Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject English Language and Literature Studies - Literature, grade: 1, University of Vienna, language: English, abstract: The following paper gives an in-depth analysis of Flannery O'Connor's acclaimed short story A Good Man Is Hard To Find. A detailed account of O'Connor's life and her status as a fervent Roman Catholic in the predominantly Protestant South during the period of World War II and the Cold War sheds light on her literary motivations and her brilliant use of the grotesque. The historical and religious context complements the second part of the paper, which consists of a thorough textual analysis of A Good Man Is Hard To Find. Special emphasis is put on the exploration of character relationships, important themes and cultural signifiers, which again links up with the first part of the paper.