Flannery O'Connor's "A Good Man is Hard to Find," is a short story about a family on a vacation. Throughout the story the grandmother is vain, hypercritical and superficial, not to mention, annoying. On the vacation, after the family crosses path with the Misfit, the grandmother's personality changes dramatically, she goes from being vain to being sympathetic. The grandmother and the Misfit start to grow a connection, focusing on the fact that they both don't have anyone left on whom to lean. This connection shows the readers that maybe the grandmother has changed, although we are all very doubtful. Someone's personality comes from how they were brought up and how they have been treating people throughout their lifespan. It is difficult for someone to change as dramatically as the grandmother did, but it is also possible. .
The grandmother is full of self-absorption, however, she starts to change during her last moments alive. When the misfit murders the family, the grandmother doesn't even seem to bat an eye. Although the grandmother doesn't seem upset about the killings, we can understand that she could be in a state of shock. Witnessing or being the sole purpose of your family's death has to affect a person, no matter how vain they are. After the grandmother witnesses the deaths of her family, she is barely keeping it together. The grandmother finally feels unable to save anyone else, and this causes her stress because she is used to being in control. .
When the grandmother is finally realizing that death is approaching her, she starts to understand what she has all done wrong throughout her life. She realizes that instead of being perfect, she also does have flaws like everyone else and that she has caused some heartache throughout her life. She then begins to regret the path on which she has lea herself. This made her reach out to the Misfit and suggests that he is like one of her own children.