Girls Just Want to Have Fun

Flannery O’Conner’s Good Country People follows Mrs. Hopewell, her daughter Hulga, and their farm helper Mrs. Freeman. The story primarily focuses on Hulga and her relationships with her mother and a Bible salesman. Although a surface level reading of the story recounts Hulga’s relationships, readers understand that O’Conner intends to provide greater philosophical ramifications. Because she is a skillful writer, O’Conner is able to masterfully weave different layers of meaning into her story, specifically through Hulga. Hulga’s character embodies modernity and the belief in Nothing, but she experiences a transformation where it is revealed that she has desired to be loved all along, ultimately demonstrating that the belief in Nothing is impossible. 

In Good Country People, Hulga Hopewell is withdrawn, believes in Nothing, and views herself as superior to others. At the beginning of the story, O’Conner provides readers with background information which reveals that Hulga’s “leg [was] literally blasted off” in a hunting accident when she was a child (O’Conner 275). This incident, as well as an unfortunate heart condition, lead her to wallow in her misery (O’Conner 276). Although Hulga goes to college and obtains several academic degrees, including a Ph.D., she chooses to come back and live out her adult life at the farm. Her mother provides her with a roof over her head, but Hulga resents her and the simplistic view of life her mother holds. Throughout the story, Hulga repeatedly looks down on others for naively believing the best in people or believing in something greater than themselves. She even tells a Bible salesman that “we’re all damned. Some of us have taken off our blindfolds and see that there’s nothing to see” (O’Conner 288). Hulga has apparently come to terms that life is meaningless whereas the Bible salesman and her mother have not. She therefore views them as ignorant which contributes to her sense of self-superiority. In light of the resentment that she carries for her mother, she explains she “would be far away from these red hills and good country people…in a university lecturing to people who knew what she was talking about” if it were not for her health (O’Conner 276). If Hulga actually had the desire to teach at a university, she could despite her heart condition. Hulga knows, however, that she would not be the most intelligent one at the school and consequently be at a disadvantage. So, she remains at home where she is regarded as an educated person, all the while complaining about her present circumstances and the apparent lack of intellectual people. Hulga’s complaints and condescendence allow her to elevate herself above her mother and other people. As the story continues, O’Conner reveals how Hulga’s resentment towards her mother and her beliefs have even influenced Hulga’s identity. Originally, Hulga’s name was Joy, but she legally changed it as soon as she was twenty-one and moved away from home (O’Conner 274). Not only does Hulga consider this her “highest creative act,” but she triumphs over the fact that “her mother had not been able to turn her dust into Joy, but…she had been able to turn it herself into Hulga” (O’Conner 275). While her mother takes something Earthly—dust—and turns it into something divine—Joy—Hulga takes something that was divine and influenced by her mother’s worldview, and she perverts it. Her unflattering name fits her behavior and how she sees the world—through the ugly lens of atheism and belief that Nothing exists. Hulga’s character represents modern society as they hold themselves above everyone else and pervert good gifts because their philosophy teaches them that there is no God, no goodness, and no concept of morality. To them, life is meaningless. 

Later in the story, however, Hulga experiences a transformation where she longs for love and affection, demonstrating that her claims which promote life is meaningfulness are void. After Hulga meets a Bible salesman named Manley Pointer, she decides to seduce him while they are on a picnic (O’Conner 284). When Pointer “[draws] her against him without a word and kiss[es] her heavily,” Hulga reveals that she has never been kissed before (O’Conner 285). Although a kiss usually prompts feelings of desire and connection, she feels nothing and regards it as an “unexceptional experience and all a matter of the mind’s control” (O’Conner 285-286). Once again, Hulga feels superior because she was kissed yet feels nothing and takes pleasure in that fact. As the two converse, readers feel a shift in the story. Instead of referring to Hulga and Pointer by their names, O’Conner begins calling them “the boy” and “the girl” (O’Conner 285). Hulga’s superiority complex is stripped away, and she and Pointer are boiled down to their most basic human elements as they prepare to indulge in a genuine connection. Wanting Hulga to prove her love, Pointer asks to see her wooden leg and teach him how to put it on and take it off (O’Conner 288-289). He eventually removes both her leg and her glasses, making her lame, blind, and “entirely dependent on him” (O’Conner 287, 289). Hulga allows Pointer to touch her prosthetic leg, which is incredibly intimate and shows that she is willing to be vulnerable for the sake of a connection. This section marks the climax in the story because Hulga becomes a believer. Whereas she previously believed in Nothing, she now shows that she desires affection and love. Pointer and Hulga’s relationship may have started as a seduction, but readers understand that it develops into something more for Hulga; she wants to believe in something else and craves a legitimate connection. As soon as she allows herself to be vulnerable, she realizes that Pointer is not the man she thought he was. He takes her prosthetic leg, wounds her pride, then abandons her. Before he leaves, she reminds him that he is supposed to be “a fine Christian!”, but the Bible salesman mocks her for being surprised at his behavior, saying “I hope you don’t think…that I believe in that crap!” (O’Conner 290). Following Hulga’s train of thinking, a person like Pointer is acceptable when there is Nothing. If she believes that life is meaningless like she originally claims, then she would not be so appalled and outraged when Pointer betrays her. According to Hulga’s belief system, there is no moral standard of what is right and wrong, so Pointer’s actions would not be morally wrong. However, Hulga behaves as if Pointer did something intrinsically wrong. She might be adamant about her beliefs in the beginning, but O’Conner uses Pointer to demonstrate that believing in Nothing is impossible. In the end, a superiority complex and belief that life is meaningless do not matter. People desire love and affection as well as moral code when it benefits them. 

Throughout the story, Hulga claims that she is an atheist and rejects morality. She consistently reaffirms her belief in Nothing and promotes her superiority, but O’Conner uses Hulga’s interaction with Pointer to display how hypocritical and void this belief system is. All along, Hulga desperately longs to feel love and affection, so she responds to Pointer. She expects him to be “good country people…the salt of the Earth,” but in reality, he takes advantage of her (O’Conner 282). The reputation she has built thus far in the story crumbles in the face of this situation as Hulga is horrified when Pointer takes her prosthetic leg with him. If Hulga or modern society legitimately believes that there is Nothing, then one could not hold another to moral absolute, even when they are clearly wronged. Good Country People shows readers that it is impossible for one to live as if their life is truly meaningless.