Good Country People

Use these essay questions as writing and critical thinking exercises for all levels of writers, and to build their literary analysis skills by requiring textual references throughout the essay.

Differentiation Suggestion: For English learners or struggling writers, strategies that work well include graphic organizers, sentence frames or starters, group work, or oral responses.

Scaffolded Essay Questions

Student Prompt: Write a short (1-3 paragraph) response using one of the bulleted outlines below. Cite details from the text over the course of your response that serve as examples and support.

1. In contrast to her mother’s Christian outlook, Hulga’s view of the world is atheistic and even nihilistic.

• What general outlook on people and on life does Hulga express? (topic sentence)
• Identify three moments in the story when Hulga discusses her beliefs. Are her thoughts contradictory? What do her statements mean? Does The Conflict Between Mother and Daughter play a factor at all in her philosophical outbursts?
• In your concluding sentence or sentences, explain whether you think Hulga’s beliefs are authentically hers and why.

2. Names are very important in O’Connor’s story.

• How does Mrs. Hopewell’s disdain for the name Hulga show her beliefs about women in society? (topic sentence)
• Describe three pieces of evidence that help explain how Hulga’s name change impacts the way Mrs. Hopewell sees her daughter.
• In your concluding sentences, describe the impact Hulga’s decision to change her name has on her relationship with her mother.

3. Flannery O’Connor is often called a Southern Gothic writer.

• What might be readers’ first clue that “Good Country People” is an example of the Southern Gothic genre? (topic sentence)
• Identify three key aspects of “Good Country People” that exemplify Southern Gothic literature.
• In your concluding sentences, explain how identifying the story as Southern Gothic informs your understanding of “Good Country People.”

Full Essay Assignments

Student Prompt: Write a structured and well-developed essay. Include a thesis statement, at least three main points supported by text details, and a conclusion.

1. The revelation of Manley Pointer’s true character is an example of anagnorisis. This Greek term means “recognition.” Does Hulga’s recognition of Manley change the way readers view the story? Why do you think O’Connor chose to end the story with Mrs. Hopewell and Mrs. Freeman rather than with Hulga in the aftermath of Manley’s deceit? How does the anagnorisis impact the story as a whole?

2. Colloquial phrases and dialect are important characterization tools. Readers learn a lot about a story’s characters through their dialogue. Mrs. Hopewell repeats the phrase “good country people” several times. What does the phrase mean in the context of the story? How does its meaning change, if at all, over the course of the story?

3. The narrator’s third-person omniscient point of view gives readers a glimpse into the minds of Hulga and Mrs. Hopewell. Scenes unfold as one or the other character witnesses them. When the point of view switches to Hulga near the end of the story, her emotional reactions and motivations are fully revealed. Why do you think the author chose not to provide access to the minds of other characters? How would the narrative change if the narrator described everyone’s thoughts? Does the point of view help develop the theme of The Conflict Between Mother and Daughter? If so, how?