The Grandmother And The Misfit Character Analysis

The grandmother believes The Misfit is “good” because he will not shoot a lady, which is a denial in her faith to keep her moral principles. Her theory proves to be false. The only thing “good” about the Misfit is his uniformity in living out his moral cipher of there is no pleasure but meanness in life.

The Grandma tried to keep her family safe by trying to take a different direction other than Florida because of The Misfit, who is criminal who escaped from the Federal Pen. She convinces them to go to East Tennessee instead to visit some of her connections since she grew up there. ---“Here this fellow that calls himself The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here what it says he did to these people.”(Par. 2) She wouldn’t feel comfortable by taking her children in that direction since a criminal was on the loose in the area. Also the Grandma mentions to her son that he should take the kids somewhere they haven’t been before since they had already been to Florida. ---"You all ought to take them somewhere else for a change so they would see different parts of the world and be broad.”(Par. 4) I figure that the Grandma was just trying to do a mother’s job to do anything

The narrator starts the story giving background information about the grandmother and her son, Bailey. The narrator explains that the "grandmother didn't want to go to Florida" (320). Although a major conflict could result from her dislike of the family's choice of vacation spots, it does not. When

The grandmother is portrayed as being a selfish self-involved woman who wants her way, a person with little memory, just a basic old woman living with her only son. The Misfit on the other hand is a man who feels he has done no wrong, but has just been in the wrong place at the wrong time, but in the end comes too close to the truth, which scares him.

The timing for the presence of a make-believe house that never existed in the town of Georgia determined the destiny of a family of five. The protagonist and the protagonist are center for the actions of good and evil. Whether good or evil is used for a beneficial or evil ways, they both go hand in hand. In accordance to the grandmother, she used the form of good to manipulate a criminal into think that he had good left in him deep down. She also used the sense of goodness in her desperate time of need for survival when she was standing in her grave face to face with the Misfit. On the other hand, the Misfit commits such violent acts to survive and had the necessary necessities to prolong his life. He only acts in violence because it brings good to him a way. The Misfit who has no one and no family and las lost all sanity does what he has to do to be alive. The story has a foundation of family, the influence of manipulation, and good vs. evil. Which are the characteristics and the personality of the protagonist and the antagonist. In a way, the main characters play the role of god. The grandmother plays the role of a judge on who is “good” and who is “evil” she considers herself a good Christian and the Misfit is just Evil in his actions. The Misfit plays the role of god by taking innocent lives and thinking it is okay because he says the punishment and crime never match with the person committing it. He was punished for the killing of his father, which he did not commit. Humanity is destined to be flawed and is capable of both actions. Even though good is always within reach, so is evil at the same time. Both main characters were stripped with what they valued the most and were left alone with nothing. The Misfit was a social outcast on the run from the system and the Grandmother was left alone in a devastating state

The Grandmother identifies herself as having the best values. She completely overdresses for the trip in a "navy straw hat and collars and cuffs, so that if there was an accident, people would know she was a lady" (368). The narrator points out that she looks down upon other people as well. In the beginning of the story, she criticizes the mother for "not taking the children to different parts of the world and being broad" (367), and tells John Wesley that he "should be more respectful of his native state and his parents" (368). Despite being so judgmental, the Grandmother never criticizes her own dishonesty, hypocrisy, and selfishness. When she criticizes John Wesley about the state, she calls a little black boy "a cute pickaninny" (368) in the same sentence. She later says that little black kids do not have things like they do and that "if she could paint, she would paint that picture" (368). The Grandmother paints this picture later with a romantic story of the good old days on the Southern plantations. Her definition of a good man is even flawed. The narrator says she would have married Edgar Teagarden because "he was a gentleman who bought Coca-Cola stock, making him a rich man" (369). In the end, when the Misfit is killing her family members one by one, she tells him to pray for himself. But she never once prays for her own family or begs the Misfit to spare them. She is even dramatic when she pulls a handkerchief out to fan herself and tells the Misfit "you wouldn't kill a lady would you" (373), effectively trying to save herself instead of her family.

The family originally intends to travel to Florida for their vacation, but Bailey reluctantly changes the location to Tennessee because the grandma feels that the children could use a change in scenery. Oddly enough, in the same conversation, the grandma reads a newspaper article that informs the family that a man who, “calls himself The Misfit is aloose…and headed towards Florida,” and she explicitly states that she would never “take [her] children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it” (1). The fact that the family is traveling to the same area as The Misfit hints at their encounter in the end of the story.

She doesn’t know that she isn’t where she thinks she is, so she gives directions, then they get into a car crash, which is due to her obliviousness of her surroundings. In addition, to her obliviousness the crash was also due to her manipulative behavior. The whole reason they go to the plantation is because she manipulates her son into taking everyone. She does this by enticing the kids on how exciting and wonderful the house and land were, so the children were super excited and Bailey didn’t want to ruin the trip so he takes them, even though he does not want to go. While he drives up they then have the car crash into a ditch, which the grandmother then remembers how this isn’t even the state of where she would visit the old plantation, but decides to keep that to herself (O’Conner pgs. 410-412).

Bailey and his wife are up in the front seats of the car, and since the grandmother is in the back with the two kids, where her sphere of socialization and influence are more prominent, the kids are learning her bad habits after all through imitation and desensitization. All the settings are revolving around the grandmother, the protagonist, and they are placing her on a road to hell, paved in her own narcissism and condescending behavior.

The family is made up of the Grandmother and her son Bailey, and his children John Wesley, June Star and the baby, and there is also the mother of his children. O 'Connor uses clues in devious ways, that doesn 't ruin the readers thoughts. She uses foreshadowing FOUR major times throughout the story: the grandmas clothes, her words, the death of her family and the conversation with the misfit. The grandma, who is the protagonist in this short story tries to persuade her son and his wife to vacation somewhere other than Florida because an escaped convict is headed to the same place they are. "Here this fellow that calls himself The Misfit is aloose from the Federal Pen and headed toward Florida and you read here what it says he did to these people. Just you read it. I wouldn 't take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it. I couldn 't answer to my conscience if I did."

Readers are first introduced to the family at the center of the story, headed by patriarch Bailey. Bailey is, the audience soon learns, stubborn and self-centered, above all things. His mother (the grandmother) futilely tries to convince him to change the destination of their family vacation from Florida to Tennessee, but he ignores her. Even as his mother tells him about The Misfit, who is headed toward Florida, he remains “bent over the orange sports section of the Journal” (O’Connor 137). Bailey is not a likeable character; from both his reactions to events and descriptions of his character, one might imagine him to be a gruff, imperialistic man who believes his word to be law. He refuses to acknowledge the grandmother’s concerns by ignoring her outright (although, to be fair, readers quickly learn that everybody in the family seems to be in the habit of brushing her off), and takes

In this story, the grandmother seems to consider herself as the leader of the family. She seems to think of herself as having higher standards than other people, and therefore, she is quick to pass judgment on others. For example, she tells the children’s mother and father, “You all ought to take them somewhere else for a change so they would see different parts of the world and be bored. They never have been to Tennessee” (O’Connor 436).” The grandmother is a very opinionated, talkative, narcissistic, and manipulative woman who frequently controls the other family members. She is the one who calls attention to the fact that a dangerous criminal is on the loose and is located on the route to Florida. Apparently the grandmother thinks this information can compel the father and mother to change their traveling plans. The grandmother seems to cares only about her own wants and desires and has little interest in the wants and desires of

Bailey is the grandmother's son. He does not listen to Bailey about the Misfit and Makes hasty decisions because of whining and griping. He was a driver for the family vacation or trip. In his mind, he's in charge, and he cannot let you forget it. I understand that he was highly addicted by drugs and cannot control himself, much less his family. He tries to keep the appearance of being in control but really isn't. Although it is his idea to go to Florida, it is unclear why he wants to go on a vacation at all. When the family has its unfortunate experience with the Bailey loses it. Even before he knows who Misfit is, the accident itself has already shows the effect of strain in his nerves. Bailey is the grandmother's

The irony of the story is that it is under the directions of the Grandmother that leads the family into a run in with The Misfit, which is what she told her son she would never do. Throughout the trip we are given examples of the racism that was present during this period. The Grandmother makes multiple racist innuendos such as her observation of the “cute little pickaninny,” and her statement that “little niggers in the country don’t have things like we do” (O’Conner 2). During the ride, The Grandmother convinces Bailey to take a detour down an old, dirt road which supposedly leads to an old southern plantation home she once visited. The road leads them deep into the woods where an accident is caused by The Grandmothers cat, which leaves the car upturned and the family stranded. It is then the family encounters The Misfit, whom discovers them stranded as he was passing by. He approaches the family with two young men and shortly after The Grandmother lets out a scream as she realizes him. During their encounter, the readers are given a small glimpse into the deranged mind of The Misfit. It is apparent that he has an upturned moral compass. He gains pleasure from committing crimes and the meanness that goes along with it. During his conversation with the Grandmother, he slowly has his men take members of the family out

The family stops at a restaurant to get a bite to eat, and we find out that the two parents, Bailey and his wife, do not really care for the Grandmother. The Grandmother asks Bailey to dance, but he just declines and ignores her. Bailey’s wife does not seem to care either. They then continue on the road, and the Grandmother begins to tell the story of a house that she really enjoyed passing. She really wanted to go there, so she persuaded the children to want to go as well. After a long time of complaining, they finally convince their father to head back toward this house. They go down this road when all