Final answer:
In 'A Good Man Is Hard to Find,' the grandmother describes the 'good old days' with nostalgia, reflecting on past times as being more respectful, moral, and right. Her descriptions reveal her conservative, judgemental nature and a longing for traditional values.
Step-by-step explanation:
In Flannery O’Connor’s ‘A Good Man Is Hard to Find’, the grandmother’s description of the ‘good old days’ reflects a sense of nostalgia for a past she perceives as better and more moral. She often reminisces about times gone by, for example, citing a suitor named Edgar Atkins Teagarden from Jasper, Georgia, who brought her watermelons every Saturday afternoon. With statements like “In my time… children were more respectful of their native states and their parents and everything else. People did right then”, she reveals her idealization of the past, selective memory, and dissatisfaction with the present. The grandmother’s regretful tone when discussing the present highlights her inability to adapt to changing times and suggests her fixation on an idealized past.
This portrayal speaks to her character as someone who longs for earlier days, not just out of fondness for her youth, but as a critique of current social behaviors. It is a melancholic desire for a return to perceived traditional values and personal relevance. The grandmother's musings on the past ultimately reveal her conservative and judgemental nature, which contrasts with the story's theme of the unpredictable and often violent nature of life, as exemplified through the character of the Misfit and the story's tragic ending.
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