External Conflict and Emotional Depth in Flannery O'Connor's A Good Man is Hard to Find
In A Good Man is Hard to Find, Flannery O'Connor crafts a story rich in both external conflict and emotional complexity. The tension between survival and grace, nihilism and belief, makes this narrative unforgettable, particularly through its two central characters: the grandmother and The Misfit. By examining them through Robert McKee’s lens of external conflict and Donald Maass’s focus on internal, emotional journeys, we gain insight into how O’Connor creates such multi-dimensional, powerful figures.
The Grandmother: Balancing External Conflict and Emotional Complexity
The grandmother’s primary external conflict is simple yet compelling: she wants to survive her encounter with The Misfit. As the last family member left alive, she scrambles to influence him, attempting to appeal to his better nature by calling him a "good man." According to McKee, external conflict drives plot, and the grandmother’s pursuit of survival propels her actions, relying on her perception of herself as a “lady” to control the situation and live to see another day.
Beneath the Surface: The Grandmother’s Emotional Conflict
While her external conflict is compelling, the grandmother’s internal conflict is where her emotional depth is revealed. She is portrayed as self-righteous, judgmental, and stubborn, hiding her flaws under the guise of being a Southern “lady.” She views herself as morally superior to her family and, certainly, to The Misfit. However, in her final moments, she reaches out to him, calling him one of her "own children." This moment of grace highlights her late realization of shared humanity—a realization that comes tragically too late. Her internal struggle between selfishness and grace mirrors her external struggle for survival, making her a complex and fully human character.
McKee Meets Maass: The Convergence of External and Internal Conflicts
This alignment of external and internal conflicts is where McKee and Maass’s approaches to character design converge. The grandmother’s survival instincts are intertwined with her emotional journey, culminating in her final act of reaching out to The Misfit. This isn’t just an action for survival; it’s an emotional reckoning—a moment of grace contrasting sharply with her previous behavior. Through this alignment, O’Connor makes the grandmother deeply real and painfully human.
The Misfit: An Antagonist with Emotional Depth
On the surface, The Misfit is the story’s antagonist, directly opposing the grandmother’s goal of survival. His calm, deliberate manner and nihilistic worldview make him a terrifying figure. In McKee’s framework, an antagonist must be as powerful as the protagonist to create real conflict, and O’Connor achieves this balance. The Misfit’s philosophical stance and his dismissal of the grandmother’s appeals for mercy establish him as a formidable presence.
The Misfit’s Internal Struggle: Faith and Nihilism
Like the grandmother, The Misfit’s actions stem from a deeper internal conflict. Underneath his cold exterior, he grapples with existential questions of faith, morality, and justice. His reflections on Jesus and divine judgment reveal his struggle, which gives him depth beyond that of a typical villain. According to Maass, emotional depth is key to creating impactful characters, and The Misfit exemplifies this. He isn’t merely a ruthless killer; he is a man tormented by questions he can never resolve, resorting to violence as his response to life’s uncertainties.
Integrating External Conflict and Emotional Depth in The Misfit’s Character
The Misfit’s external actions—murdering the grandmother and her family—are driven by his internal struggle with faith and morality. His refusal to believe in anything beyond himself leads him down a path of nihilism and violence. Through McKee’s focus on external conflict and Maass’s emphasis on emotional depth, The Misfit becomes a tragic figure. His actions are shaped by an unresolved, painful search for meaning, making him a complex and emotionally charged antagonist.
The Grandmother’s Family: Plot Devices and Background Forces
In contrast to the complexity of the grandmother and The Misfit, the rest of the family serves primarily as plot devices. They contribute to the story’s external conflict—the detour, the car accident, and the tragic encounter with The Misfit—yet lack the emotional depth seen in the central characters. The children’s disobedience, Bailey’s frustration, and the family’s ill-fated decisions raise the stakes for the grandmother, amplifying her desperation and setting the stage for her final confrontation.
Conclusion: Mastering External Conflict and Emotional Complexity
What makes A Good Man is Hard to Find such a compelling story is how it combines external conflict with profound emotional complexity. The grandmother’s journey from selfishness to grace and The Misfit’s struggle with faith and morality create a narrative that resonates on multiple levels: life-and-death stakes and a deeper philosophical exploration of good and evil.
By blending McKee’s insights on external conflict with Maass’s focus on emotional depth, O’Connor crafts characters that feel real, tragic, and deeply human. The grandmother’s last-minute act of grace, too late to save her life, and The Misfit’s tragic philosophical struggle—ending in violence—give the story a richness that elevates it beyond a simple plot. This narrative becomes a meditation on morality, grace, and the human condition, proving that the most powerful stories often balance both external and internal conflicts.
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