Hulga fantasizes about seducing him, but in the end, Manley is the one who seduces her. He leads her into a barn loft, steals
her prosthetic leg
, and abandons her.
What does the Bible salesman steal from Hulga?
He tells a story, likely fabricated, that he lost his father when he was ten years old. Even further, he senses Hulga’s hidden (even from herself) desire to allow herself to be vulnerable to and give herself to another in order to steal
her artificial leg
.
What does Manley take from Hulga?
After she succumbs on both counts, Manley opens his Bible to reveal its true contents:
booze, cards, and condoms
. Hulga is not impressed and insists on having her leg back. Manley soon exits the barn loft, taking his stuff, and Hulga’s leg and glasses with him.
Why does Manley Pointer steal Hulgas leg?
Manley sees Hulga’s leg as a piece he can add to his collection, and he seems to have deliberately targeted her when he noticed her disability. It appears that his primary motive was
to get hold of her leg all along
.
What does pointer do to Hulga at the end of the story?
When Hulga has her leg stolen, Pointer
forces her to revert back to this state
, and she now can start over again if she wishes.
How does Hulga see salvation?
A life without faith is a life without meaning. How does Hulga see salvation? c.
She says that there’s nothing to see.
What statement is O’Connor trying to make by having Manley hide certain items behind the cover of a Bible?
O’Connor is trying to make a statement about faith by having Manley hide sexual items behind the cover of a Bible. This scenario is a condemnation of those who outwardly profess to
be members of the Christian faith
but whose inner hearts are full of darkness and self-serving attitudes.
What does Manley Pointer have in his valise?
Also when Pointer opens his valise and the reader finds that he has
a hollow bible with a flask of whisky, some contraceptives
, and obscene playing cards inside it the reader becomes aware that it mirrors Pointer’s religious condition (lack of faith, hollow).
Why does Mrs Hopewell invite Manley Pointer to dinner?
Hulga is openly discourteous to Manley Pointer, the Bible salesman when he visits her house. Mrs. Hopewell invites Manley to stay for dinner with them
after discovering that the nineteen-year-old Bible salesman has a heart condition similar to Hulga’s
.
What does the wooden leg in Good Country People symbolize?
As something manufactured and wooden, the artificial leg also represents
Hulga’s creation of a version of herself that is wooden or emotionless
. Her rejection of religion, of others, and ultimately of her true self is embodied in the wooden leg, which becomes a kind of crutch for her unhappiness.
What does Hulga’s artificial leg symbolize?
Hulga’s leg can symbolize
her doubtful soul
, which she refuses to show to anyone by hiding the seam between her body and the prosthetic. Moreover, her mother believes that the loss of the leg cost Hulga an ability to enjoy life. Thus, the artificial leg also means that Hulga is missing joy.
What does Manley Pointer want proof that joy Hulga really loves him?
Hulga is outraged to discover that the “proof of love” demanded by Pointer is
that she show him where her wooden leg joins her body
; Hulga is “as sensitive about her artificial leg as a peacock is about his tail.” No one ever touches it but her. She takes care of it as someone else might take care of his soul.
What does Manley pointers name mean?
Pointer’s name has two ironic meanings that can explain what Manley Pointer stands for, and what his role is during the climax of the short story. (“Good Country People by Flannery O’Connor”). First of all, his last name, Pointer, simply expounds on the fact that “
He was a tall gaunt hatless youth
” (O’Connor).
What does Manley Pointer do with Joy’s leg?
He completely
plays her, tricking her and then stealing her leg
, a.k.a. the thing that represents her soul. And then he runs off with it, leaving her one-legged and alone in the loft.
Why does O’Connor begin and end the story with Mrs Freeman?
Freeman
frames the story because she has more insight into human nature than
either Mrs. Hopewell or Hulga. In a sense, she stands outside them, framing them, because she can understand more than they can. As the opening shows, she knows enough to be guarded around other people.
What does Hulga learn about herself?
What does Hulga learn about herself? Joy-Hulga has an incredible sense of superiority over everyone around her. She is
college educated with a degree in philosophy
and that alone makes her different and “better” than her mother Mrs.
