rough time to be a Nicolas Cage fan , as the actor appeared in countless low-budget action/crime/thriller movies to get out of debt . Thankfully, Rage is just stupid enough to be one of the more enjoyable movies of this period, though it also should be noted that plenty of better (or worse, depending on your point of view) so bad they’re good Cage movies exist.

Rage (2014)

When the Russian mob kidnaps the daughter of a reformed criminal, he rounds up his old crew and seeks his own brand of justice.

Watch on Tubi

9 'Stolen' (2012)

Director: simon west.

Speaking of the 2010s and Nicolas Cage, Stolen was one of the more infamous and (somewhat) high-profile Cage films of this era, re-teaming Nicolas Cage and director Simon West for the first time in 15 years. Previously, the two had done 1997’s Con Air , which is a dumb film, sure, but also something of a minor action classic , feeling a bit Die Hard on a plane.

Stolen is not any kind of classic, at least not in the traditional sense, being another movie – alongside Rage – where Cage plays a criminal whose daughter has been kidnapped, leading to him becoming desperate and violent to get her back, and get back at her kidnappers . It’s potentially dopey fun for lovers of the kind of trash that Cage can almost make work, even when very little else about the movie is even coming close to working.

Watch on Hulu

8 'Never on Tuesday' (1989)

Director: adam rifkin.

The mere existence of Never on Tuesday is baffling, as the entire thing feels like a fever dream. Some things have to be seen to be believed, but even if Never on Tuesday is seen, it remains a challenge to believe it even exists. On the surface, it feels like a comedic movie about a road trip, but certain sequences and creative decisions are bizarre in a way that might even unsettle David Lynch .

Nicolas Cage’s odd cameo in the film demonstrates this particularly well, as he enters the movie with a fake nose, strange haircut, and bizarre voice, acting creepy and then disappearing as abruptly as he entered. It’s one of the actor’s strangest roles , but he doesn’t even have the weirdest cameo in Never on Tuesday , as that “honor” would probably have to go to Charlie Sheen .

Buy on Amazon

7 'Trespass' (2011)

Director: joel schumacher.

Director Joel Schumacher’s most noteworthy addition to the so bad it’s good canon would have to be 1997’s Batman & Robin , which has both detractors and fans who appreciate the campiness of it all. Trespass was also directed by Schumacher, and though it’s not quite as memorable as a classic bad movie, it is odd enough to kind of work, despite it not exactly being good in the traditional sense.

Trespass has a surprisingly great cast, though, with Nicolas Cage, Nicole Kidman , and Ben Mendelsohn starring in this film about a home invasion targeting a wealthy family. It’s got a confined setting, some fairly ludicrous plot twists and developments, silly dialogue, and some rather big performances , feeling like a melodramatic thriller that might be a little self-aware, or might be trying to play things straight; it’s hard to tell, some of the time.

6 'Sonny' (2002)

Director: nicolas cage.

It’s not widely known that Nicolas Cage is also a director on top of being an actor, but that could be a result of him having only directed a single movie : 2002’s Sonny . It’s one he’s also featured in as an actor, playing a pimp known as Acid Yellow, which is just one of many bizarre things about the movie, the main plot of which is centered on a young man trying to make ends meet after being discharged from the army.

The entirety of Sonny feels a little fever dream-ish, and kind of in a way that proves oddly intoxicating, if a little exhausting, eventually. Cage’s small role in his own movie is probably the most intensely strange and absorbing part of the film, but the energy throughout the entire thing is just off, and it’s honestly kind of captivating. Confusing and unsettling, sure, but still somehow captivating .

5 'The Humanity Bureau' (2017)

Director: rob w. king.

Time will tell whether The Humanity Bureau has the capacity to one day become a cult classic science fiction movie , but for now, it does at least feel like a ridiculously stupid and oddly engaging one. Narratively, things take place in a particularly bleak-looking 2030, with environmental and financial problems necessitating the creation of an agency that enforces people to be efficient, and punishes those deemed inefficient.

As a warning of sorts about where the world could be headed, it’s too preposterous and ham-fisted to take seriously, with the film’s message and thematic content also being undone by a poor screenplay, less-than-great acting, and general technical incompetence. It’s a bit of a cinematic trainwreck, but hey, The Humanity Bureau is hard to look away from, and is “underrated,” as far as bad Nicolas Cage movies go .

The Humanity Bureau (2017)

In 2030 the world is in a permanent state of economic recession and facing serious environmental problems as a result of global warming.

4 'Inconceivable' (2017)

Director: jonathan baker.

If you can read the title of this 2017 movie without thinking about Wallace Shawn , then you probably haven’t seen The Princess Bride . You should get on that; it’s very good . Anyway, speaking of very good, Inconceivable is… wait, Inconceivable isn’t very good. It’s the opposite of that. It melts the brain; it’s wild – it’s… words fail. Inconceivable’s inconceivable.

It feels like a fair few episodes of a particularly silly soap opera crammed into one 105-minute-long movie , centering on two mothers who engage in a psychological – and eventually physical – battle, with Nicolas Cage’s character caught in the middle. It’s incredibly overwrought and remarkably stupid, but as is the case when Cage’s energy is combined with less-than-great filmmaking, the resulting movie that is Inconceivable is kind of fun to watch.

3 'Zandalee' (1991)

Director: sam pillsbury.

An erotic thriller of the trashiest variety , Zandalee honestly scratches the same itch as The Room , owing to both its overall quality and its basic plot. Said plot revolves around a woman, the titular Zandalee, becoming bored with her marriage and striking up an affair with someone a little more out-there and exciting; a man played by Nicolas Cage. In this sense, at least the casting got things kind of right, because Cage does generally seem weirder than Judge Reinhold , who plays the guy getting cheated on.

Naturally, things get complex and ultimately tragic, with Zandalee hitting the beats you’d expect a film about an affair gone wrong to hit. What’s unexpected about Zandalee is how wild some of the details are, beyond the basic story being told, and just how over-the-top it gets stylistically. Its most famous scene, understandably, involves Nicolas Cage beating up some works of art and then covering himself in paint . It’s movie magic.

2 'The Wicker Man' (2006)

Director: neil labute.

1973’s The Wicker Man is an example of folk horror at its absolute best . The 2006 remake can’t even be called folk horror, really; it was either going for a slightly different feel, or wanted to be a more modern take on the horror sub-genre and failed spectacularly. In any event, the movie was a notorious critical disaster, and perhaps one of the worst horror remakes of all time.

Thankfully, even though the story of a sheriff looking into the mysterious disappearance of a young girl is boring, the Nicolas Cage performance at the center of the film – plus much of the dialogue throughout – is enthralling. The Wicker Man (2006) spawned plenty of memes, and it’s easy to see why , with it being, in many ways, the most famous and (ironically) popular of Cage’s less-than-stellar movies released so far.

The Wicker Man

A sheriff investigating the disappearance of a young girl from a small island discovers there’s a larger mystery to solve among the island’s secretive, neo-pagan community.

Rent on Apple TV

1 'Deadfall' (1993)

Director: christopher coppola.

Deadfall brought together a few members of the Coppola acting family , including Nicolas Cage (obviously), Talia Shire (sister of Francis Ford Coppola ), and Christopher Coppola , who directed and co-wrote the film. It might well have the most entertaining Nicolas Cage performance of all time , at least as far as his bad movies go… and honestly, the commitment to the role on offer here rivals some of his most passionate performances in actually good movies, too.

It's a convoluted crime movie that feels muddled and clunky, and the parts of the movie that don’t feature Nicolas Cage hamming it up can be a little boring. But the parts where Cage is going full Cage make Deadfall an essential watch for anyone who finds this darker and stranger side of the actor’s filmography compelling (or, at the very least, those people should watch the best clips on YouTube ).

Deadfall (1993)

After he accidentally kills his father, Mike, during a sting, Joe tries to carry out Mike’s dying wish by recovering valuables that Mike’s twin brother Lou stole from him years earlier. But Uncle Lou is also a confidence artist, and Joe is soon drawn into his increasingly dangerous schemes.

Watch on Amazon

NEXT: The Worst Nicolas Cage Movies of All Time, Ranked

'crowd was elite,' ryan prager boasts about 12th man after win vs. no. 2 arkansas, share this article.

The No. 4 Texas A&M baseball team was able to defeat No. 2 Arkansas 1-0 on Thursday night in an 11-inning pitchers’ duel thanks to sophomore Ryan Prager.

The left-handed star may have earned a no-decision but he kept the Aggies in the game. Prager pitched 7.0 scoreless frames and allowed 5 hits and 1 walk with 9 strikeouts on 101 pitches. After the win , he spoke to the media.

“It felt normal like another game. The outside noise is what it is. I thought it was great, one, that we got the game in first,” Prager recalled. “Then second, I thought for the weather and everything, we were all sitting here at 5 o’clock not knowing what the crowd was going to look like. People were probably going to be at home just watching from their couch.

“I thought the crowd was elite and that might even be an understatement. I don’t know if I can say enough good words about them tonight because normally I can’t really hear them or tell when I’m on the mound. But in the first I could tell they were with me all night long and they were with this team all night long through the last pitch.”

Contact/Follow us @AggiesWire on X and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Texas A&M news, notes and opinions. Follow Shaun on Twitter: @Shaun_Holkko .

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Updated college baseball regional projections, sec helmets ranked from worst to best, ranking every sec college baseball stadium amid the 2024 season, social media reacts to podcast downplaying kyle field environment, updated win projections for each sec team following spring ball, 'crowd was elite,' ryan prager boasts about 12th man after win vs. no. 2 arkansas, no. 4 texas a&m baseball team defeats no. 2 arkansas in 11-inning sec pitchers' duel.

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George Clooney to make Broadway debut as newsman Edward R. Murrow in 'Good Night, and Good Luck'

George Clooney will make his Broadway debut as 1950s television news reporter and anchor Edward R. Murrow in a stage production of his film "Good Night, and Good Luck."

The production will debut in spring 2025 at one of 17 Broadway theaters owned by the Shubert Organization, according to a statement.

The 2005 movie, co-written by Clooney, 63, and Grant Heslov, starred David Strathairn as Murrow in the early 1950s, when he challenged the red-baiting antics of Sen. Joseph R. McCarthy, R-Wis.

Clooney's work on the black-and-white film, including as its director, earned him nominations for the 78th Academy Awards in 2006.

For the play, which he also co-wrote with Heslov, Clooney will portray Murrow, according to the statement.

It's personal.

His father, Nick Clooney, is a retired television journalist who worked in Kentucky, where Clooney actor grew up, as well as in Cincinnati, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles.

Clooney has said he is proud to have grown up in journalism. Speaking to students at Washington, D.C.'s American University in 2009, he said he wanted to produce "really well-written words about the Fourth Estate again."

Murrow pushed back against CBS executives opposed to his challenges to McCarthy, who coerced allies and destroyed foes with threats and accusations surrounding communist sympathizing.

Tony Award-winning Broadway director David Cromer, who will direct, said in Monday's statement that Murrow "operated from a kind of moral clarity that feels vanishingly rare in today’s media landscape."

Dennis Romero is a breaking news reporter for NBC News Digital.

70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics

Welcome to A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics page prepared by our editorial team! Here you’ll find an extensive collection of the short story essay topics and ideas! Literary analysis, characters, themes, & more. Get inspired to write your own essay!

🔬 Literary Analysis
🎭 Characters
📊 Compare & Contrast
🗺️ Navigation

🎓 References

🔬 literary analysis of a good man is hard to find.

What is the symbolism of the characters’ names in A Good Man Is Hard to Find ?
Analyze the use of foreshadowing in the grandmother’s utterances.
Which literary devices does O’Connor use to create the uncanny feeling in her readers?
Dialogues in O’Connor’s A Good Man is Hard to Find
What does the wood where the family gets killed symbolize?
Track the cues that relate each character to a given social class.
How does nature reflect the characters’ feelings and intentions?
Analyze the irony of the grandmother’s actions that cost the lives of the entire family.
How does the timeline of A Good Man Is Hard to Find match its plot development?
What does the car represent in the short story? Analyze its role for the characters’ descriptions.
A Good Man is Hard to Find: literary analysis
Enumerate the situations when the grandmother acts as a bad person. Are they evenly distributed throughout the text?
Where does each character find their salvation?
The cat is an important symbol. What does it represent?

🎭 A Good Man Is Hard to Find Characters

Who are the protagonist and the antagonist in the short story?
The Grandmother in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Do you think the grandmother really changed for the better in the end?
Why couldn’t the grandmother sympathize with the African American people?
In your opinion, did The Misfit kill his father?
What was the role of society in the formation of The Misfit’s character?
Why were June Star and John Wesley so ill-bred?
Which traits do the grandmother and The Misfit share?
Analyze the feministic message in the image of the children’s mother.
What made Bailey a bad father, husband, and son?
Explore the moral code of The Misfit.
Why does the grandmother consider Red Sammy Butts “a good man?”
Invent another character who could be a good man in the short story.

🌻 Essay Topics on A Good Man Is Hard to Find Themes

How does the theme of children’s education in the short story show up through the family relationships?
How do good and evil coexist in the short story?
Themes & motifs in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
What does grace mean for the grandmother before her death?
How does the author manage to show the theme of family through the worst possible example?
Religion in A Good Man Is Hard to Find
Does religion make people kinder to each other in A Good Man Is Hard to Find ?
What role does religion play in interpersonal relationships in the short story?
How does the theme of Jesus show up in the characters, and what are the differences?
Flannery O’Connor explores the theme of moral decay. What can be done to remedy the problem?
Violence in A Good Man Is Hard To Find
Which characters reflect the theme of honesty in A Good Man Is Hard to Find ?
Why is the definition of “a good man” so elusive?
How does the theme of goodness exist in the short story without a single positive character?
What does morality mean for the grandmother, and how does she use double standards?
Why is society an adverse factor for children’s development in the short story?
Why is nostalgia a negative feeling in A Good Man is Hard to Find ?
How does class make you a good or bad person by default?

⌛ Essay Topics on the Context of A Good Man Is Hard to Find

How did O’Connor’s Catholic education influence her prose?
What do you know about the Jim Crow era in the American South?
Analyze the reasons for the grandmother’s nostalgia in view of the racial inequality?
Which views of the characters are no longer tolerable nowadays, and what has changed the way people think?
Why did Flannery O’Connor write such macabre stories?
Why didn’t the abolishment of slavery improve the position of African Americans, as O’Connor describes it?
Why does Southern Gothic tend to describe strange and eccentric characters?
Is O’Connor’s A Good Man Is Hard to Find a horror story or a realistic story, and why?
Analyze the reasons for O’Connor’s criticism of religion in her prose.
Which values did the grandmother uphold as a woman from the South?
Explore the reasons why such a genre as American Gothic emerged.
Why were the plantations and mansions in the short story so forsaken?
Use your knowledge of history to predict what kind of people June Star and John Wesley would have become if they had survived.

📊 A Good Man Is Hard to Find: Compare & Contrast Essay Topics

What does O’Connor’s prose lack to become dark romanticism, as that of Edgar Allan Poe?
A Rose for Emily and A Good Man is Hard to Find
What are the differences between the “freaks” and “outcasts” of Henry Crews and Flannery O’Connor?
Compare the effect of catholic education on the fiction of Flannery O’Connor and Ann Rice.
Compare the goodness of the characters in Good Country People and A Good Man Is Hard to Find .
Psychoanalytical analysis of A Good Man Is Hard to Find and Revelation
How could Faulkner’s A Rose for Emily inspire O’Connor to write A Good Man Is Hard to Find?
Compare the depiction of sin and hatred in The Cask Of Amontillado by Edgar Poe and A Good Man Is Hard to Find by O’Connor.
Compare and contrast the use of irony in A Good Man Is Hard to Find and The Necklace by Guy de Maupassant.
A Good Man Is Hard to Find vs Good Country People: themes & characters analysis
Compare the importance of human life in A Good Man Is Hard to Find and To Kill a Mockingbird by Harper Lee.
How do people dehumanize African Americans in O’Connor’s and Harper Lee’s prose?
Critics described Wise Blood by O’Connor as “low comedy and high seriousness.” Why can we say the same about A Good Man Is Hard to Find ?

Looking for inspiration to write your own essay on A Good Man Is Hard to Find? You are welcome to visit our essay examples page ! And don’t hesitate to use our topic generator if you need any help while formulating your essay title.

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1. IvyPanda . "70+ A Good Man Is Hard to Find Essay Topics." August 13, 2023. https://ivypanda.com/lit/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-study-guide/essay-topics/.