Humor of Flannery Oconnor

Aaron Kalman Professor Suppes Art of Literature 15 kinsfolk 2012 Humor in Good Country muckle Flannery OConnor has perpetually wish to affair various types of whim and irony in her stories focus on nigh the dark, tragic, and uncomfortable elans of deportment. She uses these literary techniques to mask what she is truly whizzrous to say. Good Country People by Flannery OConnor is a prime usage of mood and irony which come acrosss fun of the simple, intellectual, as well as the incompatible pack in the world. The most blatant and simple type of humor is found while observing the flat pillow slips of Mrs. Freeman and Mrs.Hopewell. These two women go about the story by participating in routine gossip with one another. Their constant bickering and desire to feel superior to the other is humorous because of how uneducated they sound. OConnor puts them in the category of good country mess due to the fact that they are pure, simple, and honest. This is ironic because good country people are referred and compared to as trash multiple times in the story. another(prenominal) example of irony includes when Mrs. Hopewell said that the Freemans were a godsend, but the reason she had engage them was that there were no other applicants.Despite Mrs. Freeman being extremely nosy, Mrs. Hopewell ironically refers to her as a lady and that she was never ashamed to take her anyplace or introduce her to anybody they might meet (OConnor 379). OConnor uses these two women to ease up the mood of the story before introducing Mrs. Hopewells atheist and disheartened daughter rejoicing. The humor that the author uses when describing Joy is more complex and tragic than any other character in the story. As a knowing 32 year-old, Joy is not a pleasure to be around. Joy constantly suffers through tantrums and still dresses like a six year-old.While teaching OConnors description, it is hard not to laugh at the way she acts towards her mother as well as visitors. Joy slam s doors, stomps noisily around on her wooden leg, and is in constant outrage (OConnor 378). An example of her troubled behavior is when she associates Mrs. Freemans daughters, Glynese and Caramae, with Glycerin and Caramel. Joy changes her name to Hulga, which is ironically more suited to her personality. Her mother believes she does it to spite her, but Hulga really does it with the conceit that her mother has to accept her by using the new name.This light humor becomes darker when Hulga gets ready to go on a date with the sadistic record salesman, Manley Pointer. The bible salesman known as Manley Pointer contains a comical champion which makes taking him seriously extremely hard. First of all, the name he chooses to use is extraordinary in its own right. Manley Pointer has a cartoon character approach to him as he enters Mrs. Hopewells house. An example of this type of limning is shown when OConnor states that the man fell forward into her hallas if the handle had moved fir st, jerking him after it (OConnor 382).Manley Pointer has a youthful and cumbrous approach to his customers mixed in with a hint of cleverness. Mrs. Hopewell states that she never liked to be taken for a fool (OConnor 383). Her statement is ironic because of the guile used by Manley to trick Mrs. Hopewell into inviting him over for dinner. As Manley fools Mrs. Hopewell, he begins his unholy act with Hulga. The climax of the humor in Good Country People occurs when Manley Pointer and Hulga go on a date.Manley and Hulgas date begins with nigh comical light humor as Hulga tries to dress up in slacks, a dirty white shirt, and some vapex she finds in the medicine cabinet in order to seduce the bible salesman. This is humorous because its shows her ineptitude to do a basic task despite her having a PhD. Hulga thinks she is making Manley decrease in love with her as he kisses her head to toe however, ironically Manley is secretly seducing her. Her downfall occurs when she gullibly gi ves up her soul by entrusting Manley with her wooden leg. He then takes her leg and runs off into the distance with it, leaving Hulga stranded up in the hayloft.Satirically, the only person Hulga has ever given herself up to steals her life and breaks her heart. Throughout Good Country People, dark, uncomfortable, tragic as well as lighter and simple humor are all used by OConnor. This and some situational and literal irony allowed all types of characters to be make fun of by the author. The ingenious humor and necessary irony by Flannery OConnor in Good Country People are what make her story brilliant. Works Cited OConnor, Flannery. Good Country People. Meyer, Michael, ed. The Compact Bedford establishment to Literature. 8th ed. Boston Bedford/St. Martins, 2009. Print.