Plot Summary: The Ill-Fated Journey
The story begins with a family in Georgia preparing for a vacation to Florida. The grandmother, who is manipulative and obsessed with social status, tries to convince her son, Bailey, to go to Tennessee instead because an escaped killer is on the loose. During the drive, she manipulates the family into taking a detour to visit an old plantation she remembers from her youth. However, she realizes too late that the house is actually in Georgia, not South Carolina. In her confusion, her cat causes a car accident, leaving the family stranded in a ditch. They are soon approached by a car containing three men, one of whom is the notorious 'Misfit.' As the grandmother recognizes him, the situation turns fatal, leading to a series of executions and a final, spiritual confrontation.
Character Analysis: The Grandmother and The Misfit
The Grandmother is the protagonist, characterized by her narrow view of morality and her obsession with being a 'lady.' She uses her religious and social standing to judge others while ignoring her own flaws. In contrast, The Misfit is a philosophical criminal who has spent his life trying to make sense of suffering and religion. While the grandmother represents a shallow, hypocritical form of faith, The Misfit represents a dark, lived-in reality. Their interaction in the final moments of the story serves as the narrative's climax, where the grandmother experiences a sudden moment of genuine grace and connection before her death.
Core Themes: Grace and Morality
A central theme is the definition of a 'good man.' To the grandmother, goodness is tied to manners and heritage; to the Misfit, it is something more elusive and perhaps non-existent. The story also explores the concept of 'Grace.' O'Connor, a Catholic writer, often used violence as a catalyst for characters to experience a moment of spiritual clarity. The grandmother's final gesture—touching the Misfit and calling him one of her own children—is interpreted by many scholars as a moment of divine grace that transcends her previous selfishness.
Study Tips for Essays and Discussions
When analyzing this story for a class assignment, focus on the use of foreshadowing, such as the mention of the Misfit early on and the description of the family car as a 'hearse-like automobile.' Pay close attention to the dialogue between the Misfit and the grandmother regarding religion and the nature of Jesus. For comparative essays, you might look at how O'Connor uses the Southern Gothic setting to highlight the moral decay of her characters compared to standard summaries or guides found on SparkNotes or LitCharts.
