The Misfit Quotes

“A Good Man is Hard to Find” narrates a story of a manipulative grandmother who always enforces a “moral code” on her family members. When her son, Bailey, announces a family vacation to Florida, the grandmother “[seizes] at every chance to change” his mind because she desires to “visit some of her connections” (137) in Tennessee instead. She reveals her crafty, “snake-like” nature as she “[rattles] the newspaper at [Bailey’s] bald head,” telling him about a murderer who “calls himself The Misfit” (137). When Bailey does not react, the grandmother “[wheels] around… and [faces] the children’s mother” (137). Realizing that the news of the Misfit will not influence the family into changing their travel plans, the grandmother devises a new tactic. She tells the mother to“take the children somewhere else for a change so they [will] see different parts of the world and be broad” (137) to manipulate the mother into thinking that the grandmother wants to travel to Tennessee solely for the children’s benefit.

Despite the grandmother’s efforts, the family still decides

She immediately combines all of her previous tactics and spurts at the Misfit, “You've got good blood! I know you wouldn't shoot a lady! I know you come from nice people! Pray! Jesus, you ought not to shoot a lady. I'll give you all the money I've got!" (151-152). Unfortunately, the Misfit still does not free her. Amidst all her crying and panicking, the “grandmother's head [clears] for an instant” (152), and she believes she has successfully devised a new scheme that will save her from the Misfit. The grandmother “[reaches] out and [touches] the Misfit on the shoulder,” claiming that he “[is] one of her babies” (151). Shocked by her touching him, the Misfit immediately “[springs] back as if a snake [has] bitten him and [shoots] her three times through the chest”