A Good Man Is Hard to Find by Flannery O'Connor (1925-1964)

Text

10/29/09

Aim: Who was Mary Flannery O'Connor?

Do Now: Journal #21 Interpret and respond to-(What does it mean to you? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?)

Samuel Johnson: “Literature is a kind of intellectual light which, like the light of the sun, may sometimes enable us to see what we do not like.”

Procedure:

1. Do research (Biography) about O'Connor and explain why she was a controversial writer in her times.What was the criticism about?
2. What are her major works? Give the titles of two of her works and explain briefly what they are about.
3. What caused the controversy? Do the two literary works you have researched justify the criticism she received?

HW#25 Write a letter to the New York Times expressing your views on O'Connor's writing whether the criticism on her writing was justified. Support your position with evidence.

10/30/09

Aim: Who is responsible for the ultimate tragedy? Why so?

Do Now: Journal #22 Julius Caesar:  “Men willingly believe what they wish.”

1. In your journal, describe a tragic incident in which no one was to blame for the event; describe another tragic incident in which everyone involved was to blame.

2. Interpret and respond to the quotation "Show me just what Muhammad brought  that was new, and there you will find things that only evil and inhuman, such as his command to spread by the sword the faith he preached."

11/02

Aim:How are the grandchildren portrayed? What words would you use to describe them?

Do Now: Journal # 23 Interpret and respond to-(What does it mean to you? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?)

Norman Cousins : “Death is not the greatest loss in life.  The greatest loss is what dies inside us while we live.”

Procedure:

Read A Good Man Is Hard to Find (Text)

• Discuss and respond to the following questions or writing prompts-

  1. How is the grandma portrayed? Does she remind you of anyone you know? What is the dominant feature in her character?

  2. How are the grandchildren portrayed? What words would you use to describe them?

  3. How would you describe the wife and husband? The family in general?

  4. In what setting did the story occur?

  5. How do you feel about the two children's behavior? Why didn't Bailey or the mother say anything about it?

  6. There are several examples of foreshadowing in the beginning of the story. Identify them and explain how the hints developed toward the end of the story.

HW #26 Copy and answer the 6 questions above.


11/04
Aim: How did the grandma make her son Bailey to do what she wanted, which is to visit the mansion from her memories?
Do now:

Journal # 24 Interpret and respond to-(What does it mean to you? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?)
George Bernard Shaw: “There are two tragedies in life. One is not to get your heart’s desire.  The other is to get it.”

Procedures:

Copy and answer the following questions-

1. In O'Connor's writing, even the minor characters are described with great details. How are Sam and his wife depicted, not only their physical characteristics but more importantly personality traits? What do Sam and his wife's statements reveal," It isn't a soul in this green world of God's that you can trust..." (Samy's wife) ; "A Good man is hard to find..." (by Samy)
2. How did the grandma make her son Bailey do what she wanted, which is to visit the mansion from her memories?
3. How did the accident occur? Who was to blame?
4. How did each character react to the accident, the children, Bailey, the mother, and the grandma?
5. How did Grandma try to protect herself from the blame?
6. How did they encounter Misfit? How was Misfit described, both physical and personality traits? What impression did he leave on the reader?

HW#27 Answer the 6 questions above using the details from the Text.

11/05

Aim: Why did the grandma keep saying "you've got good blood" and "Jesus would help you"? Did she really mean it?

Do Now: Journal # 25 Interpret and respond to-(What does it mean to you? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?)

Addison: “Reading is to the mind what exercise is to the body.”

Procedure:

Copy and answer/respond to the following questions-

1. If you were a member of the family, considering the setting you were in , when you saw strangers coming towards you after the accident, how  would feel? Why?
2. The turning point of the story is where the grandma recognized Misfit. Why?
3. How did Misfit act before he was recognized and after?
4. According to Misfit, what drove him to be who he was today? Describe his life based on his account of his past life.
5. What happened to the family? Why did Misfit choose to kill the grandma last?
6. Why did the grandma keep saying "you've got good blood" and "Jesus would help you"? Did she really mean it? Explain.
7. If you were a parent and saw your child die in front you, would you still have the will to live? The grandma wanted so much to live, what did this tell about her character and belief?
8. If the grandmother had not recognize the man as misfit, would the tragedy have taken place? Explain.

HW#28 Copy and answer/respond to the 8questions above.

11/06

Aim: What was the reason the grandma was chosen to be the last one to die?

Do Now: Journal # 26 Interpret and respond to-(What does it mean to you? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?)

.    R. Choate: “A book is the only immortality.”

Procedure:

Copy and answer/respond to the following questions-

1. On page 352, Misfit said," Jesus was the only One that ever raised the dead...He shouldn't have done it". What did he mean? Why did he say this?
2. Why did the grandma say "Why you're one of my babies. You are one of my children!" before she was killed?
3. What was the reason the grandma was chosen to be the last one to die?
4. O'Connor was criticized for portrayal of faithless characters. Do you feel the characters she portrayed are like someone you know or overly exaggerated?
5. Tragedy is meant to arouse sympathy from the reader for the characters and yet the tragic ending of this story does not arouse such feeling. Instead we feel numb or even apathetic. Why? Is it because we have lost our abilities to sympathize or these characters are soulless people that don't deserve our sympathy?

HW# 29 Copy and answer/respond to the ABOVE 5 questions.

11/09/2009

Aim: Review the story and questions

Do Now Journal # 27 Interpret and respond to-(What does it mean to you? Do you agree or disagree? Why or why not?)

Chesterfield: “You must look into people as well as at them.”

Procedure:

Finish the story and review all the questions based on it.

HW#30 Finish answering all the questions and Prepare for the quiz on Tuesday , 11/10/2009..

11/10/2009

Quiz #2 (2nd Marking Period)

Briefly answer the following questions-

1. How is the grandma portrayed? What are the dominant features in her character? 10%

2. There are several examples of foreshadowing in the beginning of the story. Identify them and explain how the hints developed toward the end of the story.10%
3. How did each character react to the accident, the children, Bailey, the mother, and the grandma? 10%
4. How did they encounter Misfit? How was Misfit described, both physical and personality traits? What impression did he leave on the reader? 10%
5. The turning point of the story is where the grandma recognized Misfit. Why? 10%
6. How did Misfit act before he was recognized and after? 10%
7. What happened to the family? Why did Misfit choose to kill the grandma last? 10%
8. Why did the grandma keep saying "you've got good blood" and "Jesus would help you"? Did she really mean it? Explain.10%
9. If you were a parent and saw your child die in front you, would you still have the will to live? The grandma wanted so much to live, what did this tell about her character and belief? 10%
10. O'Connor was criticized for portrayal of faithless characters. Do you feel the characters she portrayed are like someone you know or overly exaggerated? 10%

Bonus Questions: (10%)

Tragedy is meant to arouse sympathy from the reader for the characters and yet the tragic ending of this story does not arouse such feeling. Instead we feel numb or even apathetic. Why? Is it because we have lost our abilities to sympathize or these characters are soulless people that don't deserve our sympathy?

Aim: Essay: Analyze "How Does the Story Illustrate the Title "A Good Man Is Hard to Find'"? Use the outline below to help you write the essay.

Introduction: 

• Define the word "Good" in the title

• Introduce your thesis statement: Do any characters in the story demonstrate the qualities of  a good human being?

• What literary elements or techniques ( such as characterization, irony, foreshadowing, setting, theme, conflict, imagery, symbolism etc) did the author use to make her point.

Body:

Paragraph1: Analyze the grandmother. How is she portrayed as a woman who can't be regarded as "good" while she seems to be the best character in the story? Give examples to show she is a hypocrite.

Paragraph 2:  Analyze  Misfit. How is he portrayed as a common person judging his background and behavior and yet he is evil (soulless) and has no conscience. Use examples from what he said and did to show the kind of evil person he is.

Paragraph 3: Analyze the Bailey and his wife and the two children. In what ways are they portrayed as  possessing no qualities as "good" human beings?

Conclusion:

To reiterate your point. Make one or two-sentence comments on what you think personally of the title of the story.

hw#31 Complete the essay following the guidelines.