Who is Hulga in good country people?
Summary and Analysis "Good Country People" Hulga Hopewell of "Good Country People" is a unique character in O'Connor's fictional world. Although O'Connor uses the intellectual, or the pseudo-intellectual, in one of her novels and in seven of her short stories, Hulga is the only female in the bunch.
Why does Hulga look down on others?
In the story “Good Country People”, Hulga has a P.H.D. and because of that she tends to look down on others for not being as smart as her. “Joy had made it plain that if it had not been for this condition, she would be far away from these red hills and good country people.…
What kind of person is Joy Hulga?
Joy-Hulga is an educated and intelligent young woman who lives within an environment she doesn’t belong. Joy-Hulga feels as if she is not one of those good country people despite her education and intelligence, however, throughout the story she experiences situations that has her reconsider her life.
What is Hulga’s legal name?
Her legal name was Hulga. She had a vision of the name working like the ugly sweating Vulcan who stayed in the furnace and to whom, presumably, the goddess had to come when called… Joy had made it plain that if it had not been for this condition, she would be far from these red hills and good country people.
What is Hulga in Good Country People?
Summary and Analysis "Good Country People" Hulga Hopewell of "Good Country People" is a unique character in O'Connor's fictional world. Although O'Connor uses the intellectual, or the pseudo-intellectual, in one of her novels and in seven of her short stories, Hulga is the only female in the bunch.
Why does Hulga seduce Manley?
The central conflict in this story is between Hulga, who believes herself to be vastly superior to everyone around her, and the Bible salesman, Pointer, whom Hulga and her mother at first take to be simple, naive “good country people.” Hulga wants to seduce Pointer to shatter his alleged innocence, both physical and ...
How does Mrs Hopewell view Hulga?
She empathizes with her daughter's plight, understanding that Hulga might have reason to be grumpy. And given how grumpy Hulga can be, we'd say this shows a generosity of spirit. Mrs. Hopewell is also a creative and practical person.
Why is Mrs Hopewell's daughter called Hulga?
Hopewell's greatest platitude is perhaps her daughter's name, Joy. Joy is grumpy, cynical and utterly joyless. To spite her mother, she legally changes her name to Hulga, partly because she thinks it sounds ugly.
How old was Hulga when her leg was blasted off?
Hulga—she was baptized Joy Hopewell but changed her legal name to reflect her self-fashioned identity—had her leg “literally blasted off” in a hunting accident when she was ten. She also has a heart condition that will probably kill her, which adds to her morbid appeal for Mrs.
Why does joy Hulga have a wooden leg?
Her leg, shot off in a hunting accident when she was young, is artificial. Her walk is intentionally loud and clunky-sounding, and Hulga's mother believes she walks this way on purpose: “When Hulga stumped into the kitchen in the morning (she could walk without making the awful noise, but she made it—Mrs.
Who is Hulga Hopewell?
The daughter of Mrs. Hopewell, Hulga is intelligent, intellectual, and cynical. The shallowness of daily life and the pointless conversations between Mrs.
Why does Mrs Hopewell think her daughter changed her name from joy to Hulga quizlet?
"Good Country People" -- Why does Mrs. Hopewell think her daughter changed her name from Joy to Hulga? a. Hulga wanted to determine her own identity.
What does the Bible salesman steal from Hulga?
He tells a story, likely fabricated, that he lost his father when he was ten years old. Even further, he senses Hulga's hidden (even from herself) desire to allow herself to be vulnerable to and give herself to another in order to steal her artificial leg.
What was Hulga's name before she changed?
Hulga, born Joy, is our leading lady in this short story. She changed her name herself at the age of twenty-one and—no offense to her mom who named her—we think it was a move in the right direction. Hulga is many things, but joyful is decidedly not one of them.
Why does O'Connor use irony in Good Country People?
Flannery O'Connor uses irony in Good Country People to give the reader a better sense of what she is trying to communicate to the reader, and show the meaning of her characters and their actions.
Why is Manley Pointer name meaning?
Furthermore, his first name, Manley, is ironic because while he acts like a “good country people” (O'Connor) and a very mature man, his name tells the reader that Manley Pointer only follows his poor, manly instincts such as seducing women and using them for his own pleasures (“Good Country People by Flannery …show ...
What is the irony in Good Country People?
In conclusion, the title, “Good Country People” is ironic to the major theme, because Manley isn't a good country person. In fact, he isn't a good person period, which makes him evil and thus not what Mrs. Hopewell considered to be 'the salt of the earth.
Where do manly pointer and Hulga go together?
As they walk, he expresses interest in her wooden leg and kisses her. They talk about God, nothing, and damnation. Manley suggests they find a quiet place, and Hulga leads him to the barn loft. More kissing ensues, and he stealthily pockets her glasses.
How does Hulga see salvation?
A life without faith is a life without meaning. How does Hulga see salvation? c. She says that there's nothing to see.
How did Joy lose her leg in Good Country People?
Hopewell's daughter, Joy, is thirty-two years old and lost her leg in a childhood shooting accident.
How old is Hulga in Good Country People?
Hulga is the protagonist of the story “Good Country People”. She is a thirty-two years old lady with a degree in philosophy. She is born Joy but later changes her name to Hulga. Furthermore, she is quite haughty and grumpy and is not interested in any kind of happiness in life.
What does Hulga think of Manley Pointer?
Similarly, Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell think of Manley Pointer as a simple and good man who cannot harm Hulga in any way. Hulga imagines that she is the one to seduce Manley to shed his religious shell and enter a freer world. However, in the end, he is the one who fools her and leaves her helpless. To sum up, there is a misrepresentation of the title in the story that depicts its ironic nature.
What is the trap of the characters in Good Country People?
To explain, the sincere and fair main characters of the story, Mrs. Hopewell and Hulga fall in the trap of the people who mask themselves as “good” people. Moreover, being extremely educated, Hulga cannot see the vice in Manley’s behavior.
How does the writer use irony in Good Country People?
Through the use of playful irony, the writer crafts a realistic picture of a society where there are always two sides to a coin. In modern times, every person has some background story that is hidden from the world. Similar is the case with the characters of “Good Country People”. To explain, the sincere and fair main characters of the story, Mrs. Hopewell and Hulga fall in the trap of the people who mask themselves as “good” people. Moreover, being extremely educated, Hulga cannot see the vice in Manley’s behavior. Likewise, the experienced and independent Mrs. Hopewell is blind to see the antagonism of Mrs. Freeman for herself.
What is the story of the good country people about?
The story “Good Country People” expresses Connor’s religious argument about how Christianity is abused by many “good” Christians. Connor sets up a conflicting argument between the staunch believers and disbelievers of Christianity. For instance, Hulga is an atheist; however, she is pure, innocent, simple, and devoted to her beliefs.
Why is the title "Good Country People" used?
The title “Good Country People” is an irony for the contrasting natures of the characters in the story. Whenever the writer uses “good” for the people, she is judgmental about their realities and means the opposite of it. For example, Mrs. Hopewell considers Mrs. Freeman good but she always tries to undue Hopewell in her conversations and aims at irritating her at the meals. This is because she is looked down upon by Mrs. Hopewell.
What is Manley's role in Hulga?
In the story, Manley can be considered as a predator who aims at harming Hulga. He wishes to take away her most crucial part i.e. her wooden leg, to make her helpless and useless. As she says that Manley’s observation of her is like encountering “a new fantastic animal at the zoo”. He is a complete deception and plays with other people also.
What is Hulga's favorite phrase?
Freeman’s constant small talk. The banality of Mrs. Hopewell’s conversation is characterized by one of her favorite phrases, “that is life!”.
What does Hulga say when she shows up at the gate?
He is carrying his valise full of bibles. As they walk, he asks where her artificial leg joins to her body, and Hulga is offended. He then expresses disbelief when she says she is an atheist. At the edge of the woods, he kisses her. Hulga has never been kissed before and reflects that it is an “unexceptional experience.”
What happened to Hulga at dinner?
At dinner, Hulga pretended not to hear whenever the Bible Salesman spoke to her. He told his hosts about his childhood, mentioning that his father was crushed by a tree when he was eight. Hulga left the table, but Mrs. Hopewell spent two hours listening to the Bible Salesman talk about his life before telling him that she must be going. Outside, as the Bible salesman left, Hulga was waiting for him in the road and they spoke. Mrs. Hopewell saw them but could not hear what they said. She did watch Hulga walk him to the gate.
Why did Hulga change her name?
Hulga’s original name, at birth, was “Joy”, but when she turned 21 she changed it to Hulga to spite her mother. Hulga takes pride in ruining anything that her mother thinks is beautiful. Get the entire Good Country People LitChart as a printable PDF.
Did Hulga kiss before?
Hulga has never been kissed before and reflects that it is an “unexceptional experience.”. They enter the barn and the Bible Salesman laments that they cannot go up to the loft because of Hulga’s missing leg. She is offended and immediately climbs up. They kiss, and the Bible Salesman tells Joy he loves her.
What does Hosey compare Hulga's intelligence to?
Hosey also compares Hulga's intelligence to a spiritual prosthetic, serving as a replacement for the lack of religiosity in her life. When the salesman tells her that "she ain't so smart", her philosophical basis is destroyed. In the book Mystery and Manners, O'Connor herself stated that Hulga was "spiritually as well as physically crippled".
When was Good Country People published?
1955. " Good Country People " is a short story by Flannery O'Connor. It was published in 1955 in her short story collection A Good Man Is Hard to Find. A devout Roman Catholic, O'Connor often used religious themes in her work. Many considered this to be one of her greatest stories.
What is the irony in Good Country People?
In "Good Country People," O'Connor uses irony and a finely controlled comic sense to reveal the modern world as it is—with out vision or knowledge. As in O'Connor's story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," a stranger—deceptively polite but ultimately evil—intrudes upon a family with destructive consequences. In Hulga's case, despite her advanced academic ...
What does Hopewell believe about Manley?
Hopewell believes Manley is "good country people.". While leaving the home, Pointer invites Joy for a picnic date the next evening, and she imagines seducing the innocent Bible salesman.
Why does Hulga hope well?
Because both Hulga and her mother have accepted this false view of reality, each of them "hopes well" to tailor that world to meet her own needs — Mrs. Hopewell by living in a world where clichés operate as truth, and Hulga by insisting that there is nothing behind, or beyond, the surface world.
What degree does Hulga have?
It is precisely Hulga's Ph.D. degree in philosophy which creates a major problem between the two women. Mrs. Hopewell thinks that girls should go to school and have a good time — but Hulga has attained the ultimate educational degree, and yet education did not "bring her out"; privately, Mrs. Hopewell is glad that there is "no more excuse for [Hulga] to go to school again." Mrs. Hopewell would like to brag about her daughter, as she can brag about Mrs. Freeman's daughters, but bragging about Hulga is next to impossible. Mrs. Hopewell can't say, "My daughter is a philosopher." That statement, as Mrs. Hopewell knows, is something that "ended with the Greeks and Romans."
What does Hulga call the Freeman girls?
Hulga's own attitude toward the two Freeman girls is one of repulsion. She calls them "Glycerin" and "Caramel" (oily and sticky sweet). Mrs. Hopewell is aware that Hulga disapproves of the Freeman girls, but she herself remains enchanted by them, totally unconscious of her own daughter's deep need to be accepted — even though Hulga states that "If you want me, here I am — LIKE I AM."
What does Pointer tell Hulga about Hulga?
As Pointer is leaving the barn loft with Hulga's wooden leg, he further disillusions Hulga by telling her that he has obtained a number of interesting things from other people, including a glass eye, in the same way that he took Hulga's leg.
What did Hulga say to her mother?
In a moment of seemingly immense insight, Hulga lashed out at her mother, yelling, "We are not our own light!".
How does Manley Pointer play Hulga?
Manley Pointer plays his role by removing Hulga's leg and setting it out of her reach. When she asks that he return it, he refuses, and from a hollowed-out Bible (emblematic perhaps of his own religious condition), he produces whiskey, prophylactics, and playing cards with pornographic pictures on them. When a shocked Hulga asks whether or not he is "good country people," as he claims he is, Pointer replies, "Yeah . . . but it ain't held me back none. I'm as good as you any day in the week."
What does Hulga's eyes look like in the movie?
We see this withdrawal particularly in a scene in which her mother has just uttered a series of her favorite, ever-ready platitudes, and O'Connor focuses on Hulga's eyes. Hulga's eyes, she says, are "icy blue, with the look of someone who has achieved blindness by an act of will and means to keep it."
How old is Hulga?
Hulga is our protaganist, or main character. She is a thirty-two-year old, well-educated woman who has done little with her life beyond reading and writing. She has a hard time relating to other people because, despite her education, she just doesn't have any practical life skills. Still, she thinks of herself as a genius and better than everyone else.
Who is the Bible salesman in Hulga?
The day before this conversation takes place, a Bible salesman by the name of Manley Pointer had come around trying to sell his wares. He was charming enough to get a date with Hulga but, as sales sometimes go, not quite charming enough to get her mother to buy a Bible.
How old is Manley Pointer in Good Country People?
'Good Country People' is a short story about a thirty-two-year-old woman with a wooden leg who learns a harsh lesson about herself at the hands of a man posing as a Bible salesman.
What is the story of the good country people?
'Good Country People' is a fairly complex story presented as a simple tale about (you guessed it!) good country people. It starts out with two women, Mrs. Freeman and Mrs. Hopewell, discussing their children. Mrs. Freeman works for Mrs. Hopewell and has two daughters, one married with a kid on the way and one who's just doing her own thing. Mrs. Hopewell has one daughter, Joy, who renamed herself Hulga to make herself more unappealing. Hulga is a woman with a bad heart, a wooden leg, and has never been in love. Still, Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman have a subtle rivalry about their success in raising their daughters to be good, country people.
When was the Good Country People published?
Flannery O'Connor's short story 'Good Country People' was originally printed in Harper's Bazaar, a women's fashion magazine, in 1950. It was written in just four days with only minimal revisions.
Does Hulga have a lot of experience?
Hulga, despite her doctorate in philosophy, doesn't have a lot of experience with real-life situations of a romantic nature. Manley hones in on Hulga's lack of experience and seduces a few kisses out of her. They go into the loft of the barn to have some privacy, and Manley says he loves her.
Is Hulga a woman?
Hulga is a woman with a bad heart, a wooden leg, and has never been in love. Still, Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman have a subtle rivalry about their success in raising their daughters to be good, country people.
