DQ 5

DQ 5
3.Discuss the characters names in “Good Country People”. Clearly, they are representative of something -- what is it?

There are 4 characters in the short story, “Good Country People” whose names have “deeper meanings”. However, 3 of them have names that represent something opposite what their given names mean literally.
Mrs. Freeman- Mrs. Freeman is a tenant of Mrs. Hopewell and also helps manage Mrs. Hopewell’s farm. She is the only one whose name represents of who she really is. Mrs. Freeman is not the average talkative and nosy person. She pries on other’s business. She acts like she is a “walking radio”. Her name Freeman as in “free man” where she gets away with everything she does. Nobody in the story ever confronted her of her actions.
Mrs. Hopewell – an old divorced lady and farm owner. As her name suggests she “hopes” that everything goes “well”. Nothing goes well with Mrs. Hopewell. Her daughter does not respect her as she should.
Joy (Hulga) – Joy’s character is the opposite of what her name represents. There is no joy in her life. First, her leg is amputated, she has not hobby, she is sick (heart condition) and above all nothing seems to make “joy” out of her life. She does not care for animals or nature. Everything around her annoys her including her mother. What is funny though is that, she thought she would find “joy” (for the first time) in seducing Mr. Manley whom she thinks that she is a step ahead of him.
Mr. Manley Pointer – The name Manley is just like the word “manly” as in manliness or something to do with his manliness but Mr. Manley is nothing near. Although, he represented himself as “honorable” and “sincere” and “honest” as he represents himself as the bible salesman. He is to me a “con man”. Mr. Manley is a “salesman” so he speaks in the right “pitch” and tone. His last name Pointer, does not “point” us anywhere near to his manliness but to his vicious character. Also, Joy has a PHD in Philosophy and thinks of herself above everyone else Manley was able to “point” her to the direction of what Manley thinks to outsmart her. Seminarians (men who are studying to be a priest) take Philosophy classes and Theology classes to become a priest. Though the story does not mention that Manley has a background in Philosophy (which he must have) took the “challenge” to bring a rude and proud “philosopher” a lesson himself.
I find this short story hilarious as it reminds me of us…There are some people we work with or relatives that we “call” or have “names” whose personalities are opposite of the name we “give” them. O’Connor has achieved in creating “distorted” images of these characters which is also serves a reminder of our daily lives.


9.“The last sentence seems to contain a contradiction. “From my family I have learned the secrets” might lead you to expect something positive. But maybe the last phrase is not meant to be positive. What is your reading of Hogan’s conclusion?” (492)

The poem is about the speaker talking about what she learned from her mother, father, grandfather and Grandmother. Each of these people has impacted her life as a Native American as well as the White Grandmother. The speaker is very specific of what her mother, father, grandfather and Grandmother taught her that she is grateful for and impacts her life. Without them and enriching her with the lessons - in terms of survival and how to accept their losses. Her rich heritage and legacy has helped shape who she is. It is true that the speaker's Grandmother (take note of the capitalized G) who represents the settlers who drove the natives away from their lands and how brutal the settlers are of their treatments to the natives.
What the speaker meant by "...I have learned the secrets" is nothing negative. She is very lucky to be nourished with such great ancestry even if both sides are from the different sides of the "aisle". It is also means that the speaker learns the importance of the acceptance of what circumstances that speaker could not change. If you have noticed that the speaker's being is gifted to use all of her five senses (even the "sixth" sense)...smell from her mother (nourishes her), father is the sense of sight (for survival), her uncle through hearing (the chants reflections of traditions, ) grandfather (the sixth sense ) and Grandmother (emotions)...these are the very core of who she is and with the help of her roots, she is able to survive everything against all odds and the understanding of the past is the gifts or secrets that her loved ones have bestowed on her...again, the "secrets" are "gifts" of her heritage.