
A Good Man Is Hard To Find by Flannery O’Connor and The Journey by Mary Oliver explores negativity that occurs in our lives without cause. Mary Oliver describes challenging tribulations and persevering despite the challenges that life brings. Flannery O’Connor as a ‘southern gothic’ author brings on strong negativity that shows how poorly things can go in life with and without an apparent reason. Whether negativity is caused by something or not, through these texts it is known that we must do all that we can to succeed and learn from these experiences if possible because otherwise negativity will rule your life. 

In A Good Man Is Hard To Find, O’Connor depicts a family going on vacation attempting to cross paths with an escaped criminal they see in another state. The author here shows how you can go on trying to mind your own business. Although, there are unknown variables at play which in the case of the characters ends up costing them their lives. This is a very interesting take to have in writing  as well as life because even though as people we would like to think it won’t happen to us, sometimes ‘those’ situations do happen to involve us. The question being once in the situation, how will you react and learn from it if you have the chance to? The family pleads their cases hoping to get out of this event alive, while The Misfit definitely lives his life differently than they do. "Shut up, Bobby Lee" The Misfit said. "It's no real pleasure in life” (O’Connor). At this point, it is understood that The Misfit has accepted to dwell in negativity, due to his existentialism Whether it was caused by being in the penitentiary or just as 

a belief, The Misfit is entirely content with having negativity in this life. He casually has their family killed and seems unbothered by his decision. 

Oliver in The Journey describes the narrator having to come to the realization of facing the negativity in life in order to succeed. In this figurative or literal journey that the narrator goes on, it is one filled with obstacles. These obstacles along with “the voices” are all a part of the negativity that can rule your life if it is given the chance (Oliver). On this journey, it inspires growth and encourages determination and other qualities to come into fruition to enable your success against negativity. The circumstances needed to bring out these qualities in each individual are completely different, although without mustering the strength to fight negativity there is no way to be sure of the outcome. My interests in this text are that it is completely accurate in relation to life and titling this story The Journey shows that it is a progression that is unique for everyone. 

A Good Man Is Hard To Find and The Journey are two texts set around life changing negativity and how it can strengthen or weaken individuals. Finding strength in yourself from overcoming difficulty that potentially could ruin your health, finances, career or other aspects of life helps build character. The same situation could destroy your character through failure along with the repercussions of what comes along with that failure. My interests in these texted came mostly out of O’Connor’s text and its relation to everyday life. Both of these texts in conversation produce talk about the challenges of life, how to overcome problems, and being a victim of unforeseen circumstances. Life challenges all of us in different ways, in both of these texts the narrator (The Journey) and the family (A Good Man Is Hard To Find) have to overcome these tribulations in order to thrive, survive, and succeed. The difference in results from these two texts displays accurately how vital challenges can be, and how life changing the consequences or benefits can be. The Journey depicts what kind of personal qualities you should have in order to successfully get through your challenge. While O’Connor’s text focuses more on unforeseen events and being on the receiving end of the consequences for no obvious  reason. These similarities and differences could mean the difference in major life changes. The similarities alone could show that negativity is definitely something to be aware of in life for preparation sake. The differences show the uncertainty that life has in it, you can never anticipate exactly how situations will work out. 

There are multiple concepts within these stories that I am struggling to understand and to apply to real life. In Oliver’s text she says:


kept shouting 

their bad advice

though the whole house began to tremble 

and you felt the old tug 

at your ankles

This verse of poetry makes it seem as though an individual would not have the self control or motivation in order to withstand negativity. I have an understanding that situations that are new can be shocking and disheartening, but still people can have some sort of general idea how to react in various circumstances that they have not been in before. Although, if  “the voices” are voices/thoughts inside your own mind that are swaying you to make a decision then that makes more sense than being easily shaken up in each and every new situation. O’Connor as a southern gothic writer uses religion in her writing along with her other literary devices. Interpreting what O’Connor is saying about the characters as well as about different arguments in the plot is difficult. Also, finding out what O’ Connor is saying about the world and daily life by taking a religious approach in a “terribly funny and spiritually vivid way”  does not simplify things any further (Jordan) .  While reading these texts I approached them with an open mind, and try to think with the author’s background in mind because usually that can explain the reason why they have such a writing style. For instance O’Connor is a Southern Catholic which inclines her to speak about religion more so than an atheist. Yet knowing this doesn’t aid in analyzing why characters do the things they do within her text or what they  may represent. Another technique I use when trying to further understand a text is to research it to see if analysis from another individual’s point of view, gain some historical insight, or what have you is beneficial. In these two texts, intentionally not making their solutions to the negativity crystal clear could be an ingenious way of illustrating how life is multi-faceted.

Life may not unravel itself with any means of clarity, yet from reading these texts it can be determined that we must go on into the face of uncertainty and negativity. After reading The Journey, the author makes it clear that we need to have some personal strength along with other qualities that will help you even when negativity is dragging you down. Another major lesson /decision that is involved in these two texts is the choice every person in a challenging situation has: whether to go with the flow of events (free will) or to choose to alter their circumstances in some way. The decision is yours, whether it be to do as you wish like The Misfit or to choose not to fight back like the members of the family , or lastly to choose to take charge in life and succeed much like the narrator of Oliver’s text. Negativity plays a part in every individual’s daily life, but the decision on how you will react to it is all your own. The authors of these two texts both showed examples of how to face adversity, as well as how important your decisions can be when it comes down to making a decision. Only other question is what will you do when you are faced in a new, demanding situation? 
