n an essay about her story, O'Connor states: "I don't want to equate the Misfit with the devil. I prefer to think that however unlikely this may seem, the old lady's gesture ... will be enough of a pain to him there to turn him into the prophet he was meant to become." Analyze what O'Connor means by this. How does this comment effect the reader's understanding of the text?

In the story "A Good Man Is Hard to Find," The Misfit has some of the characteristics of a "prophet." He has thought deeply about life and justice, and he has a strict moral code (although not a righteous one) he adheres to, and that guides all his actions. He also has some philosophical principles that shape his worldview, such as meanness as opposed to pleasure, or that the crime does not matter when establishing the punishment. He is a "prophet gone wrong."

Because of these characteristics, O'Connor does not equate him to the devil. That would be too simpistic. The Misfit himself says he is not the worst man. Both the author and the character know he has the potential to develop goodness, if only he were redirected to it. The author hopes that this change of direction is triggered by his encounter with the grandmother. If The Misfit feels some sympathy towards her, and is able to react to the understanding that the grandmother showed him, the pain of regret might make him adopt a new moral code, one that leads him towards goodness. He might be able to apply his prophet-like conviction to a new purpose. This way of looking at the text makes us hopeful for his redemption. It also serves to remind us that The Misfit, as horrible as he is, is not the worst, and he has some prophet-like qualities that could still be used for good.