The Misfit: A Contradiction of Character

Mary Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man Is Hard to Find" leaves the reader with a plethora of questions, emotions, contradictions, and insights. The most of these disturbing being the complex essence and utterly mind-blowing actions of the character, The Misfit. This single man appears to hold two completely opposite personalities, one that is almost that of a gentleman, and a second that is spiritually tormented.

It is a great irony indeed that the first kind words specifically directed towards the grandmother come from this particular man after her own son speaks so rudely to her: "don't you get upset. Sometimes a man says things he don't mean. I don't reckon he meant to talk to you that way" (86). Furthermore, it is carefully illustrated within the text multiple times that he is embarrassed by the present situation; first by his awkward attempt at a conversation and secondly by lacking of a shirt in the presence of the ladies. The Misfit speaks quite naturally with the family and appears to converse especially with the grandmother in thoughtful indifference, even considering her somewhat panicked observations of himself. It is through this conversation that his second person revealed.

The slow revelation pertaining to The Misfit has a few different levels. The first of these simply seems to be some sort of resignation. He seems quite sane when he observes, "I ain't a good man. . . but I ain't the worst in the world either" (100). The second stage is recollection. He tells the grandmother his story, or at least what he can remember of fit. The fact that he has, or at least claims to have, no knowledge as to the reasons he was in jail in the first place is the first solid sign within the conversation that he could be unstable. Finally, the third stage is religion. The effect on The Misfit as his conversation with the grandmother becomes increasingly focused this subject is astounding. What was at first an annoyance to The Misfit soon becomes an unstable defiance and an open demonstration of his delicate second self. It is his extreme and violent reaction to the grandmother's pity that is most shocking and that demonstrates the level of broken spirituality that The Misfit has transitioned into: "She reached out and touched him on the shoulder. The Misfit sprang back as if a snake had bitten him and shot her three times through the chest" (137). What triggered this reaction? At this point in the story, perhaps it is that he has sunken so deeply into darkness, that he can't stand the comforting touch of light; however, this one of several various possibilities.

Despite the analysis of The Misfit's duel personality, in the end, the reader is left with more questions than answers. if it is accepted that The Misfit has multiple personalities, is it fair to conclude that his actions are based solely on the random intervals of his personalities? Does he have a conscience? Does he have the mental capacity to plan ahead? It is hinted at that he can, and perhaps did, plan these murders when he states that he and his two assistants saw the car crash. This is an especially interesting detail considering that it occurred on an empty dirt road that appeared not to have been used for several years. Yet, his completely casual approach to the murders, especially in the way that he can so easily carry on a conversation despite the gunshots, suggests that either he is inherently evil, which does not seem to fit his first personality, or that he does not have an active conscience. Finally, in one of many conclusions, perhaps it is that first personality in contrast to the second one that clearly displays the level of The Misfit's pure darkness.


What about the spiritual aspect of the Misfit. What did he represent spiritually? Did he merely represent it or did he become it?

What did the Misfit mean when he said, "She would have been a good woman if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life"?

What did you think of the treatment the grandmother received from her own family?