5

Decided to talk about Question 5 from our discussion for the blog for tonight:

 In the very beginning of the story when she reads aloud from the Journal about the Misfit “ I wouldn’t take my children in any direction with a criminal like that aloose in it. I couldn’t answer to my conscience if I did (1304)

When the family stops for lunch at Red Sammy’s BBQ, we get a small insight into what a good man is when we hear Sammy talk about the following “Two fellers come in here last week driving a chrysler. It was a old beat up car but it was a good one and these boys looked alright to me. Said they worked at the mill you know I let them fellers charge the gas they bought? Now why did I do that?” (1307) Talking about how the times have changed and how you can’t trust a soul anymore.

Later on in this conversation it switches to the wife of Sammy, “Did you hear about the Misfit, that escaped?” said the grandmother. “I wouldn’t be a bit surprised if he didn’t attract this place right here. Two cents… bottom of page (1307)

(1309) bottom perhaps a car will come along. (1310) Grandmother is the one who waves down the car, and is the one who makes it come to their “rescue”. Which I find interesting especially since we all  know that this is the Misfit, and it is rather funny that she is the one who made them go on this trip and then in the end she was the one who brought them right to the feet of the killer. Which was said on page (1304)

(1311) Grandma telling the Misfit that he shouldn’t call himself that because she “knows” He is really a good man at heart. Interesting how those changes from her initial thoughts about him when she has no reason to fear for her life, but when she does suddenly everything she has been saying is irrelevant. So good man, not?
And further on in the reading as she tries to convince Misfit that he is a good man to spare the lives of her family and herself. So if she has to do that what makes a good man? Certainly makes the title far more interesting. Of course it’s hard to find if you are trying to pull it from a man that originally didn’t fit your stereotype.
Obviously when you hear the gun shots and the screams as her family dies, then finally when she is shot and dies the misfit says “She would have been a good woman if it had been somebody there to shoot her every minute of her life.”  “it’s no real pleasure in life.”-Misfit.

We spent all of this time talking about what a good man is, what is a good woman?