Good_Country_People

Irony within “Good Country People” Beyond the lines of Flannery O’Connor’s “Good Country People” rest an untold story visible only to those willing to take the challenge of symbolic exploration. This exploration is centered on Hulga, an intellectual and a cripple, who is bound to conquer the inconsistencies of her world with a nihilistic set of philosophical guidelines. The story’s progression is catalyzed as Manley, a bible salesman, manipulates Hulga into consenting to a private sales session in which he unravels the fabric of Hulga’s conviction. A thread of irony weaves throughout the work and ultimately functions as a key theme in the story’s development. Hulga’s health, her education, and Manley are components that allow us to explore the functionality of Hulga’s atheistic philosophies. Never enjoying a dance, first kiss, or even a date, Hulga has transformed her deformity into a life-long crutch filled with missed opportunities and denied experiences. Mrs. Hopewell actually has a this excerpt on Hulga, “she thought of her still as a child because it tore her heart to think instead of the poor stout girl in her thirties who had never danced a step or had any normal good times” (191). One opportunity that has not been taken for granted is that of endearment. Ironically, Hulga’s transforming source of pain has become a bold imprint of her personality-marked as a major source of pride. This inanimate object has assumed the role of companion and evolved into a best friend in which Hulga is very protective. Somewhere along her life’s journey, a certain attitude of “us against the world” developed and propelled Hulga into an isolated existence. Also, Hulga’s strength lies within her leg; without it, she is incapable of standing independent (both physically and metaphorically). The artificial leg is at the epicenter of her life and holds the pieces of her existence together, but it also the piece that converted her “Joy” to the menacing Hulga. Boasting a PhD in philosophy, 32 year old Hulga is constantly challenging the religious fervor of her household. Her opposition to faith seems to stem from an overall lifestyle in having no attachments and believing in nothing without empirical proof; this without doubt caters to her isolated lifestyle, but she soon learns that it is difficult to take the human element out of a human existence. One has to suspect that believing in nothing leads to life of not expecting much. Whereas she feels inadequate in socially, her intellect compensates and is a source of pride. Burying herself in philosophical dialogue, Hulga has comprised a stoic life structure in which she attempts to remove the “human” element and operates on pure logic and reason. With all of Hulga’s educational accomplishments, she is “conquered” by an uneducated bible salesman, Manley. Hulga’s entire adult life of nihilistic exploration is no match for her buried longing to feel loved, and no character exploits this need better than Manly. When her veneer of education and sophistication is stripped, she is exposed as wanting nothing but the true embrace of love. Manley Pointer is the catalyst that causes Hulga to react and bring her ironic identity into full view. Upon their introduction, Hulga inspects Manly and figures him to be ignorant and void of intelligence. She questions him and attempts to diminish the indoctrination of his sales product: the love for God. All the while, Manley is actually making calculated discoveries in Hulga’s own personality. He, a trained con-man, manipulates Hulga’s intelligence and lures her into the family loft. Once there, he gives a leveling kiss and proceeds to stripping her of both her pride and shame: the prosthetic leg. The text even notes, “without the leg she felt dependent on him” (201). Hulga becomes so unraveled that Manley is able to secure the leg and taunt the educated Hulga-leaving her submissive and speechless. Ironically, she has dedicated a life-time to rigorous studies and intellectual debate; however, her training has become ineffective in a practical setting. Systematically, O’Connor uses “Good Country People” to spotlight ironic flaws in Hulga’s health, education, and Manley. These variables are indicators of the holes in Hulga’s nihilistic philosophy and overall life. If one accepts the definition of irony (the intention or attitude opposite to that which is actually or stated), than one is obligated to label Hulga’s life as a system of ironic symbolisms. The satirical value of Hulga’s life is most apparent in the issues surrounding her health, education, and relationship with Manley Pointer. She pretends to be above “simple” human emotions, but her true longing to be loved and accepted is revealed through her interaction with Manley. Whereas, she prided herself on having no faith, she was truly afraid of the consequences that come with it. The apathy that enveloped her life was justified through rigorous studying and education, but she was still overpowered by the simplest human need: love.