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"The Death of Tommy Grimes" outshines "A Good Man is Hard to Find" in its achievement and influence as a literary work. Both narratives delve into themes of tradition, human behavior when confronted with death, and duty. Nevertheless, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" prevails due to its skillful depiction of characters, setting, and the macabre elements. It is clear that "The Death of Tommy Grimes" emerges as the superior masterpiece.
Both "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and "The Death of Tommy Grimes" demonstrate the impact of tradition on society through character development.
However, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" effectively conveys this message compared to the former. In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," the decline in moral values and Christian beliefs is portrayed through multiple generations of a family, illustrating how tradition can be corrupted. On the other hand, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" presents a strong traditionalist father whose racist beliefs have a damaging influence on society, including his own son.
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While "A Good Man is Hard to Find" subtly hints at the negative consequences of tradition, such as through the grandmother character, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" more explicitly examines the destructive nature of blindly following racist traditions during that time period in the South.
Misfit's analysis of the grandmother in "A Good Man is Hard to Find" suggests that she would have been a better person if constantly monitored, indicating the misappropriation of Christian beliefs (O'Connor 11). In contrast, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" delivers a clear message against tradition through the father's celebratory words about his son killing someone.
This story depicts a young boy transitioning into adulthood within a group of prejudiced men at a bar. While "The Death of Tommy Grimes" effectively conveys its anti-traditionalist theme in a concise manner, "A Good Man is Hard to Find" uses children characters to demonstrate the negative impact of passing down distorted or ignored traditions over generations.
The lack of morals in children, demonstrated through rudeness and apathy towards others, highlights the nature of immorality. "The Death of Tommy Grimes" effectively conveys a pro-traditionalist message by utilizing the father as a pivotal character who remains fully developed and necessary throughout the story. In contrast, while "A Good Man is Hard to Find" could exist without the children, their presence serves to emphasize the harm caused by a moral void. By fully utilizing its characters, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" effectively delivers its message against traditionalism, surpassing "A Good Man is Hard to Find" in showcasing the impact of traditionalism through characterization.
"The Death of Tommy Grimes" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find" both utilize their atmosphere to depict human nature in times of death; however, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" is more successful as it maintains a balance with other elements of the narrative. In "The Death of Tommy Grimes", the son's fear of killing and the father's repeated use of the word "buck" create a sense of unease and hint at underlying darkness. Despite the indirect foreshadowing, an ominous aura is present, setting a foreboding tone. Conversely, "A Good Man is Hard to Find" explicitly references The Misfit and his malevolent actions, suggesting his inevitable intrusion upon the family's fate."
The use of foreshadowing in these stories is very direct, creating an atmosphere of uneasiness. However, it also gives away too much of the plot too soon, leaving little to the imagination. Both tales build up to a climax where death plays a prominent role. They feature both literal and metaphorical deaths - in "The Death of Tommy Grimes," there is the literal death of the dehumanized prey and the metaphorical death of Tommy as he transitions into "manhood." Similarly, "A Good Man is Hard to Find" depicts the brutal deaths of a family and the internal demise of the Misfit, who has been figuratively slain by society. This transformation from ordinary events to scenarios saturated with various forms of death heightens the atmosphere, transitioning swiftly from light to dark.
Despite initially creating a dark atmosphere, "A Good Man is Hard to Find" loses some of its impact when it delves into a long and unrealistic dialogue between the grandmother and the Misfit. This seems to serve as a platform for O'Connor to express her views on the grandmother's selfishness in death, a theme that was not clearly established earlier in the story. The sudden shift to this message without any prior indication detracts from the overall atmosphere, making the social commentary seem forced.
"Although I wasn't there to witness it, I can't deny that Christ raised the dead," claimed The Misfit. Expressing regret, he pounded the ground with his fist, lamenting his absence at the event. He believes that if he had been present, he would have understood and not be in his current state of despair. His emotional outburst seemed to touch the grandmother momentarily, who exclaimed, "Why you're one of my babies. You're one of my own children!" (O'Connor 11)
Despite the fact that both "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and "The Death of Tommy Grimes" successfully depict human nature when faced with death through their atmospheric elements, it is clear that "The Death of Tommy Grimes" achieves this without sacrificing other aspects of the narrative.
Both "A Good Man is Hard to Find" and "The Death of Tommy Grimes" delve into the theme of obligation using grotesque elements. However, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" offers a more compelling illustration. In "A Good Man is Hard to Find," the grandmother anticipates unwavering loyalty from her family members solely based on their relationship with her, yet she fails to reciprocate this obligation during a crisis. Despite calling for her son's help, she does not step in to protect her family from harm caused by the Misfit. This underscores the grandmother's lack of genuine sense of duty towards her loved ones.
In "The Death of Tommy Grimes," a twisted sense of duty is highlighted, illustrating a strong inclination to receive rather than give. This story explores a more disturbing example to reveal the potential flaws in obligations. The son's unwavering devotion to his father transforms him from a person unable to harm a small animal to someone capable of shooting another human being. His idolization of his father ultimately leads to his own demise, as he sacrifices his morals in order to fulfill his obligation:
Reflecting on his father's reluctance to brag about his own achievements, the young man found the courage to ask if he could have a chance at killing the old buck.
Both stories effectively utilize the grotesque to illustrate the dangers of obligation. In "The Death of Tommy Grimes," the sudden and callous unveiling of a racist incident shows the son succumbing to the beliefs of others and re-evaluating his actions as acceptable, while the racist men encourage and applaud the activity. The son, like most sons, feels a natural obligation to his father, leading him to demoralize himself and dehumanize another man, ultimately succumbing to racism and evil.
The text highlights how the grotesque can become ordinary when there is a strong sense of responsibility. While "A Good Man is Hard to Find" also showcases indifference towards the grotesque in the character of the Misfit, it delves into his indifference stemming from a difficult past. In contrast, Tommy Grimes is brought up in a relatively normal and happy environment, aside from his father's racism. It is this acceptance of a horrific event that makes "The Death of Tommy Grimes" more effective in conveying its message on responsibility through the use of the grotesque.
While "The Death of Tommy Grimes" and "A Good Man is Hard to Find" share common themes such as traditionalism, human nature in times of death, and obligation, it is clear that "The Death of Tommy Grimes" is the superior story. Meaddough demonstrates a proficiency in characterization, atmosphere, and the use of the grotesque that surpasses O'Connor's. Overall, "The Death of Tommy Grimes" conveys more well-supported, believable, and well-communicated messages, making it a more efficient and successful piece of literature than "A Good Man is Hard to Find".
"The Death of Tommy Grimes" Triumphs Over "A Good Man is Hard to Find". (2016, Jun 27). Retrieved from https://studymoose.com/a-good-man-is-hard-to-find-oconnor-vs-the-death-of-tommy-grimes-meaddough-essay
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