Socratic Questions for "A Good Man is Hard to Find" by Flannery O'Connor

Closed-ended question: Who is the murderer in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and how many other criminals does he have with him?

Answer: The murderer in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" is The Misfit. He has two other criminals with him, Bobby Lee and Hyram.

Open-ended question: What event can be inferred by the gunshot heard from the woods?

Answer: The event that can be inferred by the gunshot is the murder of the grandmother's is the death of her family when they are shot by Bobby Lee and Hyram.

World Connection: In what ways are today's people "not as nice as they used to be?"

Answer: People "are not as nice as they used to be". It is not uncommon for someone to meet another who lies, cheats, are is flat out disrespectful. Shootings are common in schools, and news of crime and war can always be found in the newspaper. It wasn't always this way though. Stories can be heard from grandparents and great-grandparents about the contrast in violence and crime between today's age and the 1900s. It is true that there was violence back then but violence is more frequent in today's society.


Universal Theme/ Core Question: How does the theme of the story tie to the title?

Answer: One of the themes of the short story, "A Good Man is Hard to Find", is the theme of the declining of social morals. Throughout the story, there are instances in which immorality is present, and the morality of the time period of the story is compared with the morality of the times before. Different examples of immorality in the story include the merciless killings committed by the misfit, the dishonest charging of gas by the men encountered by Red Sam, and the childrens' disappointment when they discover that no one is dead after their car accident. Even the grandmother's small lie when telling of the secret panel can be considered immoral. These immoralities seen in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" validate the short story's title and put emphasis on how much immorality is seen in the world today.

Literal Analysis Question: How does the author use syntax in her story, and how is this utilization effective?

Answer: The author uses syntax throughout her story when she explains conversations and interactions between the included characters without actually stating what they are saying. For example, when the grandmother and family first depart their home, the author writes,"The grandmother said she would tell them a story if they would keep quiet. When she told a story, she rolled her eyes and waved her head and was very dramatic." This unique use of syntax forces the reader to imagine what is going on and enhances the imagery of the piece, while eliminating the unnecessary dialogue that distracts from the premise of the story.