“Good Country People” by: Flannery O’Connor PowerPoint by: Deanna & Jordan Sigai, Wesley Wootten, Ja’Kyra Greene

Author's Background On March 25, 1925 to Regina Cline and Edward F. O'Connor had the birth their daughter Flannery O’Connor in Savannah, GA. She began school in the city's parochial schools. But in 1938 her family had move to Milledgeville and she continued going to school at the Peabody Laboratory School which is associated with Georgia State College for Women (GSCW), now (Georgia College and State University). When she was fifteen, she has lost her father to systemic lupus erythematous, She was devastated by the loss of her father, so she elected to remain in Milledgeville and attend GSCW as a day student in an accelerated three-year program.

Author’s Background continued. Wrote two novels and 32 short stories during her lifetime Wrote in Southern Gothic style and relied on regional settings Frequently reflected on her own Catholic faith and moral questions

Author’s Other Works “Greenleaf "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" “The Displaced Person” “The Ending Chill” "A Circle in the Fire" “Revelation" "Good Country People" “Parker’s Back" “Judgment day”

Précis/Overview The story starts off with Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman talking at the kitchen table about Mrs. Freeman daughters and about Joy who lost her leg at the age of 10. Joy ends up changing her name to Hulga. One day a man (Manely) comes by selling buys and he eats dinner with Joy and Mrs. Hopewell. The next day Joy and Manely go off in to this barn where she thinks she can seduced him. But he ends up having her talk off her leg and they argue to where he runs off with the leg and leaves Joy in the barn.

Setting Set on a tenant farm in Georgia, much like the home of the author in Georgia. This is used to establish a worldview that is narrow as well as hierarchical. Authenticity of the setting is contributed by the dialects of the characters, which captures the idiom of the rural South.

Characters • Mrs. Hopewell- A divorcée who owns a farm that she rents to her tenants Mr. and Mrs. Freeman and lives with her daughter Joy. She is a caring, yet naïve, mother and holds great patience for her nosy tenant and her outspoken daughter. • Mrs. Freeman- Tenant on Mrs. Hopewell’s farm who is opinionated, but keen to her surroundings. She understands Hulga’s personality and recognizes the relationship between Mrs. Hopewell and her daughter for what it truly is.

Characters Joy/Hulga-Daughter of Mrs. Hopewell who has lost her leg in a hunting accident. She is an intelligent woman, but also an atheist who is annoyed by religious or spiritual displays. She believes that she is superior to those around her and tries to hold faith or belief in nothing. Manley Pointer- Supposed bible salesman who tricks Joy and Mrs. Hopewell into believing that he is a wholesome Christian, a “Good Country person”. Holds the belief of superiority and intelligence that Joy believes that she holds.

Point of View Written in 3rd person subjective view. The narrator is all-knowing and can directly comment on the events and thoughts of the characters. This allows the reader to fully understand the personality and thoughts of the characters without bias or personal interpretation by the characters.

Plot Structure Exposition: Background information about Mrs. Hopewell, Mrs. Freeman, and Joy Rising action: Boy selling bibles came to eat dinner with Mrs. Hopewell and Joy Climax: Joy went to have a picnic with Manley Falling Action: Manley saying he loves her and wants her to take her leg off. Resolution: He takes her leg off and steals it

Theme Implied “Don’t judge a book by it’s cover.”

Quotes “Carrame, a blonde, was only 15 and already married and pregnant.” “Mrs. Hopewell excused this attitude because of the leg (which had been shot off in a hunting accident when Joy was ten).” “Mrs. Freeman had a special fondness for the details of secret infections, hidden deformities, assaults upon children.” “Good country people are the salt of the earth!” “He said he was the seventh child of twelve and that his father had been crushed under a tree when he himself was eight years old.”

Special Topic Only 15 and is married and pregnant Joy’s leg got shot off in a hunting accident at the age of 10.

Work Sited http://www.georgiaencyclopedia.org/nge/Article.jsp?id=h-498

Quiz 1. Where does the story take place? a. farm in South Carolina b. farm in Alabama c. farm in Georgia 2. What does Joy change her name to? a. Hulga b. Heather c. Heidi 3. What did Manely sell? a. cards b. bibles c. food

Quiz continued. 4. Theme of the story? a. Don’t judge a book by the cover b. Humans don’t see the real truth c. The truth is key 5. What did Manely steel? a. her glasses b. her artificial leg c. her shoe