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The Theme Of Identity In Flannery O Connor's Good Country People

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Good Country People by Flannery O’Connor has many instances pertaining to the theme of Identity and morals. Mrs. Hopewell and Joy believe they are better than everyone else. However, Joy changed her name to Hulga in order to shape her identity because of her leg. She feels like Joy is a beautiful name but see herself as ugly Hulga. Since Hulga has a wooden leg, “Mrs. Hopewell thought of her as a child though she was thirty-two years old and highly educated” (O’Connor 1) Even though Hulga has gone out and become independent in a sense, Mrs. Hopewell thinks Hulga will never lead a normal life and therefore considers her a child. The irony being Hulga is thirty-two and has acquired a PhD. One day a bible salesman named Manley travels to their

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